Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 8, 1993 TAG: 9306080189
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Douglas Troy Jordan, 23, faces up to 10 years in prison on the seldom-used charge.
Prosecutors will attempt to show that Jordan's alleged actions - repeatedly yelling "F--- the police" and saying the crowd was too large for officers to arrest him - violates a law that makes it a felony to encourage rioters.
A group of about 15 police officers responded to the park the night of April 7 after receiving reports of gunshots, fights, and bottles thrown at passing cars.
At a preliminary hearing last month, police testified that Jordan "appeared to be the ringleader" of the crowd.
As a police officer began to videotape the crowd in hopes of discouraging trouble, one man knocked the camera from his grasp.
The crowd became more unruly as police struggled to place handcuffs on that man, at which point Jordan began to encourage the crowd by shouting threats and taunts at police, according to earlier testimony.
Although the video camera did not capture the crowd's activities once it was knocked to ground, the audio continued to record shouted threats and obscenities directed at police.
An indictment returned by a grand jury in Roanoke Circuit Court charged Jordan with "directing, inciting or soliciting participants in a riot to acts of force or violence."
State law defines a riot as "any unlawful use, by three or more persons acting together, of force or violence which seriously jeopardizes the public safety, peace or order."
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Joel Branscom said Monday's indictment was the first time the law has been used in Roanoke in recent years.
by CNB