Judge: No social media for teens granted bond in deadly brawl
AUGUSTA, Ga. --A Georgia judge says five teenagers must not use social media or the Internet whilefree on bond as they await trial on murder charges in the death of a teenage boy stabbed in a neighborhood brawl.
The Augusta Chronicle reports Judge Albert M. Pickett granted bond Friday for half of the ten people charged with felony murder in the March 18 street fight. Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree says Demajhay Bell was stabbed during a brawl between as many 30 people in what started as a fight between two high school girls. School officials stopped a fight several days earlier at a high school between the girls over "a boy and some racy photos," Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree told CBS affiliate WRBL.
But he said the dispute festered in social media and texts, and friends and relatives of each girl joined in until the feud erupted in a brawl between the two groups. The brutal fight, which escalated when a driver attempted to run several people down, was caught on a video published by the station.
"The brawl itself was a coordinated effort," Roundtree told the station last month. "The group in the neighborhood knew the other group was coming to fight."
Police say the victim, Bell, was not involved in the fight, and was accidentally stabbed in the neck by a friend. The video shows him apparently running away and holding his hand over a neck wound. He reportedly died several days later at a hospital.
In setting bond for five of the defendants, who are all ages 18 and 19, the judge said they must obey a 6:30 p.m. curfew and cannot use electronic devices or go online.
All ten charged face life in prison if convicted on the felony murder charges.