Arthur Ball

Marcus Felts

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Bond was revoked this morning for a Marion County man charged with burglary of a church.

Arthur Ball Jr., 24, no address available, failed to show up in court this morning, and Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell issued a warrant for his arrest. Ball is accused of breaking into Improve Baptist church on Nov. 16, 2004.

Bond was also revoked for Morris Thompson, 36, of Prentiss, who is charged with commercial burglary, conspiracy to commit commercial burglary, felony malicious mischief, possession of burglary tools and grand larceny. Thompson, along with Marcus Felts, 29, of Columbia, and another defendant, who has not yet been indentified because he has not been served with an indictment, allegedly broke into Greg’s Country Store on Highway 35 South in Sandy Hook on Sept. 18, 2009.

Bond has also been revoked for Felts for failing to appear in Circuit Court earlier this week. Warrants have been issued to arrest Felts and Thompson. The defendants allegedly caused over $3,300 worth of damage to the building and stole tobacco products, beer, rolled coins, two hack saws, a flashlight and camera system, totaling over $4,250 The suspects were allegedly in possession of burglary tools including bolt cutters, crow bar, sledge hammer and tire tools.

Jeffery Stovall, charged with two counts of statutory rape, exits the courtroom this morning.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Two sex-crime cases were set for trial this morning in Marion County Circuit Court.

Jack Bates of Columbia,who is charged with four counts of child molestation, sexual battery and seven counts of statutory rape, will go to trial Oct. 6.

Jeffery Stovall of Foxworth, who is charged with two counts of statutory rape, had a trial scheduled for July 19.

According to charging documents, Bates, 39, committed various acts of sexual abuse on a female child beginning in 1998 when he was 27-years-old and the girl was 6-years-old. The alleged sexual abuse continued until 2004 when the girl was 12.The indictment reads that Bates abused the girl “for the purpose of gratifying his lust or indulging his depraved licentious sexual desires.”

 Bates is currently out of jail on bond. Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell this morning assigned two public defenders to Bates’ case because of the severity of the charges.

The indictment against Stovall, 25, states that he had sex with a 12-year-old female child on April 12, 2008 and with a 14-year-old girl on the same date.

Shawn Louge exits the courtroom.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A man charged with illegally spotlighting deer in Marion County had his probation revoked this morning in Circuit Court.

The defendant, Shawn B. Louge, was on probation for a 2007 burglary conviction when he was arrested for the spotlighting incident Jan. 30.

Before revoking his probation this morning, Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell granted Louge a hearing to defend himself against the gaming violation charges. Louge, who goes to trial on the charges May 18 in Justice Court, denied taking part in killing the deer. He is charged with two counts of illegal possession of deer, spotlighting deer, hunting from a public road and trespassing.

Even if he is found not guilty of the charges, Louge admitted to being out after his curfew the night of the incident, which was enough alone to revoke his probation. Judge Harrell said he could have given Louge 11 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections but decided for two years of house arrest and the remaining nine years on post release supervision.

In the probation revocation hearing this morning, Louge’s co-defendant in the spotlighting case, Anthony White, said Louge did not take part in killing the deer. White, 42, of Poplarville, was convicted in February in Justice Court of spotlighting, possession of illegal game, trespassing and hunting from a public road and fined $5,256.

Anthony White

Louge, 22, of Sumrall, admitted that he violated his curfew but said he did so because he needed to ride around to take his mind of his grandfather’s impending death. He said his truck broke down, and White picked him and the deer were already in the back of the vehicle.

Harrell responded that Louge must have been “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Marion County Constable Paul Barber, who responded to the scene the night of the spotlighting incident, testified that Louge admitted to helping load the deer in the vehicle and had blood on him. There were two deer in the back of the vehicle and a shotgun and rifle behind the seat, Barber said. Louge also admitted to driving but said White killed the deer, according to Barber.

The deer were killed with a high-powered rifle near Lampton Hilltop Road in Marion County. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks investigated the incident.

Judge Prentiss Harrell

The following criminal cases are scheduled for docket call in Marion County Circuit Court before the Honorable Prentiss Harrell on Monday at 9 a.m. During docket call, cases are reviewed to determine their status.

