Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, Shooting Man in Restaurant Parking Lot in 2021

NORFOLK, Va. — Joseph Leon Cross Jr., 36, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the voluntary manslaughter of Jessie Lee Taylor and to shooting Mr. Taylor in the commission of manslaughter following an incident outside of a restaurant in 2021.

Before 9 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2021, Mr. Cross shot Mr. Taylor in the parking lot of the EZ Inn restaurant at 2727 Azalea Garden Road. Mr. Cross had approached Mr. Taylor, whom Mr. Cross believed to sell drugs, to buy marijuana. A witness saw the two men leave the back patio of the restaurant and heard gunshots shortly afterward. That witness saw Mr. Taylor on the ground and Mr. Cross going through Mr. Taylor’s pockets. Police responded and found Mr. Taylor mortally wounded. Mr. Taylor died before paramedics arrived. There were no witnesses to the events between when the men left and the gunshots.

The police were able to identify Mr. Cross as a suspect in the case and charged him with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm. Following his arrest, Mr. Cross waived his right to remain silent and gave the police the following account of the events: After leaving the patio, the men walked to Mr. Taylor’s car, where Mr. Cross gave Mr. Taylor money to purchase the marijuana they had discussed. When Mr. Taylor did not produce the requested marijuana quickly enough for Mr. Cross, Mr. Cross demanded his money back. The two began to fist fight, and Mr. Cross pulled out a gun and shot Mr. Taylor in his chest. Mr. Cross rifled through Mr. Taylor’s pockets, took back the cash, and ran from the parking lot. Mr. Cross asserted that he killed Mr. Taylor in self-defense.

Mr. Cross was set to stand trial by jury beginning on Tuesday but chose to plead guilty to lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and shooting in the commission of manslaughter. Mr. Cross’ plea agreement calls for him to be sentenced by the judge with an active sentence no longer than 12 years. Judge Mary Jane Hall accepted Mr. Cross’ plea agreement and set the case for sentencing on Aug. 16.

“Sometimes a homicide happens in front of a crowd. This time, the only witnesses to who was the aggressor in this incident were the defendant and the victim,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “While we do not believe that Mr. Cross acted in self-defense, the best option in this case was a plea that guarantees a conviction and the opportunity for accountability through an appropriate sentence. We will argue for that accountability in August.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shavaughn N. Banks is prosecuting Mr. Cross’ case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and former Norfolk Police Detective Jean Claude Noel led the investigation.

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