By Rita Howell

A charge of domestic violence-simple assault was dismissed in Batesville City Court November 6 after Judge Bill McKenzie heard testimony from Valisia Watson, the alleged victim.

Watson had filed the charge against Jasmarious J. Robinson, with whom she lives at 218 1/2 West Street, on September 13 following an argument with him over text messages she found on his phone.

Robinson had pleaded not guilty and Watson was subpoenaed to testify at his trial.
“I was very, very angry that day,” Watson told the judge.

She said she woke Robinson up after reading the texts and told him to get out. She described a brief altercation on the front porch in which some of her fingernails were broken and she received a cut on her arm.

She said she called police, telling them “I need somebody to make him leave.”
By the time police got to the house, Robinson had left.

She filed the charge.

Then she allowed Robinson to move back in the home that night, she testified.
“I kinda started it,” she told the judge.

“I’m dismissing the charge,” McKenzie said. “I’m not convinced police were given the right information.”

Shoplifting
A Batesville woman was found guilty of shoplifting sodas and toilet paper from a sidewalk display at Dollar General on September 24.

Magan Stokes, 3048 Sardis Lake Dr., Batesville, told the judge she had asked her sister to load the merchandise in the car, and that she intended to pay for it afterward.

Store spokesman Mary Fellows told the judge she called police after seeing the items in Stokes’ vehicle when she stepped outside the store to make a phone call. The car, Fellows said, was parked on a side street next to the store.

Stokes told the judge she had purchased items at Dollar General previously by loading them into her car first, then going inside to pay.

“I would suggest you change that practice,” the judge said, finding Stokes guilty and imposing a fine of $1,131.

In a second, unrelated shoplifting case, Courtney Ridgeway, 1749 Morrow Road, Courtland, pleaded not guilty to a charge filed by Burke’s Outlet. A trial date of December 4 was set.
DUI

Johnny Alred, 201 James St., Batesville, was found guilty of DUI-other following a wreck on December 18, 2012 when he was injured on Highway 6, just west of the overhead bridge. Alred had been rushed to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis following the accident.

He had subsequently pleaded not guilty to the charge and the case was tried last Wednesday, with Batesville Police Officer Justin Maples, who had been called to the scene of the wreck that day, testifying.

Maples said he arrived to find a three-car accident about 1:15 p.m., with Alred’s vehicle still in the highway, and the other two pulled off to the side. Maples described what appeared to him to have happened: Alred, eastbound, hit a car that was stopped in front of him, and that vehicle hit the car in front of it.

Alred displayed behavior that made him believe he may have been under the influence, Maples told the judge. Later Zanex and Soma pills were found in Alred’s vehicle. That resulted in two charges of possession of controlled substance.  Alred produced prescriptions for both drugs, and the judge dismissed those charges.

Alred was found guilty of DUI-other and owes $3,026 in fines, from the current conviction and previously imposed fines.

Grand jury
Two felony cases in the city have been referred to the grand jury.

Katrina Hall of 794 Upton Road, Pope, is charged with felony embezzlement related to theft at Burke’s Outlet. She has bonded out of jail.

Justin Woodard of 2172 Brewer Road is charged with grand larceny. The affiant is James Brewer.

Possession of marijuana
James H. Patterson of 3282 Henderson Road, Batesville,  pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana at the Family Supermarket on October 29. He was fined $428 and sentenced to 30 days in jail. He is in violation of parole requirements and is in custody on orders of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

“I have cataracts,” Patterson told the judge.

Sedrick Webb, 204 Van Voris, Batesville, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana on November 2 at 209 Deaton St. He was fined $428 and sentenced to 15 days in jail where he is awaiting hearings on other unrelated charges.

Kerrance Patterson of 211 Deaton St., Batesville, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana but entered a not guilty plea on a charge of domestic violence-simple assault on October 31. He was fined $428 for the marijuana charge and a trial was set for November 20 on the assault charge.

Failure to appear
Dennis Brown of 10383 Ballentine, Sardis, failed to appear to answer charges of false information, DUI-refusal, no driver’s license, no tag, no proof of insurance and improper equipment. Fox Bonding Co. was notified.

Tickets
Curtis Britt, 201 Fisher St., Batesville, was fined $817 for no tag and no proof of insurance.
Paula Griffin of 6758 Curtis Road, Batesville was fined $106 for expired tag.

Amber Whitworth of 3315 Chapel Hill Road, Pope, was fined $106 for expired tag.

Alvin Garrison of 8347 Curtis Road, Batesville, was fined $381 for driving while his license was suspended.

Christopher Cockrell, 6355 Rock Ridge Rd., Bartlett, Tenn., pleaded not guilty to careless driving. A trial was set for November 20.

 Daffany R. Callicutt, 370 Willow Rd., Sardis, was fined $770 for no proof of insurance and careless driving.