If you get arrested for some serious crime, first you go before a Magistrate to get the ball rolling. That's followed by going before a Grand Jury and then, if there's enough evidence to support the Prosecutor's claims, you enter into the big court, Circuit Court. To get that process started first comes Arraignment Day.
   The Fall Arraignment Day was held Nov. 13th 2019 with Judge Jack Alsop on the Bench.
   Normally on such days, the upstairs hallway is filled with Suits and  those charged with serious crimes. On the 13th, that hallway was empty. Inside the Courtroom, sitting in the peanut gallery, just 2 stragglers.
  Here's what we remember from that morning and getting underway promptly at 9am sharp.
 
 

   Dressed in his finest orange jumpsuit, Rodney Mark Workman was first up. Attorney Wayne King was at his side. Mr Workman is the guy that made threats to Prosecutor Jim Samples and family. Workman had just got out of prison on June 29th 2019. Such threats are taken seriously. Workman is looking at  10 years in the slammer for his verbose, big mouth.
  He has been dressed in orange unable to make bond. Back in Summer, Barrister King asked Judge Facemire to reduce that bond amount. Didn't go so well for Mr King nor Workman. Judge Facemire thought differently. Instead of reducing the bond amount, Facemire doubled it!
  For this Nov. 13th court day, Mr Workman plead not guilty and awaits a Feb. 19th, 9am trial.
  Oh, by the way, Wayne King did not ask Judge Alsop for bond reduction on the 13th... not a peep.

  Here's a sad one. Patrick Steven Perdue (DOB 4-1-92) is a nice lookin guy and from a good family. He's got the brain power to do anything he wants to do. Instead of good decisions, Perdue has spent the better part of his life on the wrong side of the law. Drugs are his central Devil.
  For this time around, Perdue was arrested back in mid July for stealing five blank checks from his grandmother and then cashing some at a local gas station.
  For the 13th hearing, Perdue showed up clean and neat. Even had his shirt dress shirt tucked in! The vast majority of those in the Court system lack even a high school diploma. That's not the case for Perdue who sports some college time.
  After saying not guilty four times, the burglary, petit larceny, and uttering cases will be heard on Feb 19th before Judge Alsop.

   With three pleadings in hand and completed in less than 19 minutes, Kenneth Wayne Nottingham (DOB 4-7-89) came up front next. Clad in an orange jump suit and without fidgeting much, Nottingham plead not guilty to grand larceny, burglary, and petit larceny. His trail is set for Feb 19th. If found guilty, Nottingham is looking at up to ten years for each transgressions.
  Arrested back on May 26th around 8pm, Nottingham swiped a blue 2018 Hyundai  while the owner was fishing. Green Shirt Cervera was the arresting officer. At the time of arrest, and according to the original criminal complaint, Nottingham was talking out of his head during the arrest and was taken to CAMC for treatment.
 

  Phillip Mace II (DOB 2-7-85) is a big man. So big, he can beat up females. That's what got him in the Court system.
  Back on 9-20-2018 Black Shirt Jonathan Holcomb was the arresting Badge aided by Patrick Morris and Robert Belt. The 911 complaint was from a female claiming Mace beat her up and was chasing her with a knife. When the Badges got there, there was Mace in a vehicle and the victim battered and bleeding. Yelp, Mr Mace is a big big man.
  For Nov. 13th, 34 year old Phillip Mace showed up dressed in civilian clothes. While telling the Court he was not guilty of anything, he was cool and calm. That trial is also set for Feb 19th.
  When asked if he could pass the mandatory pee test to continue his bond, not a problem came
  Well, there was a problem. Mace whizzed  hot  for meth. Defenser Wayne King asked for mercy. The client has a job! Mercy your honor! Mercy!! Mercy!   Didn't happen readers. Phillip Mace was escorted out of the courtroom and into the holding cell.
  Something about being stoned doesn't set well with the Robes.

 Ronald Hamrick's name was called three times out in the hallway. No response came. Back in the Courtroom, Prosecutor Samples told mr Robe, the guy had never been arraigned, Hamrick is charged with fleeing from an officer. Also, there was no criminal complaint on file in the Magistrate Clerk's office.  A warrant was issued.

   About the same thing for Bradley Joe Stone (DOB 11-16-79) who was nowhere to be seen. Stone   was charged on Sept 19th for driving a silver Toyota crazy with an expired sticker at a high rate of speed. When he got out of his vehicle, Stone tried running and then managed to get an elbow in a Badge. Did we mention his license was expired?
 

  Joshua Nottingham (DOB 5-24-88)  is charged with breaking into a residence on August 17th around 11pm. Once into the residence, he three fingered a window air conditioner  and other items totaling close to $1800 in value. One of those pesky video cameras caught the lad in action.
  Dressed in orange. Nottingham plead not guilty to everything including: burglary and grand larceny.
  His trial is set for Feb 25th 2020. He is looking at 15 years in the slammer on your dime.
 
 

  Here's a cute one. Patrick Adkins (from Nitro WVa) was indicted  on burglary and destruction of property charges.     He was arrested on Oct 2 2019 for breaking into a brother's  (victim) home.
  The 31 year old lad looked good dressed in orange along with his big neck tattoo. When hs spoke, he did so quietly.
  Adkins was suppose to be represented by attorney Betty Gregory who was  a  no show. Robes don't like it when someone doesn't show up for duty. He likes it even less when he's provided an ahead of time, heads up.
  When asked where Ms Gregory was, Defenser Jeff Davis spoke up that he was stepping in for the lady.   A big frown was seen on Jack Alsop's forehead.
  Here's it comes readers. When asked if he was guilty or not guilty, Patrick Adkins spoke up and said, Guilty. It was like one of those blaring horns on submarine. Dive Dive Dive. That's something NOBODY ever admits or says during their first day in court. Sort of sheepishly and while grinning, Jeff Davis asked for a couple minutes with his client away from the Judge's presence. That request was honored.
  A few minutes later, Davis and Adkins were both back in front of Alsop with the attorney saying: I explained everything to him and added, he's ready to plead guilty.
   The plea was not entered with Judge Alsop saying a hearing would be heard on Monday and the real attorney, Betty Gregory, MUST be here!
   Not sure if that Betty Gregory reads this COMMUNICATOR ONLINE newspaper but, someone should tell her, be there or be in real trouble.

  Finally, how about the Prosecutor screwing up. NAhhhh, not possible in County Clay!
  Ricky Bishop (DOB 8-22-59), present, is charged with driving revoked license,  under the influence with alcohol, improper inspection. Sorry folks, no pic available.
  The 60 year old Bomont resident walked into the Courtroom dressed in a black vest and striped dress shirt. Back in July, Bishop was driving a maroon Ford. He crossed onto the Queen Shoals Bridge and low and behold, there sat the Badges doing a traffic check point. He started backing away from the check point. The part about having alcohol in the vehicle, having his license revoked for DUI, an expired inspection sticker and registration, no insurance and two prior driving revoked arrests, Bishop was in deep stuff.
   On Nov. 13th, more frowny lines were seen on Alsop's forehead. Some of the Prosecutor's paperwork was messed up, poorly written and most importantly, he even had the wrong State Code violation number before the Court. After staring down the Prosecutor, that fourth charge against ricky Bishop was tossed from consideration. Don't know which one readers, but one the charges was dismissed.

  On the 13th, the arraignment day load was completed in one hour. We're ready for a few months of justice at its best on the local level. Several Court dates have been set. In reality, few cases ever make it to trial date. Most, the vast majority, are settled, plead, a few days before the trial date.
  We think that will be the case for this term of court too.

AW