Gang Ruling from State's Top Court

Today the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously upheld the state's anti-gang statute. The court agreed that it does not infringe on First Amendment rights. The law was challenged by Efrain Rodriguez and Gilberto Rodriguez, who were both charged with murder in the 2006 death of a rival gang member. The state's highest court rejected their attorneys argument that the anti-gang law used to prosecute them is unconstitutionally vague and tramples on the rights to freely associate.

(Associated Press)

Police crack down on possible gang activity in Augusta school

A gang-related fight at Cross Creek High School in Augusta was apparently averted on Friday.

Officials say they showed up at the school on Friday after hearing that a fight involving weapons was supposed to happen. They say no weapons were found on students, but local media outlets are reporting that as many as 30 students were suspended from school.

No word on whether there were any arrests.

The school system's public safety chief did not return phone calls seeking comment on the issue Friday.

Gangs identified

Richmond County sheriff Ronnie Strength identified these gangs as the ones involved in criminal activity that led to a major drug and firearms bust on Wednesday. Officials say they're neighborhood-based gangs located in downtown Augusta and in neighborhoods in the southern part of Augusta:

*Georgia Deadly Boys Gang, A.K.A. 23rd
*Only with True Thugs, A.K.A. O-Dub
*Glen Hills Boys Gang
*Uptown Boys/Farrington Gangster Thugs
*Meadowbrook Clique

10 Gang Related Arrests in Floyd County

Last week, 10 Gang related arrests were made in Floyd County after a fight broke out in a parking lot. All were teenagers claiming to be members of a new gang known as the Riverside Boys.

The Floyd County Police Department has a very tuff policy on any possible gang related activity.

Mark Corbin is an investigator with the Floyd County Police Department.

Young members in high school want classmates to know they’re part of a gang so they are easy to spot, said Corbin.

“It travels around the school pretty fast. And they you get on a few on em’s my space and it don’t take long at all to discover what they are doing or where they are going to be at,” said Corbin.

Three of the arrests were made in the days following the fight because members of the Riverside Boys posted their involvement on their myspace website.

North Georgia man injured from truck bomb

A north Georgia man was airlifted to a Chattanooga-hospital after a bomb in his truck exploded. Whitfield County authorities think the incident is gang-related. Police say 27-year-old James Wayne Brock was getting into his truck to go to work at a carpet mill when the bomb went off. Authorities believe a rival motorcycle club planted the bomb in retaliation for the death of a gang member. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is helping in the probe.

Three charged in Dalton teen murder

Three people have been arrested in the shooting death of a Dalton High School football player Monday. 19-year-old Bruno Sanchez and 20-year-old Edgar Hernandez were taken into custody late yesterday--charged with murder.
They joined Jose Chavarria, arrested earlier Tuesday for murder. The three are also charged with violation of the 'Georgia Street Gangs Act'. On Monday, 16-year-old Andrae Johnson was with friends as they went into a local convenience store. As a dispute developed, Johnson was shot in the side and died.