Release Date: Friday, March 12, 2010 3:50 p.m.
Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, announced today that Christopher Lee Joyner Jr., 23 years old, previously residing in the 3300 block of Pine Hill Crescent, Chesapeake, Virginia, was found guilty by a jury on the charges of Abduction, Robbery, Armed Statutory Burglary, Aggravated Malicious Wounding and four (4) counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. The Honorable William R. O’Brien presided over the three day trial. The jury recommended a sentence of 83 years to serve.
The Commonwealth’s evidence proved that on May 7, 2008, Joyner, together with Randell Loren Thigpen-Knight and Ephraim Lamar McCoy III broke into a Virginia Beach home in search of money and marijuana. After the forced entry, there was a struggle and one of the victims was shot in the head. The other victim was dragged from room to room, while being pistol whipped, as the defendants collected money and property. The gunshot victim survived, although he sustained multiple injuries and permanent injuries to his brain.
Ephraim McCoy, the shooter, pled guilty to Robbery, Aggravated Malicious Wounding and two (2) counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony on December 16, 2009 and was sentenced to a total of thirty (30) years with all but thirteen (13) years suspended.
Randell Thigpen-Knight, who is currently serving twenty-four (24) years for similar offenses that occurred in Suffolk, has entered a guilty plea to Robbery, Malicious Wounding and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. He is set to be sentenced on May 10, 2010.
Joyner had prior convictions in Chesapeake for Possession of Controlled Substances, Possession of Cocaine and Forgery of a Public Record in 2005.
Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Philip C. Hollowell and Senior Assistant Gordon C. Ufkes prosecuted the case. Please call Julie Pickell if additional information is desired.
Similar Press Releases: abduction, burglary, felony, Harvey Bryant, malicious wounding, Robbery
