Friend: Signs flashed

A friend of slain Palo Verde High School freshman Christopher Privett testified Thursday that he was a former gang member and jokingly had flashed gang signs on the street moments before Privett was slain in a drive-by shooting.

Enrique Melendez said that on Feb. 15, the day of the shooting, he, Privett and two other schoolmates were walking to Privett's house after school.

Melendez, who had moved to Las Vegas from Florida in December, said he flashed gang signs at Privett and the other teens in a playful way. He said he was a former member of the Crips gang and the only one in the group with any ties to gangs.

When he flashed the gang signs, a car carrying three people drove past.

Melendez testified that a woman in the car -- later identified as Mandesha Walker -- shouted at him, "What's up, Blood?"

Melendez said he replied, "What's up, cuz?" in a good-natured way.

"I didn't think nothing of it," he said.

The car, driven by 18-year-old Ezekiel Williams, was carrying 16-year-old Gerald Q. Davison.

Minutes later, Williams drove past again, and Davison opened fire with a .22-caliber pistol, authorities allege.

Khyri Carter, who was walking with Privett and Melendez, testified that he heard three or four gunshots ring out. Carter said he "hit the floor" and then looked back at Privett, who was still standing.

Privett said, "I got hit," and then started falling to the ground, Carter said.

Carter found a bullet hole in his backpack after the shooting, he said.

As Carter testified, a woman in the courtroom gasped, "Oh my God."

Despite periodic displays of emotion among courtroom observers, Privett's friends were stoic while on the witness stand.

They said they rushed toward him but initially thought he had been shot only by a BB gun.

After spotting a gunshot wound to his chest, they immediately called 911. Other teens exited their cars and rushed to help Privett.

An ambulance arrived.

Williams and Davison are charged with murder with a deadly weapon and other charges. Authorities said that Davison fired the round that killed Privett and that Williams had handed Davison the pistol and egged him on.

Thursday's testimony came in a hearing before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa to determine whether enough evidence exists to put Williams and Davison on trial. The hearing is scheduled to resume today.

Attorney Osvaldo "Ozzie" Fumo, who represents Davison, asked Melendez whether his reply to Walker before the shooting -- "What's up, cuz?" -- is considered an insult in gang circles.

Melendez said that he considered it a "joke." He added that he did not know Williams, Davison or Walker. Melendez also said no one in his group was armed.

James Fink, a gang detective with Las Vegas police, said that "cuz," slang for cousin, is also an identifying term for Crip gang members. A Blood gang member, therefore, might have taken it as a threat.

Authorities have said Davison and Williams were associated with Squad Up, a local hybrid gang. Squad Up has ties to the Bloods but also has members who identify as Crips.

More than 175 documented Squad Up members are in Southern Nevada, Fink said.

Earlier in the day, two witnesses who were inside Williams' car during the shooting testified that Davison fired at Privett's group from the car.

The teens said that immediately after the shooting, they asked why Davison had fired the shots.

The teens said Walker told them he fired the shots because she got "banged on," or confronted by gang members.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.