Webb given maximum sentence in domestic

Apr. 6—Last month, a jury convicted Gregory Ryan Webb of domestic assault in an incident involving his now ex-wife. On March 20, Webb was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 11 months and 29 days in jail.

It took Criminal Court Judge Gary McKenzie about the same amount of time — 30 minutes — to pronounce sentence as it did for the jury to convict Webb of the misdemeanor offense.

Assistant District Attorney Philip Hatch called two witnesses — Community Probation Services probation supervisor Karen Reed and the victim. Reed's pre-sentence background check showed Webb had 12 convictions for burglaries and thefts in Cumberland and Rhea counties.

The victim testified she had been married to Webb for 17 years. During the trial she admitted to infidelities.

"There is something wrong with him ... he fixates on things not true," she testified. Under questioning from Fickling, the victim testified she was not treated for physical injuries after the incident.

During the trial, the victim testified that Webb shoved her, causing her to fall over a clothes basket on the floor of the laundry room. She said her head struck a nail protruding from the wall during her fall.

Hatch said that plus the victim's recommendation for Webb to serve the maximum sentence and to obtain mental health counseling was enough to justify the jail sentence.

Public Defender Craig Fickling agreed that an evaluation was in order, but he resisted using past convictions against his client in this hearing. "He paid for his crimes," Fickling said.

McKenzie ruled there was enough evidence to justify the maximum sentence.

In other cases on the court docket, the following took place:

Probation violations

—Violet Wilma Atkinson, probation violation hearing continued to April 28.

—Casey Marie Clark, pleaded guilty to a probation violation and is to serve the balance of a two-year sentence at 30% with credit for time served.

—Joshua Nataniel Curtis, probation violation, pleaded guilty to a violation and to serve the balance of a one-year sentence with credit for time served.

—Karen Clementine Davis, pleaded guilty to a violation and is to serve one year in jail at 75%, with credit for time served.

—Tyler Cameron Flowers, motion for judicial diversion in possession of a Schedule I drug with intent and driving under the influence withdrawn with defendant currently in rehab program.

—Nathaniel Harrison Payne, probation violation warrant dropped.

—David Lee Queener, probation violation hearing continued to April 14.

—Gregory Allen Reppert, probation violation warrant dropped.

—Alicia Dawn Turner, probation violation hearing continued to April 14.

—Mark Anthony Williams, Public Defender's Office appointed to represent Williams and continued to April 14.

—Cedric Jordan Grooms, pleaded guilty to positive drug screen test, to serve 120 days in jail at 75% and after which probation will be terminated.

—William Thomas Whittaker Jr., bond set at $6,000 and probation violation hearing continued to April 14.

Boundover status

The following defendants have cases in boundover status, meaning the grand jury has not acted on their charges. All, unless other wise noted, are to return to court May 12.

—David Anthony Borja, one case; Douglas Raymond Campbell, one case; James Edward Crouse, one case; Joseph Michael Grimme, one case; Jason Neal Keagle, one case; David Benjamin Robertson, one case; Bradley Leon Smith, one case; Dwayne Levon Smith, five cases; Jeffery Lynn Tabor, one case of non-emergency 911 calls, dropped; Alan Michael Unser, one case; Brett Cody Waldo, one case, forfeiture and capias for failure to appear, ten days in jail and ordered held for bond hearing; and Addison Paige Woody, one case, reportedly incarcerated in the Cherokee County (GA) Jail, forfeiture and capias issued for failure to appear, ten days in jail and ordered held for bond hearing.

Michael Moser may be reached at mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com