Batesville Municipal Court 6/6/2014

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 6, 2014

Defendants deny injuring carnival-goer


By Emily D. Williams

Four defendants charged with injuring a carnival-goer on the grounds of the Batesville Civic Center May 23 all denied the charges in Batesville Municipal Court Wednesday. The quartet told Judge Bill McKenzie they did not break Tina Jenkins’ nose.

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Jenkins filed charges of simple assault against Laura Jean Tucker, Mary Jean Moore, Steven A. Moore, all of 117 Jones St., Batesville and Brian Alan Moore, 609 B Clearbrook Dr., Oxford. 

“I blacked out after they hit me,” Jenkins told the judge. “I don’t remember much, but they did break my nose.” 

Mary Jean Moore told the judge she was the mother of the other three defendants charged.

They all entered not guilty pleas and a trial was set for July 16.

Other cases

Rebecca Tellis, 213 Draper St., Batesville, entered a guilty plea and was fined $330 for abuse of a vulnerable person by hitting her niece who is confined to a wheelchair.

Officer Ruby Myers told the judge Dignity Adult Care made a call after noticing bruises on the victim’s back and buttocks.

“Dignity said she (victim) had an accident and has trouble using the restroom due to being in a wheelchair and said Tellis hit her with a mop handle,” Myers testified.

Tellis told the judge her niece is know living somewhere else.

Shaneke Burdette, 1173 Edwards Rd., Sardis, was found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor by neglect after dropping her 11-year-old son off at the police department.

She told the judge her son has been to Parkwood and she’s raising four other children and had been living out of her vehicle but now had a residence and was working doing the best she could.

“He has these outbursts, I just can’t explain,” she tearfully explained.

Officer Myers said the reason she charged Burdette was because the child was found walking down Panola.

Burdette said in her defense she tried to get her son to get in the vehicle and after several attempts she went to her mother’s home to change clothes and admitted she was tired due to the living conditions.

The child walked out of the police department after Burdette left him, the officer testified.

“She admitted she had been working at Waffle House at the time and the child was staying in the vehicle while she worked,” Myers testified.

The judge did not impose a fine.

Latarius McLemore, 1307 Lake St., Shelby, was fined $986 for suspended driver’s license and no proof of insurance.

Detrailous Webster, 2585 Chapeltown Rd., Batesville, entered a not guilty plea to domestic violence-simple assault by choking the mother of his child. 

He also entered a not guilty plea to petit larceny by stealing an Apple iPhone worth $480. 

Due to Webster failing to pay old fines of $1,148 that have been due since August 2013 he was sentenced to 30 days in jail. 

A hold was also placed on him due to officers’ requests for other matters. 

Steve Harris, 201 A Patton Lane, Batesville, entered a guilty plea to public drunk. He was fined $522.

Dennis Nelson, 116 Dell St., Batessville, had a trial set for July 9 for disorderly conduct-failure to comply and obstruction of street.

Shanequa Smith, 109 Normandy Ave., Batesville, entered a guilty plea to shoplifting shirts, headphones, bathing suits and other items worth $63.56 from Walmart. She was fined $1,131.

Demetrice Lester, 128 Hoskins Rd., Batesville, entered a guilty plea to shoplifting from Walmart. She was fined $1,131.

Robert Tubbs, 105 Church St., Senatobia, failed to appear to answer shoplifting charges from Walmart. Fox Bonding was notified.

Jarmain Johnson, 5589 Lucius Taylor Rd., Como, entered a guilty plea to shoplifting an air conditioner from Walmart worth $309 on May 28. 

He was fined $1,131.

Jerry Ford, 103 Everette St., Batesville, was found guilty of loud music but no fine was imposed.

Billy Lewellen, 226 Eureka, Batesville, was found guilty of domestic violence-simple assault and fined $313 after he admitted to the judge he should have just walked away. He explained he and his wife had been attending AA meetings for 11 months and he came home to find her drinking. 

Photo evidence was entered of the injuries.

Mr. Lewellen testified he was only trying to restrain his wife and was upset due to the progress they both had made attending meetings.

Mrs. Patty Lewellen told the judge her husband was going to anger management therapy and it was something that should have never happened.

“I want you to leave the drugs and alcohol alone,” the judge told Mrs. Lewellen.

A case for Austin Mark Payne, 120 Trianon, Batesville, for malicious mischief was continued.

He is represented by attorney Kirk Willingham.

Previously Payne entered a guilty plea to malicious mischief by breaking a car windshield but the affiant wanted restitution of $1,779 for damage done to the back of the vehicle.

Willingham told the judge his client admits to the windshield but not damage to the rest of the car.

Detective Jeremiah Brown told the judge he did witness Payne hit the windshield of the vehicle but never saw him hit the rear bumper and rear hood.

Judge Jay Westfaul previously set an appeal bond for $1,500.