Lynchburg man denied bond in Citgo shooting

Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: May 14, 2008

The man accused of planning the robbery of a Campbell Avenue Citgo and shooting a clerk in the head was denied bond Tuesday morning in Lynchburg General District Court.

Kionne Pulley, 20, is charged with aggravated malicious wounding, robbery and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Chuck Felmlee told Judge James Farmer that during the April 24 robbery, Pulley shot Abderrahin Elfilali just above the right eye with a .40-caliber pistol. Felmlee told the judge that Elfilali is “not out of the woods” and could still succumb to the wound.

If that happens, Felmlee said, he plans to charge Pulley with capital murder.

“He is not going to be the same,” the prosecutor said of Elfilali.

Pulley and his lawyer, David Bice, asked the judge for a $5,000 bond, noting that Pulley lives at home with his mother in Lynchburg and that he has lived here all his life.

Felmlee said Pulley masterminded the Citgo robbery with five juveniles and had planned to rob three fast-food restaurants. The prosecutor said Pulley also was involved with an armed robbery of the Sunshine Express Market on Pollard Street, near Memorial Avenue, the same week.

After his bond request was denied, Pulley slammed a courtroom door and made an obscene gesture toward a television camera.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 19.

The five juveniles charged in connection with the event were scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning. That hearing was rescheduled for June 24 because several of the accused have hired private attorneys.

The commonwealth’s attorney’s office has notified defense attorneys that it plans to prosecute them as adults.

Elfilali has been transferred from Lynchburg General Hospital to Virginia Baptist Hospital. Felmlee said the man has difficulty communicating with investigators because of his injuries.