By John Howell Sr.
A Panola County jury in Batesville on Tuesday found Edward Davis Jr. of Batesville not guilty of burglary and rape indictments that originated with an October, 2012 incident.
Panola County Circuit Clerk Melissa Meek-Phelps said that the Second Court District jury of six men and six women spent about about 75 minutes deliberating before returning with the not guilty verdicts. The trial began Monday.

Dog poisoning
In other circuit court activity, Brad McCulley, 44, 974 Woodruff Road, Batesville, on Jan. 7 entered pleas of guilty to two counts of dog poisoning. Panola County Sheriff’s Dept. Investigator Major Barry Thompson said that McCulley entered “open pleas,” with the sentence to be left to the judge’s disgression.

McCulley will be sentenced on March 3 in Hernando.

Circuit Judge Richard Chamberlain accepted McCulley’s plea during a plea day hearing. Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale and McCulley’s attorney Rhea Tannehill both requested the March sentencing date, court documents state.

McCulley was indicted for 13 counts of dog poisoning stemming from incidents in the Eureka community in Dec., 2012. In last week’s plea, McCulley pled guilty to poisoning a dog that belonged to Bobby Woodruff and a dog that belonged to Jason Herron.

Embezzlement
Martha Chrestman will be sentenced April 14, also in Hernando, after entering a guilty plea to an indictment for embezzling approximately $30,000 from the Coles Point Volunteer Fire Dept.
Chrestman was arrested in Sept., 2012, following her indictment for embezzling funds from Jan., 2007 through March, 2011 while serving as CPVFD secretary/treasurer. Judge Chamberlain accepted Chrestman’s plea during the Jan. 7 plea day.

Possession of marijuana
Circuit Judge Smith Murphey sentenced James Kendrick McGhee, 23, 134 Patton Lane, Batesville, to the Dept. of Corrections’ Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) Program following his open plea of guilty to possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana (slightly more than an ounce) with intent to sell.

Upon satisfactory RID completion, McGhee is to complete three years of post release supervision, the judge’s order states. He was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and to pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund.

Grand larceny
Judge Chamberlain accepted a guilty plea Jan. 7 from David Goodwin, 47, 107 Northwood Drive, Batesville, for grand larceny.

Goodwin was indicted for three counts following a Feb. 7, 2013 burglary of the Clayton Pettit residence where a number of tools and entertainment equipment was stolen as well as the theft of $700 cash from Chester Sangster, on the same date.

The counts for the house burglary and the cash theft were remanded to the file. The judge sentenced Goodwin to 53 days served, nine years of post release supervision, a $500 fine, restitution of $200 and payment to the Crime Victim Compensation Fund of $100.
Brandon Lee Potts, 23, 109 Martin Luther King Dr., Batesville, received a 10-year sentence, which was suspended, for grand larceny.

Potts and Troy Lynn Smith were indicted in June for conspiracy and grand larcency following the May 1, 2013 theft of tools and other items from Phil Waldrup.

Court documents stated that Potts had no previous felony convictions and ordered him placed on supervised probation for three years. He was order to pay $1,121.50 in fines, court costs and related expenses. The conspiracy indictment was remanded to the files.

Forgery
Sinclaire Canice Sacks, 37, 313 Boothe St., Batesville entered a plea of guilty to an indictment for uttering forgery. She had been indicted in Sept. for forging an $800 check on Mary Stroup in April, 2013.

Judge Chamberlain ordered the guilty plea withheld pending Sacks’ successful completion of two years’ probationary conditions, payment of $800 restitution to the victim and $100 to the Crime Victim Compensation Fund.

Upon successful completion of the court’s conditions, Sacks can request that the indictment be dismissed, the judge’s order states.