In Session: Chatham County judge places Quando Rondo drug deal case on dead docket
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This column is part of a weekly round-up of notable grand jury indictments and court decisions, following through on cases reported by Savannah Morning News public safety reporter Drew Favakeh. If there are cases you're curious about, email Drew at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.
Judge places Quando Rondo case on dead docket
On Feb. 1, Chatham County Superior Court Judge Tammy Stokes placed the upcoming trial of Tyquian Bowman, better known as rapper Quando Rondo, on a dead docket at the request of Chatham County Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Louis Annunziata.
A dead docket postpones the case indefinitely, but allows the court to reinstate it at any time at its discretion. A jury trial had been scheduled for Feb. 26.
Annunziata filed a motion one day earlier that stipulated the case should be placed on a dead docket because Bowman had been indicted in the Federal court for “charges arising out of the same transaction and occurrence” as the Chatham County indictment.
In December 2023, Bowman was indicted in Federal court with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and one count to distribute controlled substances. The indictment alleges that, beginning in January 2021, Bowman conspired with both two other co-defendants to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana.
According to the Chatham County indictment, Bowman had instructed a co-conspirator to negotiate marijuana prices with another co-conspirator’s father in April 2023. On June 4, 2023, Bowman and other co-conspirators allegedly traveled to Macon to purchase marijuana.
The indictment alleged that other gang members trafficked more than 4 grams of cocaine, about 20 grams of M30 pills, hydrocodone pills and 28 grams of fentanyl. Some used jail phones to schedule drug sales. Others sold drugs out of a house located at 1301 E. 39th Street.
Bowman's legal troubles continue to mount. He was arrested by Savannah Police on Feb. 6 and booked into the Chatham County Detention Center for an incident that occurred on July 19, 2023, when he was charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence of drugs.
More: Rapper Quando Rondo arrested for DUI and reckless driving
More: Tyquian Bowman, aka rapper Quando Rondo, arrested in Savannah on federal drug charges
Attorney files motion to reveal deal between prosecution's witness and law enforcement
On Feb. 2, the defense attorney for Michael Angelo Mitchell filed a motion to reveal any deals or considerations made by the Chatham County District Attorney between the prosecution’s witness and any local and federal law enforcement agency in return for testifying in the case.
Mitchell’s attorney, Bob Attridge with the Chatham County Public Defender’s Office, specifically request the court respond in writing to these allegations.
A motion hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, and a jury trial is scheduled for April 15.
Attorney for man convicted of murder requests more time to review 2,000 trial transcript pages
On Feb. 2, an attorney for Dyanta Samuels filed a status update, claiming that she needs more time to review more than 2,000 pages of trial transcripts and to meet with Samuels to discuss and investigate allegations of error throughout the trial where he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life.
Chatham County Public Defender Amanda Walker requests that the court hold a status hearing about six months from the date of her filing. A motion hearing is currently scheduled for Feb. 20.
On Jan. 5, 2022, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Samuels for malice murder, felony murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, two counts of aggravated assault, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in connection with the shooting death of of Kareem Smalls on Nov. 23, 2020.
In August 2022, after a nine-day trial, a Chatham County jury convicted Samuels, and he was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole plus a consecutive 21-year sentence.
Three days after the trial concluded, Samuels’ then-attorney, Ahmad Crews, filed a motion for a new trial, stating that the verdict was “contrary to law, contrary to the principles of justice and equity, contrary to the evidence, decidedly and strongly against the weight of the evidence.”
In Sept. 2023, Samuels was sentenced in federal court to more than 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
Ricard Jose Limanares-Lopez indicted for hit and run
On Feb. 5, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Ricard Jose Linarez-Lopez for felony hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death, duty of driver to stop at or return to the scene of the accident, driving without a valid license, and reckless driving, tied to an offense that occurred on Jan. 23 of this year.
A felony docket hearing is scheduled for March 7.
Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chatham County GA grand jury indictments, court updates Feb. 11, 2024
