Fayette | News

2 teens get long prison terms for ATM robbery

Wed, 03/19/2008 - 9:07am
By: John Munford

Two Clayton County teens received stiff prison terms Tuesday for the armed robbery of a cyclist at the Bank of America ATM in Fayetteville’s Banks Station shopping center in July.

Jamel D. Ellis, 16, was sentenced to 20 years, and Rikeem Mashad Byrd, 17, received a 10-year sentence.

A Fayette County Superior Court jury found Ellis guilty late Tuesday morning of armed robbery, aggravated assault, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Byrd’s testimony before the jury came after he decided in mid-trial to enter a guilty plea to the same charges.

Byrd implicated his codefendant Ellis as being the person who ordered the biker to hand over the $10 bill he had just withdrawn from the ATM.

Byrd said that Ellis told the victim “you better cough it up.” Byrd admitted that after the victim didn’t take them seriously, Byrd pulled up his shirt to reveal a handgun tucked in his pants at the hip.

Byrd testified that Ellis handed him the gun seconds before the incident, and he also said the scheme was Ellis’s idea.

Byrd admitted that he and Ellis ran away from Fayetteville police officer Mike Whitlow when the officer stopped and spoke to them immediately after the incident.

Byrd said he tried to hide the gun underneath a car in the parking lot and soon thereafter Ellis told him to prepare to run away. Byrd said he did hide and then he ran and hid in a fence behind the Staples store.

According to court records, Byrd and Ellis both live on Red Ivy Lane in the River’s Edge subdivision southeast of Fayetteville and just across the Clayton-Fayette county line.

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Opening up Access
zoes's picture
Submitted by zoes on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 9:22am.

"According to court records, Byrd and Ellis both live on Red Ivy Lane in the River’s Edge subdivision southeast of Fayetteville and just across the Clayton-Fayette county line."

And the County wants to build a East Fayette Bypass right along the Clayton/Fayette line and through farmland, wetland, and forest? It doesn't even GO anywhere!! If they will leave it alone, Clayton thugs won't be able to run very far very fast.

http://www.fayettecountyga.gov/finance/splost_project-1.htm
(scroll to the bottom for the map)


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I'm glad they're in jail now...
Submitted by tikigod on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 11:42pm.

Lord knows what these two geniuses would have come up with later.

People this stupid shouldn't be allowed to participate in society. Thanks FayCo for locking these clowns up. Keep sending that message: Take your crimes elsewhere.

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If You are Tough Enough to do the Crime........
Submitted by skyspy on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 10:57pm.

Then you are tough enough to do the TIME!

I'm glad to see our Fayette County judges have found their spines and minds and are putting both to good use.

Bout time!!

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They're going to jail because......
Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 9:05pm.

they robbed someone of 1,000 pennies. Why would someone ruin their lives for just 1,000 pennies?

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Redeemed from destruction.......
Submitted by blessedanyhow on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 11:09am.

I thank God that both of their live's are not in the hands of the folks who are misguided enough to believe that they are in control....when all is said and done, God has the final say. Many of you may believe that these babies deserve to spend 10 and 20 years of their life for this....10,000 pennies....but as Jesus said, let him who is without sin cast the first stone. And although they may have to serve everyday of this time, I declare now that their lives are redeemed from destruction and I know that they are both children of God, because we all were created by Him. And, they believe that Jesus is His Son, so no matter what...God is in control of their lives, even unto death. I hope and pray that each of you can say the same. You all be blessed and I pray that in all your getting, you get understanding.

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Redeemed?
Submitted by thebeaver on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 2:33pm.

These two thug-punk rapper wannabe's preyed on the innocent and deserve nothing but was handed down by the courts. The world is a better place with both of them removed from society.

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SUGGEST YOU SHARE WITH THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED!!
Submitted by wheeljc on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 2:00pm.

Would suggest that you share your words with those kids who have now been incarcerated -- and while you are at it, perhaps share with their parents. Somewhere along the way, they did not pick up the message you were espousing. Where in the world did they ever pick up the notion that they could take something that did not belong to them???? Bet it was not in church!!

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Thanks for the sermon
NUK_1's picture
Submitted by NUK_1 on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 1:36pm.

Your sermonizing doesn't have anything to do with what is being discussed. Zilch. You might as well be talking about global warming or last night's NBA scores.

The discussion is about a couple of goofs stealing from others,their motivations why, and their punishment. No matter what you or anyone else that can't think for very long without it all being about the baby Jesus or God, we are still a nation of laws and those laws were and are and will forever be written by mortal human beings. As humans, it's our responsibility to have to decide lots of IMPORTANT STUFF. Some of it requires deep thought, experience and wisdom. We can't just throw our hands up and proclaim something ludicrous like "God is in control of their lives." Did God tell them to steal the pennies since He's in control? Have you ever heard of the concept of "free will?" Perhaps not everyone gets your message nor follows it so it comes down to us mere humans to take care of things while others dream.

Cast the first stone? Where's the rock pile?


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because . . . . . . .
Submitted by fayette fan on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 12:43am.

They're stupid.

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