Judge sets trial for false crime report
By Emily Williams
Thomas "Tommy" Crutcher of Batesville was sworn in as a Batesville Police Officer by Judge Bill McKenzie during Batesville Municipal Court Wednesday.
Cases set for trial
Larry Fuqua, 200 Calvary St., Batesville, was found guilty of trespassing on Linda Coalburn’s property.
The $355 fine was not imposed after judge McKenzie heard testimonies.
Witness William Osborn, a family friend of the affiant and the defendant, testified that Fuqua was at his home when his (Osborn’s) three-year-old grandchild started having problems breathing.
"We all started to panic and rushed the baby to the hospital," said Osborn.
"My grandkids call her (Coalburn) ‘aunt’ even though there is no relation, but they have a close bond," said Osborn.
Fuqua had a previous court order not to go to Coalburn’s house, but he felt Coalburn needed to know about the child going to the emergency room.
"I parked at the end of the street and honked the horn three times, but she was asleep. I haven’t been over there since and I am not going over there again," said Fuqua.
The judge asked Coalburn if this was true and she replied, "I dozed off and heard a knock on the door and saw him walking back to his truck."
"He knows not to come over to my house under any circumstances!" Coalburn said.
Fuqua told the judge he will be moving to Wisconsin as soon as he sells his house.
The judge told Fuqua, "I accept your explanation because a child was sick, but if you have a message to give her, get the police to tell her and don’t go over there."
Anthony Griffin, 4127 Seven Rd., Batesville, was found guilty of domestic violence-simple assault, against Lagreta Govan who was subpoenaed to be in court as a witness, but wasn’t there.
Griffin told the judge that Govan wasn’t in court because she was at work in Memphis at Wendy’s.
Affiant Officer Greg Jones testified that he responded to a dispatch call concerning a disturbance on Field Street where Govan resides.
Jones said when he arrived at the scene, "Govan had bruises around her neck like she had been choked and she said Griffin had kicked the door in."
"Everything there showed he did force his way in and he did put his hands on her," Jones said.
Griffin testified that he lived at the residence for over two years and the damage on the door was from a previous "accident."
"I don’t know how she busted her lip. He (the officer) asked me where the blood on me came from and it was because she scratched me," Griffin said.
Griffin said as he was leaving she stood behind his truck and that is when he pushed her out of the way and she scratched him.
"It was an altercation, not a fight."
Judge McKenzie asked Officer Jones, "Did you see his scratches?"
Jones said he did see the scratches, but he thought the scratches were from a prior incident.
"I was told they had an argument earlier that day before my shift and Lt. Pittman and I came to the conclusion that Mr. Griffin needed to leave the residence because there was evidence she had been struck and choked."
Griffin told the judge that everything happened that night.
"It would been fair upon the officers to arrest both of us, but I wouldn’t want her to be arrested because she has children," Griffin said.
The judge said, "Reasonable doubt has been established. The fact that two people were guilty doesn’t mean that one was not."
"Hopefully you won’t have to live through this again," the judge added.
Griffin was fined $355.
False reporting
of a crime
Teresa Sanford, 23 Fogg Rd., Batesville, entered a "not guilty" plea to giving Officer Cedric Griffin false information.
"I was robbed and my money was taken and they couldn’t find my car on the camera," said Sanford.
"I don’t know anything about this," the judge said.
A trial was set for Wednesday.
If found guilty Sanford could owe a fine of $605.
Simple assault
Justin Vaughn, 112 Williams St., Batesville, had simple assault charges withdrawn prior to court.
Chesley Daughtery, 271 Baird Rd., Batesville, had a simple assault charge remanded to the files.
The charges dated back to April and neither Daughtery or the affiant Edward Rose was in court when the judge called their names.
Daughtery showed up in court late and the judge informed her that the case was remanded to the files.
Malicious mischief
Joseph Morris, 21374 Hwy. 6 East, Batesville, entered a "not guilty" plea to damaging the windshield of Travis Bell’s Altima.
The judge told both Morris and Bell to come back October 25 with any witnesses they might have.
Brandon Fowler, 2031 Bell Rd., Courtland, had two counts of malicious mischief and two counts of simple assault transferred to the grand jury.
(One malicious mischief charge is a felony).
The judge told Fowler, "This is a misdemeanor court and this case will be heard in a higher court."
Possession of alcohol
by a minor
Charles Jones Jr. and Rusty Davis, both of 4178 Chapeltown, Batesville, entered "not guilty" pleas to possession of alcohol by a minor at a parking lot on Hwy. 51 North.
The judge reviewed evicence photos taken by police showing a cooler with beer beside it.
"This stuff doesn’t exist?" he asked Davis.
Davis just shrugged his shoulders.
A trial was set for October 18.
Contempt of court
Eric Roper, 809 Carr Ave., Clarksdale, had contempt of court-old fines of $505 that have been due since October 2004.
Roper bonded out of jail, but didn’t pay any of his fines.
"You have money to bond out of jail, but you don’t have money to pay your fines?" McKenzie asked.
"I had to pay my family back," said Roper.
Roper told the judge he could pay his fines in two weeks.
Roper was given six months suspended jail time if he didn’t have "every dime" paid in full within two weeks.
Other
Yosheya Williams, 219 W. Lee St., Sardis, posted bond prior to court and was transferred to the grand jury for armed robbery.
A warrant for arrest was issued for Michael Hollis, 877 Tallaha, Tillatobia, for failing to appear to answer disorderly conduct-failure to comply charges. He also failed to appear in court September 27.
Stanley McKinney, 14199 Ballentine Rd., Sardis, entered a guilty plea to simure to comply with the officer’s request to "stop running" while they were trying to arrest him.
He also had a ticket for no proof of insurance, but was given time to bring proof to help reduce his fine.
"Most of your fine is from running from the police officers," the judge said.
McKinney was fined $960.
Shane Tramel, 53 Ramsey Circle, Sardis, was fined $655 for discharging a firearm in city limits and possession of marijuana.
"I had seven or eight boys chasing us through town, so I shot out the back of the car to scare them," Tramel said.
"I know what I did was wrong," he added.
McKenzie said, "Hand guns are nothing but trouble, so don’t get another one."
Tickets
David A. Lenard, 2117 Cold Springs Rd., Sardis, was fined $714 for no proof of insurance and no muffler.
Jeanette Shegog, 577 China Rd., Pope, entered a "not guilty" plea to a red light violation.
"The light was yellow," Shegog said.
A trial was set for October 18.
Harley Fee, 1040 Myrtle St., Marks, was fined $767 for no proof of insurance and expired tag.
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