Opinion ID: 3155943
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: James Rushing

Text: Andre McDuffie testified that appellant Rushing had been a member of the 22nd Street Crew since the early 1990‘s; McDuffie was a senior gang member at the time of Rushing‘s entry into the gang, and McDuffie was responsible for teaching Rushing gang-related skills. McDuffie also testified that he saw Rushing sell crack cocaine on a regular basis on 22nd Street. Matthews‘s testimony additionally provided supporting evidence of Rushing‘s drug trafficking activities with other members of the gang. Like Beaver, Rushing played a critical role in the Laquanda Johnson murder, which was evidence of his involvement in the conspiracy. Knowing that Little intended to murder the Johnson sisters because of their cooperation with the government, Rushing agreed to act as Little‘s getaway driver. Rushing drove 31 Little and Beaver from the scene of the crime after Little killed Laquanda and wounded Keisha Frost. He also helped Little cover up the crime by instructing him to discard his clothing, and by driving Little to Beaver‘s mother‘s house in Maryland where Beaver stashed the murder weapon. Given Rushing‘s participation in the Laquanda Johnson murder, the killing of a known government cooperator, in light of Rushing‘s relationship with the 22nd Street Crew and its members, the evidence was sufficient to show his knowing participation in the conspiracy ―to kill or assault‖ persons (such as Laquanda) whose interests were not aligned with those of Rushing or his associates.