After a lengthy trial with testimony from several witnesses, Judge Bill McKenzie found a Batesville woman guilty of two counts of simple assault during Batesville Municipal Court Wednesday.

Affiant Mary Scurlock testified that Kellsey Turner, 106 Jackson St., Batesville, pulled a knife on her daughter, Bianca Corley, in the trailer park they live in on Tubbs Road.

"Bianca had problems with Kellsey at McDonald’s where she pulled a knife on her also," said Scurlock.

Scurlock testified that Turner pulled up in front of her home and asked Scurlock to drop charges she had filed against Turner previously.

Scurlock testified she told Turner she wouldn’t drop the charges and that Turner then said, "I might as well hurt her then."

Scurlock testified that Turner said, "I don’t fight fair," and got out of the car with a knife.

Kellsey Turner testified and said, "She is just filing false pretenses."

Deborah Turner, the defendant’s aunt, said Turner couldn’t have been at Scurlock’s house on that day because she was at her house giving her daughter "micro braids."

"It takes hours to do micro braids," said Kellsey Turner.

Judge McKenzie called witnesses Elizabeth Burgos and Charity Burgos to testify concerning a different incident which occurred on another day and resulted in a charge of simple assault filed against Turner by Bernice Moore.

Both Elizabeth and Charity Burgos testified that Kellsey Turner pulled a knife on Elizabeth Burgos.

"I believe they are just jealous of her because she is not bad looking and she has a nice car," said Toya Turner.

Judge McKenzie found Turner guilty of both charges and told her, "There will be a heavy jail sentence if your behavioral problems don’t change."

He also sentenced her to six months in jail but suspended the sentence pending good behavior.

After the judge made his decision, Toya Turner spoke up and said, "People can just come in here and manipulate the court system."

The judge warned her if she said another word she would go to jail.

Kellsey Turner opted to work on the city’s work release program for 13 days instead of paying the fine of $530.

The city’s work release program is an option for defendants who cannot pay their fines.

Tamila Sheare, 107 Earnest Bacon, Sardis, was found guilty of shoplifting three glitter sticks, eyebrow pencils and other items from Wal-Mart worth $30.96.

Affiant Garrion Taylor from Wal-Mart testified that Sheare was with three other females who were giving items to a 10-year-old girl to put in her purse.

Taylor also had a tape proving his testimony was accurate.

Sheare said, "I feel I am being charged with something I did not do.

"We were on the cosmetics aisle and we gave the 10-year-old-girl the items to put back on the shelf," she said.

"This sounds like a classic shoplifting scheme and I don’t buy it," McKenzie said.

Taylor was fined $610.

Rusty Davis, 4178 Chapel Town Rd., Batesville, was found not guilty of simple assault.

Affiant Everette Redd testified that his daughter called him on the phone and said that a boy was chasing her in his truck not far from their home on Harmon Road.

"I walked outside and I could see her coming down the road and a red truck was on her bumper," Redd testified.

He said when his daughter got out of her car she was "white as a sheep."

Redd said he saw the truck slow down in front of his driveway and then heard the truck behind his driveway about 60 feet from his house.

Redd said that is when he confronted Davis and said, "Boy, are you crazy? You could have killed those girls!"

Davis testified that he was going to a friend’s house who lived on the same road and that he was not chasing her (Redd’s daughter).

"She ran me off the road, I was trying to pass her and she got on the wrong side of the road."

"My mama and daddy raised me better than to hit a girl," Davis added.

Redd’s daughter, Brooke, testified that she was afraid of Davis because of a confrontation that happened in town earlier that day with a girl who was with Davis.

Brooke also said that she kept her car in the middle of the road to keep him from passing her, because she was afraid he would slam on his brakes if he were in front of her.

Judge McKenzie ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove an assault charge.

"Certainly there was some dumb behavior," he added.

Kenneth Smith, 19049 Hwy. 51 South, Sardis, pleaded guilty to driving while license suspended and improper equipment prior to his trial. He was fined $487.

Jermaine Bobo, 150 C-5 MLK, Batesville, was found guilty of domestic violence-simple assault against Brenda Walters.

He was fined $355.

Public drunk
Margaret McCoy, Bartlett, Tenn., paid a fine of $265 prior to court for public drunk. The fine was entered.

Roger Besinger, 68 Creek Rd., Enid, entered a guilty plea to public drunk. He was in jail for 10 days and he was sentenced to "time served."

Brentlee Gentry, 198 Ridgecrest Rd., Pope, paid a fine of $265 prior to court for public drunk.

Contempt of court
Tyrone Whitten, 117 Hoskins Rd., Batesville, was held in contempt of court for old fines of $4,484 that have been due since March.

His bond was surrendered after he failed to show up in court three times.

Whitten asked if he could work for the city work program.

Judge McKenzie gave him a second chance and said, "If you don’t show up again, you will serve six months in jail."

He was entered in the city’s work program for 110 days to satisfy his fines.

Josephine Chapman, 6084 Curtis Rd., Batesville, had a contempt of court case continued.

Eddie Holloway, 2574 Sardis Lake, Sardis, entered the city’s work program for 40 days to satisfy old fines of $1,643 that have been due since October 2004.

Germaine Wright, 1937 Woodruff Rd., Batesville, paid his contempt of court fines of $498 prior to court.

Andrew Malone, 75 CR 104, Oxford, told Judge McKenzie he could pay his old fines of $1,329 that have been due since July 2003 on June 2.

James Taylor, 215 Vance St., Batesville, also said he could pay his fines of $292 on June 5. The fines have been due since March 2005.

DUI
Joseph Barnard, Tutwiler, had a DUI and open container case continued.

Billy Joe Lee, 217 Noble St., Batesville, was fined $1,138 for DUI-refusal, careless driving and no driver’s license.

"I am on medication," said Lee.

"The Mississippi law states driving under any influence, not just alcohol," McKenzie told Barnard.

Grand jury
Charles Manns Jr., 2827 Beachmont, Memphis, was referred to circuit court for accessory before the fact.

Joshua Caldwell, 3662 Ardmore St., Memphis, was referred to circuit court on a charge of prescription forgery.

Susan Cook, 710 Carlisle Rd., Courtland, was referred to circuit court for accessory after the fact.

Brian Cook, 710 Carlisle Rd., Courtland, was referred to circuit court for burglary and petit larceny.

Other
Ronnie Robertson, 107 Dickey Dr., Batesville, was sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court-old fines of $3,656 that have been due since September 2003. He also had court-ordered restitution of $3,109.15 that had not been paid. He also entered a "not guilty" plea to domestic violence-simple assault.

Jaylene Robinson, Lester St., Batesville, had two counts of simple assault charges continued because the affiants Latisha Ards and Veronica Wren were not notified about the court date.

Tickets
Elaine D. Hardin, 218 Melrose, Sardis, was given a trial date for careless driving after entering a "not guilty" plea.

Lawrence Diggs, 350 Jones Rd., Como, was fined $314 for driving while license suspended, careless driving and no proof of insurance.

A lower fine was imposed for the no proof of insurance charge after Diggs proved he received insurance after the ticket was issued.