Peter Rose charges sent to grand jury

Media General News Service
Published: September 2, 2008

Updated: 5:58 p.m. reporter’s notes

Before the hearing:
  Peter Rose walked into the Amherst County court house about 15 minutes before his scheduled hearing.
  Rose was surrounded by friends from his family’s church and other family members.

Undercover officer’s testimony:
  Amherst County sheriff’s deputy Brooke Hedrick talked publicly about her role in the sting at Amherst County High School for the first time.
  Hedrick is the undercover deputy who says she bought drugs from at least seven different students during the 2007-08 school year, including Peter Rose.
  Hedrick testified she started her undercover work at summer school in June ‘07.
  Hedrick said half of her salary during that time was paid by the Amherst County School Board.
  Hedrick testified on April 29, 2007 she heard someone yelling her name in the school parking lot after she attended classes.
  Hedrick tells the court it was Peter Rose.
  Rose asked her, “are you looking for some today (meaning drugs),“ to which Hedrick said she told Rose “yes” and the pair exchanged phone numbers.
  Rose set up the transaction at a nearby McDonald’s parking lot, Hedrick said.
  Hedrick said she paid Rose $50 cash for marijuana.
  Hedrick said the following May 7th she exchanged text messages with Rose about another possible drug buy.
  Hedrick said the buy went down in the same McDonald’s parking lot a few hours later.
  Hedrick revealed the sheriff’s office audiotaped both alleged transactions, and videotaped the second one.

Other notes from the hearing:
  One of the lead investigators on the case said officers measured 694 feet between where Rose is accused of selling marijuana in the McDonald’s parking lot to Amherst Elementary School, which is why Rose is accused of a pair of felony charges (selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school).
  Another investigator testified Rose told him in an interview after his arrest he bought an ounce of marijuana from a neighbor for $120 “about two months” before the alleged transactions.
  Rose’s attorney asked a few cross examination questions to each witness.  He also made statements to the judge about the lack of precedence regarding the selling drugs “1,000 feet from a school.“  He basically wondered if the sheriff’s office measurement 694 feet measurement applied, since it was from point-a to point-b, not a measurement from streets connecting the restaurant to the school.

After testimony ended:
  The judge found enough evidence to “certify” the case to the Amherst County grand jury on October 14th.  A trial date will be set afterward.
  Prosecutors moved to “nolle posse” or essentially not prosecute a pair of Rose’s misdeamnor drug charges.
  Rose avoided reporters at the courthouse by taking another exit.

Updated 12:57 p.m.

Two felony drug charges against former Amherst County High School football star Peter Rose were certified to a grand jury today during a preliminary hearing in Amherst County General District Court.
Rose, 18, is charged with two counts of selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school. The case now moves on to a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict Rose on those charges. He was charged following a 10-month investigation, culminating in May, in which an Amherst County sheriff’s deputy went undercover and posed as a student. That deputy testified during today’s hearing.
Rose was the Lancers’ starting quarterback in 2006 and 2007. He helped lead the team to back-to-back state titles in his junior and senior years and was named Virginia Group AA Player of the Year by the Associated Press and the Virginia High School League Coaches Association.

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Updated:  12:31 p.m.

The case against 18-year-old Peter Rose, a former Amherst Co. High School football standout, will go to a grand jury.

Rose is charged with two felonies of selling drugs near school property.

Two misdemeanor charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana were dropped during today’s preliminary hearing.

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Former Amherst Co. High School quarterback star is scheduled to be in court today for a preliminary hearing.

18-year-old Rose was arrested in May after a 10 month undercover sting at the high school.

Investigators say Rose sold marijuana on school property to an undercover officer twice.

At a preliminary hearing today, a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury.