KILLERS OF 16-YEAR-OLD QUATAVIUS BELL GET THE MAX

Jarmmal Howard and Joe Ross Sentenced to Life Plus 85 and 90 Years, Respectively

Telling the defendants they had the "brashness" to go to that apartment complex and start shooting, but not "manhood to stand up and admit that you did it," Superior Court Judge Christopher Brasher sentenced Jarmmal Howard and Joe Roger Ross to the maximum prison terms allowed. The 24-year-old Jarmmal Howard was sentenced to life plus a consecutive 85 years; his stepfather, 31-year-old Joe Roger Ross was sentenced to life plus a consecutive 90 years. Yesterday, a Fulton County Superior Court jury found the defendants guilty of killing North Atlanta High School student Quatavius Bell on November 7, 2004. The 16-year-old sophomore was hit by a stray bullet intended for men with whom Howard had had a run-in. Ross was convicted on one count of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, 5 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Howard was found guilty of felony murder, 5 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The defendants were sitting in a car waiting for several men Howard had gotten into a dispute with earlier that Sunday. When those men drove into the parking lot of Rachel's Walk Apartments on Hightower Road, where Bell and other teens were playing basketball, the defendants opened fire. During the trial, Senior Assistant District Attorney Tanya Miller of the Major Case Unit told the jury the defendants were armed with an AK-47, an assault rifle and a semi-automatic handgun. She says Bell bled to death after being struck in the chest by a stray bullet.

Assisting in the prosecution of the case was ADA Andrea Thomas. The investigation was conducted by Atlanta Police Detective Brett Zimbrick and Fulton DA Investigators Stephen Barresi, Fred Hall and James Higgins. Scott Long and Lisa Hendricks of the DA's Victim-Witness Assistance Program provided assistance to the victim's family and witnesses.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn, 404.730.6860 (office); 770.597.6963 (cell); lyn.vaughn@co.fulton.ga.us