Opinion ID: 3155943
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Antonio Arnette

Text: Donald Matthews testified that appellant Antonio Arnette was a member of the 22nd Street Crew. According to Matthews, Arnette spent considerable time with appellants Cooper, Rushing, and fellow gang member Alphonce Little, on 22nd Street. Matthews testified that Arnette was also involved with other 22nd Street Crew members in packaging and selling illegal drugs in areas commonly used by the gang. Two other gang ―insiders,‖ Devin Evans and Alphonce Little, also testified that Arnette was a member of the 22nd Street Crew. Little testified 26 that Arnette sold drugs on 22nd Street and sometimes carried a gun. Several police officers also testified that they observed Arnette trafficking illegal drugs in the presence of other gang members and in areas known to belong to the 22nd Street Crew. Arnette also played a leading role in the attack on Terrence Jones and Richard Queen. The evidence about this incident reasonably showed that Arnette perceived that Terrence Jones and Queen affronted the territory of the 22nd Street Crew by confronting fellow gang member Donald Matthews on the gang‘s turf. Arnette then called out Terrence Jones and Richard Queen for ―faking‖ on 22nd Street, identified the two outsiders to Cooper (who Arnette knew was a leading member of the gang), and recommended that Cooper ―bring his hammer‖ to deal with the situation. And the facts showed that Cooper (and Tann) responded accordingly, in reliance on Arnette‘s representations, resulting in a chain of events that led to Terrence Jones‘s death and Queen‘s shooting. Although Arnette and Cooper may have been mistaken about whether Terrence Jones or Richard Queen was a true threat to the interests of the 22nd Street Crew, the evidence was sufficient to show that Arnette and Cooper believed 27 that the outsiders, who they thought were ―faking‖ by challenging Donald Matthews, had territorial aspirations adverse to the interests of appellants and their 22nd Street Crew associates. The evidence surrounding this incident, especially in the context of Arnette‘s active membership in the 22nd Street Crew and its illegal activities, was sufficient to demonstrate his knowing participation in an agreement with Cooper and other gang members ―to assault and kill‖ those whose goals were contrary to those of the gang.