THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 22, 1995 TAG: 9504220286
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUNE ARNEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
On the day Ronald G. Bonney Jr. would have turned 29, a jury deadlocked on whether one of two men accused of killing him committed first-degree murder.
The 12 jurors apparently agreed that 19-year-old Calvin Outlaw was guilty, but they could not reach a unanimous decision on whether he should be convicted of first- or second-degree murder.
Outlaw, once touted as the star product of a drug rehabilitation program for teens, is scheduled for retrial in Bonney's killing on June 26.
``It's going to be awfully hard because I've got to go home and tell my wife,'' said the victim's father, Ronald G. Bonney Sr., after the trial. ``She wants to see justice. She's hurt. There's no way to explain the pain from the loss of your child.''
Instead of birthday celebrations, Bonney's family had gathered at the Norfolk courthouse Friday to await the jury's verdict. In today's newspaper obituary, the family had purchased a memorial with Bonney's photo and the message, ``Happy Birthday Ron, Jr. we had an angel on earth and now one in heaven.''
Outlaw's grandmother shook her head after hearing there would be another trial. Her grandson has been held in jail since shortly after the killing.
Notes on a blackboard in the jury room showed that 10 jurors had voted for first-degree murder, the other two for second-degree.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Outlaw could receive a life term. He also faces up to 10 years for the attempted robbery and 5 years on each of two firearms charges for the crime, which occurred Aug. 31.
Outlaw's friends and one of his own statements placed him at the scene. Several friends testified during the three-day trial that it was Outlaw's idea to rob Bonney.
Chauncey Jackson, the 16-year-old accused of being the triggerman, goes to trial June 12 for capital murder, conspiracy, attempted robbery and two firearms charges.
Bonney apparently had been drinking at a bar the night of Aug. 31 and left to give a man he met there a ride to the 1500 block of Vine St. The man got out and went into the house while Bonney waited outside. Outlaw then walked over to Bonney's Chevy Blazer and spoke to Bonney.
``I asked him did he have any money that he was trying to spend 'cause his partner didn't have to know about it,'' Outlaw said in a statement to police.
By that time, Jackson had climbed into the passenger seat, pointed a gun and told Bonney to ``give it up,'' according to Outlaw's statement. Jackson then told Outlaw to back up and he fired three shots at Bonney.
Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Lisa Caton asked jurors to convict Outlaw for his role in the shooting.
``Do you really believe that Calvin Outlaw didn't know what was going on out there?'' she asked. ``He is guilty because he made a choice. ''
She had told jurors that ``if one is participating in a robbery or attempted robbery and someone dies, whether it is contemplated or not, planned or not, that person is guilty of first-degree murder.''
Carole T. Frantz, Outlaw's court-appointed attorney, tried to convince jurors that there were questions about what happened that night and about Outlaw's intentions when he approached Bonney's Blazer and asked if he had any money.
Authorities praised Outlaw in 1992 as a star of a program called Street Smart, which helps youths with drug convictions straighten out their lives. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Calvin Outlaw
KEYWORDS: MURDER TRIAL VERDICT by CNB