Two men were bound over and await the action of the Montgomery County Grand Jury on two separate charges of felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of a stolen firearm.
Johnny Jenkins and Denzel Forrest both went before Judge Keith Stokes Roberts Thursday morning in Winona Municipal Court. Jenkins waived his right to a preliminary hearing and pled guilty to a charge of not operating with proper equipment.
Forrest chose to have a preliminary hearing, and Officer B.J. Edwards said when he stopped the vehicle Forrest was a passenger in, on Tuesday, Aug. 16 on Mission Road near Summit Street. He said when he approached the vehicle, he smelled the odor of marijuana, and probable cause was established. Edwards said during a search of the vehicle, a Taurus .9 mm was found in the floorboard.
Acting Prosecutor Jennifer Williams-Adams asked Edwards where was the location of the gun in relation to where Forrest was seated.
“It was in his wingspan. He was the only one who could access it,” Edwards said. “His foot was nearly on top of it.” Edwards said it was to the left of Forrest. He said no one else claimed the gun, and they didn’t know the gun was in the vehicle. Edwards said when he asked Forrest was the gun his, Forrest told him “Do what you gotta do; you gone run it anyway.”
He said after the serial number on the gun was processed, it came back stolen. Edwards said the gun belong to a Blaylock, and it was a previous case that was in court about two months ago. Public Defender Lee Bailey argued that the city couldn’t prove that the gun was his.
“But, if it’s my gun and I can legally have it, I’m not going to say ‘do what you gotta do, you gone run it anyway,’” Williams-Adams rebutted. “That’s not the first thing I’m going to say.” She said that Forrest had some idea that the gun was there.
Roberts found probable cause to bind Forrest over and set his bond at $10,000. However, Forrest is also out on bond on another case in Winona Municipal Court. Williams-Adams said the Circuit Court will more than likely revoke his first bond.
