Shooter’s Gang Membership Determined by Court
A 20-year old Lexington man has been sentenced to 10 years for second degree assault and one year for possession of cocaine. The assault victim was shot during a drug deal.
Stephon Vanzant pled guilty and was sentenced to prison earlier this month. Prior to sentencing, Vanzant challenged the Lexington Police Department’s finding that he is a member of The Westside Down Bottom Gang.
A hearing was held regarding the finding and Lexington Gang Resource Officers testified about their history with Vanzant, images they located on his social media accounts, his tattoos, and the recovery of a “Down Bottom Gang” bracelet from his person shortly before his last court hearing. Based upon the officers’ testimonies, and other evidence provided to the Court, Fayette Circuit Judge Kimberly Bunnell, found Vanzant to be a member of The Westside Down Bottom Gang. The Court relied upon the Defendant’s tattoos and the bracelet that was found in the Defendant’s possession in reaching its opinion.
Vanzant was not eligible for probation because of the firearm, but will be eligible for parole after serving 20% of his sentence. The prosecutor in the Gang Validation Hearing was Dan Laren.
During my time at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office I have learned many new and interesting things. I’ve become more knowledgeable about the responsibilities of the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and that everything is done for the well being of the Commonwealth as a whole, not only one person or victim. This aspect of the Commonwealth Attorney’s office is really interesting to me because, I believe that doing things that will better the entirety of the community rather than just an individual is what helps make communities prosper and develop. Another aspect of the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office I find very interesting are the involvement of Victims’ Advocates. Prior to interning here, I basically had no clue on what a victims advocate actually was. After spending the last couple of weeks with Mrs. Persley I now know that victims’ advocates are crucial and vital and serve as an liaison between the attorney and the victim. Their jobs are to make everyone’s lives easier and I think that is really cool that there is someone in the legal system that does this. I also really like the way everything is organized, like in JustWare, and how correspondence is noted and everything that relates to a case can be found quickly and efficiently. Even though it sounds a bit mundane, I like the days in the office when Mrs. Persley and I respond to her emails and write letters to the victims. I also like the days when I have been able to watch things in court. Although I have watched crime shows, it is very different in real life and they are very educational. During my visits in the courtroom I’ve become more aware of procedure and know more about how the criminal justice system works. One of my favorite things I’ve done is go to a Friday Docket. I think it is interesting how judges interact with the defendants and make decisions on their rulings. Its very eye opening on how everything actually operates and what happens. I look forward to seeing more!
Throughout my time here at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office I have gained an ample amount of knowledge about the Kentucky legal system. During my time here, I most enjoyed getting to go to District and Circuit court and observing the different types of court cases that are held in each. Getting to see a variety of criminal court cases has opened my eyes to the many types of law that there are to practice. This experience here, has allowed me to see what exactly a status hearing is, along with other types of hearings. I have gotten the chance to see the process of someone being arrested all the way up to them being prosecuted and sentenced for the crime that they have committed. This site has been great to me in helping me learn all that there is to know about the legal system and how it works. Also during my time here, at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, I enjoyed seeing what it is like to be a crime victims’ advocate. I got to see first hand what the typical days consist of for them, and the different things that they are required to do.
