Jones and Hall v. Commonwealth

Ernest Thomas Jones and Alvin Hall, on pleas of not guilty, were convicted at separate trials and on separate warrants charging that each did “unlawfully assemble without the authority of law and for the purpose of disturbing the peace or exciting public alarm or disorder.” Code, § 18.1-254.1 (c). (1) A jury fixed the punishment of Jones at confinement in jail for a period of 12 months and a fine of $100. Another jury fixed Hall’s punishment at 12 months in jail and a fine of $200. The trial court sentenced both defendants in accordance with the jury verdicts. We granted each defendant a writ…