Charles Harper, sale of controlled substance; Bernell Turner, grand larceny; Roy Young, sexual battery; Huba Blandon, possession of a controlled substance; Jack Vince, burglary and possession of a firearm by felon; Steve Jackson Jr., uttering forgery, two counts; Steve Jackson Jr. false pretense; Dorain Harell, simple assault on a law enforcement officer; Donald Darrell Walk, felony DUI; Arthur Ball Jr., conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary of a church; Gary B. Watts Jr., aggravated domestic violence; Christopher Westberry, burglary; Wallace McCray, possession of a controlled substance; Carlos Averett, fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle; Richard Varnado, possession of a controlled substance; Matthew Joel Wallace, credit card fraud; Justin Todd Turnage, burglary of a dwelling; Jack Bates, child molestation (four counts), sexual battery, statutory rape (seven counts); Click to continue »

Marion County District Attorney Hal Kittrell has announced that the following cases were disposed of by plea and sentence before Judge R. I. Prichard, III during the regular February 2010 Circuit Court term.

Darin McCoy

DARIN TREVILL McCOY-On Feb. 25 McCoy pleaded guilty to grand larceny, and the Court sentenced him to serve 10 years in prison.  This sentence is to be served consecutive to any sentence the defendant is now serving.  McCoy is to serve seven years of the sentence in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and upon successful completion, the remaining three years is to be served under post-release supervision. 

Anthony Jason Cox

ANTHONY JASON COX-  On Feb. 25 Cox pleaded guilty to credit card fraud, and the Court sentenced him to three years in prison. The Court ordered that the defendant serve two years of the sentence in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and after successful completion the remaining one year will be suspended and he will serve it under post-release supervision.  The defendant was also ordered to make restitution of $704.50, pay old fines to the Marion County Justice Court of $5,851.87, pay old fines to the city of Columbia Municipal Court of $1,861.50 and costs of court.

Charles Bates

CHARLES BATES- On Feb. 25 Bates pleaded guilty to sale of a Schedule II controlled substance (Hydrocodone with Acetaminophen -25 dosage units) within 1,500 feet of a public park, and the Court ordered that he serve 40 years in prison.  The Court ordered that Bates is to serve twenty 20 years of the sentence to run consecutive to the sentence the defendant is now serving. Upon successful completion of the 20 years, the remaining time will be suspended and is to be served under post-release supervision.  In addition, Bates is ordered to pay costs of court.

 LORI MORGAN-On Feb. 23 Morgan pleaded guilty to uttering forgery, and the Court sentenced her to 10 years in prison. The sentence is be served under the Regimented Inmate Discipline program.  The Court ordered that the defendant pay a fine of $1,000, an assessment of $1,000 to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund, reimburse the Marion County Public Defenders Office $1,500, pay total restitution of $855 and pay old fines to the city of Columbia Municipal Court of $262.50. 

Joshua Jones

JOSHUA JONES- On Feb. 23 Jones pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter and taking away a motor vehicle, and the Court sentenced him as follows:  As to the charge of manslaughter, Jones is to serve 20 years in prison. In addition, he is ordered to pay restitution of $9.100, pay all costs of court, obtain his GED and be tested and evaluated for alcohol and/or chemical dependency, and the defendant shall complete the Intensive Drug and Alcohol program. 

As to the charge of taking away a motor vehicle, the Court sentenced Jones to 10 years in prison, and he is to serve three years of the sentence to run consecutive to the sentenced imposed in the manslaughter conviction and to pay costs of court.  The remaining seven years are to be served on post-release supervision.

Kellvin Stogner

KELLVIN DARIK STOGNER- Stogner pleaded not guilty to felony fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle, and a jury found him guilty of misdemeanor fleeing. The Court sentenced Stogner to six months in the Marion County Jail, and the sentence was suspended pending successful completion set out by the Court.  The defendant is not to violate any laws of the State of Mississippi or Marion County for one year, pay a fine of $1,000, pay old fines to the Justice Court of Marion County of $352, pay old fines to the city of Columbia Municipal Court of $301.50 at a rate of $100 a month beginning April 1. The defendant shall successfully complete the Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series (ACTS) program. Click to continue »

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

 A man who was indicted on two counts of sale or transfer of a controlled substance has had charges against him dropped.

Eugene Smith (also known as Hollywood) was accused of selling or transferring morphine to a Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force confidential informant on Aug. 4, 2008 and 15 tablets of alprazolam on Aug. 12, 2008, according to Marion County Circuit court files.

Last week the Marion County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the charges because two vital witnesses were unavailable to testify. Smith, who was indicted by a grand jury on the charges in September 2009, was scheduled to go to trial last week.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Greg King

A Sandy Hook man accused of hitting an 81-year-old man in the head has been indicted on a misdemeanor charge of simple assault.

The man, Greg King, 24, was arrested last week by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for the alleged October 2006 incident, according to District Attorney Hal Kittrell.

