Two Oktibbeha County women scheduled to go on trial next week on unrelated murder charges will have to wait until November before their cases are heard in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court.
The murder trials of both Leslie Sharp and Verina Childs were continued Monday until Nov. 1. Sharp”s trial was continued because a witness was unavailable, according to court documents. Childs” trial was continued because the defense is waiting on evidence.
Sharp is accused of shooting and killing 20-year-old Christopher Cole, of Mathiston, near the corner of Rockhill Road and Kelly Road in northeastern Oktibbeha County on Nov. 10, 2008.
According to court documents, Cole was being followed by a car full of female acquaintances, including Sharp, when he pulled onto Kelly Road and stopped. The car of females also stopped and a conflict ensued, during which Sharp allegedly shot Cole on the side of the road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sharp claimed self-defense and her trial has been continued several times in the 20 months since the shooting took place.
Childs, meanwhile, is accused of shooting and killing her husband, Douglas Childs, 32, while he hunted in western Oktibbeha County on Nov. 22, 2009. The shooting took place off Hawkins Road, near the Choctaw County line. Police believe Verina Childs shot her husband in the back with a rifle.
Other business
- In other court business Monday, 16th Circuit Judge Lee Howard sentenced Randy Matthews to two years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for possession of Benzylpiperazine. Matthews also must pay a $1,000 fine and faces five years of post-release supervision.
- Sixteenth Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Thomas McGee to one year in the MDOC and ordered him to pay a $250 fine and $3 in restitution for one count of leaving the scene of an accident with death or injuries. McGee also faces four years of post-release supervision.
- Andreus Marino pleaded guilty to one count of possession of LSD, but Howard deferred sentencing until Aug. 5.
- Howard did not accept the guilty plea of Ayana Thomas, who faced two counts of identity theft. Instead, Howard gave Thomas five years of non-adjudicated probation, plus a $500 fine and ordered her to pay $401 in restitution. The state retired the second count of identity theft.
- Kitchens sentenced Shannon Bryant to one year of house arrest and four years of probation for felony DUI, third offense. Failure to successfully complete the house arrest program will result in Bryant serving five years in MDOC. Bryant also must pay a $2,000 fine.
- William Dykes must serve five years in MDOC for violating the terms of his post-release supervision on a burglary of a dwelling charge.
- John Campbell also must serve five years in MDOC for violating the terms of his post-release supervision on a sale of cocaine charge.
- Janet Times was sentenced to five years in MDOC for violating terms of his post-release supervision on a possession of cocaine charge.
- William McBride must serve three years in MDOC for violating the terms of his probation on a felony false pretense charge.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
