INDIANAPOLIS – Two alleged members of the “Grundy Crew” gang were set to enter plea deals on Wednesday, but only one did after her husband balked at the prospect of having a felony on his record.
In all, four defendants charged in the October 2015 drug dealing and racketeering case appeared before Judge Marc Stoner Wednesday.
Two of them, David Carroll and Victor Wells, were there for routine pre-trial hearings. Wells was led into the courtroom in handcuffs, having been arrested and charged earlier this month in a new case involving charges of dealing in cocaine and narcotics and unlawful possession of a firearm.
A jury trial on the charges against them is tentatively scheduled for August 14.
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Following Carroll and Wells were Shawnte Boss and Deon Johnson. Their lawyers indicated to the court that both Boss and Johnson were prepared to enter guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit dealing in marijuana, a class “C” felony, but Johnson apparently changed his mind as Stoner was explaining the details of the plea.
In particular, Johnson was adamant he didn’t want a felony on his record.
“I know she said my name in the deposition, but that’s just her word against mine,” Johnson said, referring to an unspecified witness in the case. “I’m innocent. I know I’m innocent.”
Johnson’s vocally frustrated lawyer asked the judge for an additional week to talk to his client, which Stoner granted. Johnson will reappear in court on Aug. 1.
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Unlike Johnson, Boss – after specifying a few desired changes to the “stipulation of facts” she was agreeing to – told the judge she was guilty “of her part” of the drug-dealing conspiracy.
Shawnte Boss, 37
The deal calls for prosecutors to drop the remaining charges against Boss and ask for a sentence of two years suspended with one year of probation.
A sentencing hearing for Boss was scheduled for Sept. 6.
Notably absent from the hearing Wednesday was alleged “Grundy Crew” ringleader Richard Grundy III, who was unable to attend due to injuries sustained Thursday during a shooting at his cousin’s funeral procession.
Grundy was shot multiple times in an apparent ambush as the procession was taking the body of 28-year-old Jasmine Moore to Sutherland Park Cemetery.
Two other victims were also shot. Their identities and conditions had not yet been reported.
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Grundy’s lawyer, attorney Keirian Brown, said other than a brief conversation with his client on Friday he hasn’t been allowed to speak with Grundy. He said Grundy’s family members also haven’t been allowed to visit or speak with him.
“They said it was a hospital administration decision, but I haven’t been able to speak with anyone from the administration about the decision,” Brown said, “Only security."
An IMPD spokesman said the decision to place Grundy under additional security was made by the hospital, but that officers have been able to interview him.
Brown said he didn’t know if the additional security measures were due to a purported $50,000 bounty on Grundy’s head, but added that, even if so, there was no reason to keep his lawyer from speaking to him.
“Everybody can stay at home. They don’t have to come to the hospital,” Brown said. “What’s the safety concern of letting his wife talk to him on the phone? Or his attorney?”
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