Cross and Grantham, both of Martinsburg, were indicted on first-degree murder charges in the slaying of Andre Jackson, 21, of Hedgesville, W.Va., and the wounding of Jacques Taylor of Kearneysville, W.Va.
The attack occurred on Rock Cliff Drive in the early hours of April 23, 2011.
Cross’ scheduled sentencing on the convictions Monday was deferred until after a jury trial can be held to determine if he was previously convicted of felonies, as Games-Neely has alleged in the recividist information she filed.
A jury trial was scheduled by Wilkes for Oct. 23.
Wilkes, who heard tearful statements from Jackson’s mother, grandmother and stepfather before sentencing Grantham, noted the defendant’s “nonstop” criminal history could not be ignored, citing 17 arrests in less than 20 years.
Games-Neely, who said she was unable to file a similar recividist information against Grantham, said the deadly attack was the most senseless crime she has prosecuted in a long time.
Jackson’s mother, Teresa Wallace, told the court that her son was celebrating a friend’s birthday the night he was attacked.
“He didn’t deserve to die like this,” said Wallace, who noted her son’s young daughter would never get the chance to get to know her father.
Witnesses testified at Cross’ and Grantham’s trial that Cross stabbed Jackson to death while he sat in the passenger seat and Grantham wounded Taylor in the driver’s seat in the vehicle they were in on Rock Cliff Drive near Polo Green Drive.
According to testimony, Cross and Grantham didn’t know Jackson and Taylor until they met that night at the Brickhouse Bar and Grill at 214 Mid Atlantic Parkway. They exchanged words outside the bar when it closed at 3 a.m., continued their verbal argument while still in their vehicles at a nearby gas station, then ended up on Rock Cliff Drive.
