THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 25, 1996 TAG: 9605250508
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGELITA PLEMMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 60 lines
A 19-year-old woman was arrested Thursday night after prosecutors alleged she threatened a prosecution witness in the case against a man charged with murdering a baseball fan who was walking home from a Norfolk Tides game in April.
Crystal E. Mullins, of the 40 block of Cushing St., is being held in the City Jail without bond. She was charged with making a threatening phone call to a female witness in the capital murder case against Daerrico ``Rico'' A. Austin. He is charged with the April 5 slaying of Frank Gibson.
Authorities did not disclose the contents of the phone conversation. The parents of the witness, who is a juvenile, notified police after the girl received the phone call.
Juvenile Court Judge Paul Crider ordered that Mullins remain in custody until Austin's trial, which is scheduled for June 7. She could receive 12 months in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor charge.
Mullins is accused of calling the witness at her home after Austin's preliminary hearing in General District Court Thursday morning. In that hearing, Judge William H. Oast sent capital murder, robbery and firearms charges against Austin to a grand jury. The girl did not testify during that hearing.
After the Thursday hearing, Mullins was stopped twice by a police officer after allegations surfaced that she may have threatened a 19-year-old woman who was leaving the courtroom after testifying against Austin.
According to the police officer, Mullins and a group of her friends were warned three times to leave the courthouse area or face a trespassing charge.
``She was in a group that was being rowdy and disorderly in an attempt to intimidate the commonwealth's witnesses,'' said Will H. Jamerson, who is prosecuting the case.
Although no charges have been brought as a result of that incident, Jamerson said, ``we are monitoring the situation, and if we feel that more charges are necessary, then they certainly will be brought.''
``In a case like this, we're highly concerned about victim safety and witness safety,'' he said.
``We have probable cause to believe (Mullins) will be a threat to the safety of witnesses in one way or another.''
Mullins, during an interview Friday at the City Jail, denied threatening the witness. She said she is an easy target for prosecutors and police because she is Austin's fiancee and the couple has a 2-month old daughter.
``I'm the easiest one they could put it on,'' she said. ``I think it's ridiculous that they're holding me for a Class I misdemeanor with no bond.''
``I didn't call nobody and threaten them,'' Mullins said. ``(The juvenile witness) didn't even come in the courtroom and testify. I didn't know she was supposed to be a witness. They need to investigate further who did it.''
Austin, 21, could receive the death penalty or life in prison if he is convicted of murdering Gibson. Gibson, a 43-year-old shipyard worker and father of three, was killed in the parking lot of the Twin B auto parts store in the 4100 block of George Washington Highway. He was walking home from a Tides game after he became separated from a friend who had given him a ride to Harbor Park in Norfolk.
KEYWORDS: TRIAL ARREST MURDER SHOOTING
WITNESS INTIMIDATION by CNB