Teen charged in 2014 slaying must wear ankle monitor

It will be at least fall or winter before the teenagers charged with the 2014 fatal shooting at a Macon Little League ball field go to trial, court officials said during a Monday hearing.

Roland Watson, 17, Jedarrius Meadows, 19, and Trayvon Starks were charged in the Feb. 22, 2014, robbery and shooting death of 16-year-old Damian Bernard “Little Petey” Clayton. Clayton was shot five times at the field on Anthony Road across from Henderson Stadium. He died later at a hospital.

Watson, who is being held at the Peach County jail, is set to go to trial first, prosecutor John Regan said during a Monday hearing, during which he asked a judge to revoke or increase Meadows’ $50,000 bond.

Meadows stood trial in September, but the proceedings ended in a mistrial when jurors were unable to reach a verdict. Starks pleaded guilty to armed robbery last year.

Regan said Meadows will be tried after Watson.

Meadows was released on bond Nov. 18 with conditions requiring him to remain at home with the exception of court appearances, meetings with his lawyer or appointments for medical or dental treatment, according to the bond order. The order was later amended to allow him to work at YKK.

He was charged with battery April 19 stemming from a fight about a week earlier at a tattoo parlor near the intersection of Hillcrest and Pio Nono avenues, Regan said Monday.

Meadows admitted to Bibb County deputies that he was present at the tattoo parlor, but he denied participating in the fight, Regan said.

James Davis, Meadows’ lawyer, said his client usually used his mother’s car to drive to work, but he used his girlfriend’s car April 9 while his mother was out of town.

After work, he’d planned to pick up his girlfriend and return home, Davis said.

The fight happened while Meadows was at the tattoo parlor, but his involvement was just in pulling his girlfriend away from the fight, he said.

Regan argued that due to Meadows’ violation of his bond conditions, the bond should be revoked or increased.

The judge gave Meadows a choice of wearing an ankle monitor or returning to jail. Meadows chose the ankle monitor.

This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Teen charged in 2014 slaying must wear ankle monitor."