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Judge seals counts
Grand jury indictments
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Henry County Circuit Court Judge David Williams signed an order to temporarily seal direct indictments issued by the county grand jury on Monday.
There are two types of indictments: direct and indirect.
Direct indictments are for charges that are not advanced to the grand jury during a preliminary hearing. The person named in the indictment may not expect to be indicted.
Indirect indictments are advanced in preliminary hearing, and the person named in the indictment generally knows the matter will be considered by a grand jury.
Indictments that were sealed Monday will “improve the ability of police to locate and arrest” the defendants while reducing the risk of witness intimidation, the order stated.
When the people named in the sealed indictments are arrested, or by noon March 27, the indictments will be unsealed and available to the public.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt. It is a grand jury’s finding that enough evidence exists to hold a trial.
In addition to the sealed indictments, the grand jury on Monday indicted 25 people on 50 counts. Some were published in Tuesday’s Martinsville Bulletin, and the rest follow:
• Kevin Joseph Schandel, 35, 60 Brandermill Drive, Fieldale, possession of unauthorized weapon by inmate in local correctional facility, Nov. 14.
• Kiesha Yvonne Mays, 33, 200 Park St., Martinsville, unlawfully throw missile at an occupied dwelling or building, Nov. 19.
• Chasity Dawn Spencer Craig, 32, 449 Pinewood Lane, Bassett, grand larceny, Oct. 23.
• Jerri Jean Dehart, 43, 1306 Cardinal Lane, Martinsville, two counts third offense larceny (shoplifting), Aug. 30; one count each escape custody without force or violence, Aug. 30, and possess an unauthorized weapon by inmate in local correctional facility, Sept. 26.
• Brent Ray Doss, 26, 2560 Blackberry Road, Bassett, third offense larceny (shoplifting), Jan. 7.
• Steven Oneal Hairston, 28, 3414 Lee Ford Camp Road, Ridgeway, one count each attempt armed common law burglary and wear mask in public, Dec. 29.
• Brittany Nichols Fulcher, 23, 7293 Oak Level Road, Bassett, grand larceny, Dec. 4-5.
• Edward Junior Gravely, 37, 1321 Rivermont Heights, Martinsville, third offense larceny (shoplifting), Dec. 8.
• Chad Everett Hopkins, 33, 1017 Owens Road, Martinsville, one count each grand larceny and obtaining money or property by false pretense, Oct. 17 through Nov. 20.
• Joseph Daniel Shelton, 32, 970 Crestview Drive, Bassett, grand larceny of vehicle, Oct. 22.
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