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Elder gets six months for Meadow Glen crimes

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

Melrose Berry’s chance to tell her story finally came. In the wake of her July 20 testimony in Fairburn City Court 17 year-old Larry “Marco” Elder was sentenced to six months in jail. A recent arrival to Fairburn and Meadow Glen subdivision, Berry related her experiences earlier this year, alleging that she and her family were subjected to criminal acts by Elder and other males.

Elder faced city charges for damage to property, trespassing, obscene language and disorderly conduct in the April 16 incident. Judge Carlton H. Jones sentenced Elder to six months in jail for his part in the incident. Jones said he believed Elder had participated in breaking the windows in a car belonging to a friend of Berry that was visiting her home and that Elder had terrorized the neighborhood.

Elder had currently served 95 days of a six month sentence on charges of damage to property and trespassing stemming from a Jan. 17 incident involving another Meadow Glen homeowner. The July 20 sentence will run consecutive to the sentence already being served. Jones was not swayed by Elder’s attorney, who asked that Elder be allowed to leave Fairburn in order to move to Gwinnett County and live with a relative and obtain help for some personal issues.

Meadow Glen resident Brandon Hutcheson, 17, who was also present and facing charges relating to an incident with Berry and her family, had been incarcerated for the past 95 days for a probation violation. He was released by Judge Jones.

Referencing the April 16 incident, Berry said it began earlier in the day when an altercation occurred at another location in her neighborhood. Berry called the police and filed charges. Later that day, said Berry, Elder and a group of 10-13 males approached her house, with a few carrying bats or sticks. Berry said Elder had an aluminum bat and another male had a stick in his hand. They approached her residence and busted out several windows in a friend’s car that was parked in front of her house.

“One of them saw me at the top of the steps with a cell phone and yelled to the others,” said Berry. “Then they started scattering.”

The other male involved in the window breaking incident was a juvenile.

Chief Charles Long said though Elder had been arrested earlier in the day as a result of the first incident involving Berry and her family, the 17 year-old had been bonded out and returned to Meadow Glen and Berry’s residence later.

“We had been watching the situation over in Meadow Glen for the last several months. We seem to have had the same players in almost every event that happens there as far as causing discomfort for the residents and everyone else that’s involved,” Long said in an earlier statement. “The police, along with some of the residents and the city, had decided that enough is enough. There is zero tolerance for any criminal behavior that’s wreaking havoc with the quality of life for the residents of Meadow Glen.”

Though Berry was not aware prior to her arrival at city court, she was not alone in her quest for justice. Sitting silent but solid in the courtroom behind her July 20 were several members of the historic district Neighborhood Watch group. Though the Meadow Glen subdivision is located in another area of Fairburn, the group said they attended the proceedings as a show of support to Berry.