A grand jury indicted King in 2007 on a charge of aggravated assault for the alleged incident, but the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case in 2008.

The Marion County Informer ran a story last week about how the family of the alleged victim, Perry Seal, was upset that King was not being prosecuted.

Last week Kittrell said he could not comment on the case. Kittrell told the Informer today that he could not comment last week because there was an active indictment pending.

“At the time we were trying to ascertain the location of King (so he could be served with the indictment),” said Kittrell. Click to continue »

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Marion County District Attorney Hal Kittrell

A Marion County father and son who were originally charged with four counts of felony kidnapping each had their charges downgraded to misdemeanors today in Circuit Court.

The son, John Mark Davis, pleaded guilty to the amended charge of disturbing the peace, and his father, John Hiram Davis Jr., pleaded guilty to exhibiting a deadly weapon.

They were each ordered to pay a fine of $500 plus court costs of $300.50. They were also sentenced to three months in jail, but Judge R.I. Prichard III suspended the jail terms.

The original kidnapping indictment handed down by the Marion County grand jury states that the father and son “forcibly seized and confined” Chris Conerly, Gladys M. Conerly, Emily S. Monroe and Travis Conerly.

Marion County District Attorney Hal Kittrell said the victims did not want to pursue the kidnapping charges and were satisfied with John Mark Davis and John Hiram Davis Jr. being charged with misdemeanors.

The incident occurred on Jan. 28, 2008 and involved the father and son trying to get guns back from the victims. Apparently,the father’s guns had been traded or pawned to the victims.

The father and son drove to see the victims and flagged them down at the corner of Park Avenue and Owens Street and told them to take them to where the guns were located, Kittrell said.

The father and son followed the victims who were in their own vehicle. The victims called 911 and drove to Cox Triangle in Foxworth, where law enforcement showed up on scene.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Perry Seal

 Two women say the Marion County District Attorney’s Office has failed to prosecute a man who was accused of severely attacking their father in Sandy Hook nearly four years ago.

“I just really feel like we’ve been given the go-around by the DA’s office,” said Janice Douglas of Brookhaven. “Nothing has been done. There has been no prosecution of any kind.”

Greg King was indicted by a Marion County grand jury on a charge of aggravated assault for the alleged attack, but the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case. Douglas and her sister Gayle Seal of Pine, La. said they would still like to see King prosecuted for aggravated assault.

“My father nearly died,” Gayle Seal told the Marion County Informer last week. “He spent several weeks in ICU and had to learn to walk again.”

Seal added that, “I don’t think the boy (King) ever spent a night in jail. My father has not been himself since the time of the attack. He was very mentally astute up until that time.”

The Informer could not reach King for comment.

Marion County District Attorney Hal Kittrell

It is unclear why charges against King have been dismissed. Marion County District Attorney Hal Kittrell said he could not comment on the case.

The grand jury indicted King on the aggravated assault charge in May of 2007, court records show. The indictment states that the attack occurred in August of 2001, which Douglas says is the incorrect date. Douglas does not know why the incorrect date of the attack is on the indictment. To see a copy of the indictment click here: Indictment

After the grand jury handed down the indictment, the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case on July 25, 2008. Marion County Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell agreed that the case should be dismissed.

To see a copy of the order to dismiss click here: Nolle Prosse

Janice Douglas

The sisters said their dad, Perry Seal, who was 81-years-old at the time of the alleged attack, was knocked unconscious and hit so hard in the head that he had to have surgery to relieve bleeding on his brain.

It is unclear what Seal was hit with in the alleged October 2006 attack. The aggravated assault indictment alleges that King hit Perry Seal with his fist causing a subdural hematoma.

Douglas explained that her father owns about 80 acres of farmland in Sandy Hook and that he was visiting the property the day of the alleged attack.

He was walking out of the woods back to his truck, which was parked on the road in front of King’s house, when the alleged attack happened, said Douglas. King started yelling at Perry Seal and allegedly hit him in the head, Douglas said.

King was in his early 20s at the time of the alleged attack, Douglas said. It is unclear where King lives currently.

After the alleged attack, Perry Seal was taken to the residence of his other daughter, Laurene Case of Sandy Hook, by a forester who was with him at the time of the alleged attack. The forester, Baxter Rowley with the Mississippi Forestry Commission, declined comment to the Marion County Informer.

Case took her father to the emergency room in Franklinton, La. where Gayle Seal was working as a registered nurse. Case could not be reached for comment.

About two months after the attack, Perry Seal had surgery to relieve bleeding on his brain, according to Douglas.

 Perry Seal was unavailable for comment.