Alleged church pew stalker found not guilty in city court session

By Emily Williams
Judge Bill McKenzie did not have enough evidence to find a defendant guilty of stalking after a trial held in Batesville Municipal Court Wednesday.
Angela T. Chapman, 6084 Curtis Rd., Batesville, was found not guilty of stalking despite the testimony given by affiant Latisha Bibbs and another witness who stated she saw Chapman enter Overflowing Love Ministries on March 19.
Affiant Latisha Bibbs testified she was at church when she saw Chapman, who was not a member and had not attended the church, come in and sit in front of her.
“You are going to get what’s coming to you,” Bibbs testified that Chapman said to her that day.
“Let’s back up. Things don’t just happen between strangers,” the judge said.
“What’s his name?” the judge asked.
Bibbs said Facebook posts Chapman made that disturbed her mentioned a man named Tillman Jackson.
Bibbs also told the judge Chapman sent her husband messages.
“The reason I went to her church was because she followed me the previous night down Curtis Road. I didn’t mumble anything to her at church. I didn’t think I was banned from a church,” Chapman testified.
“What is all this Facebook stuff?” the judge asked.
“I caught her and someone together and I posted it,” Chapman said.
“What difference does it make? Why post it?” the judge asked.
“I guess because I wanted to,” Chapman said.
“It’s over,” is all Chapman would reply when the judge asked more questions.
“Stalking cases are hard to defend. Y’all need to go separate ways and stay away from each other,” the judge ordered.
Frank Smith, 109 Lester St., Batesville, bonded out prior to court for failing to register as a sex offender. The case was bound over to the grand jury.
Thomas S. Vaughn, 114 Jackson St., Batesville, requested a bond reduction for his charges of possession of controlled substance (four counts), possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and firearm enhancement penalty.
The city didn’t oppose a reduction when the judge asked Special Ops OfficerWesley Hawkins about it.
“Everyone knows you can’t carry a firearm when you’ve been in the kind of trouble you have had in the past. It’s time to grow up. At some point and time, you need to wake up,” Judge McKenzie said to Vaughn.
His bond was reduced from $250,000 to $25,000 and he was bound over to the grand jury.
Rodricous D. Strong, 107 Goodhaven, Batesville, failed to appear to answer charges for possession of paraphernalia, no seat belt and no proof of insurance. A warrant was issued.
Rico Harrison, 145 Hadorn, Batesville, failed to appear for the second time for charges of open container, no driver’s license, no tag and no proof of insurance. He also has old fines of $1,513 due since August 2010. A warrant was issued along with Alright Bonding being notified.
Patricia A. Oliver, 212 Noble St., Batesville, entered a not guilty plea to simple assault that alledgedly occurred July 2 on Noble Street, filed by affiant Dorothy Bishop.
Bishop told Judge McKenzie, “her son hit me too.”
Bishop told the judge the son, 17, will have his case in juvenile court.
Defendant Patricia Oliver told the judge, “It happened at my house on my birthday. She’d been picking on my son,” Oliver said.
“She wouldn’t leave so I hit her,” Oliver added.
“Well, did she leave?” McKenzie asked.
“Well, yea,” she answered.
A trial was set for November 7.
Everett R. Mixon, 210 Georgia St., Batesville, entered a not guilty plea to domestic violence-simple assault against his step father.
Officer Victoria Johnson who worked the scene filed the charge.
The judge asked all parties involved in the incident be in court for trial set for November 9.
Dominique Middleton, 225 Connie Ross Rd., Como, entered a not guilty plea to domestic violence-simple assault by alledgedly striking affiant Morgan Anderson with a closed fist in the back of her head at 214 Tubbs Rd. Apartment No. 14., Batesville.
Stacy F. Watters, 431 Tubbs Rd., Batesville, entered a not guilty plea to DUI-refusal and careless driving. A trial was set for November 16.
Akeemeyan D. Wade, 244 Van Voris, Batesville, was found guilty of speeding after a short trial with testimony from Officer Pittman and Wade.
She was fined $149.
Robert T. Anderson, 8437 Pope Watervalley, Pope, had a simple possession of marijuana case continued.