A Winona man had a felony charge of simple assault on a police officer dismissed Thursday morning in Winona Municipal Court. However, he’s not out of trouble yet.
Jarvis Ford went before Judge Alan D. Lancaster again last Thursday.
Ford’s first appearance on Oct. 21, where he was disruptive and caused a scene which resulted in him being transported back to Carroll-Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility.
This time, when Ford went before Lancaster, his case was pushed back to the end of court, and Assistant Chief Calvin “Dooney” Young stood near him throughout the proceedings to prevent any further outbursts.
Captain Matt Milletello offered testimony in a hearing regarding Ford’s case. He said on September 24, officers responded to the home of Winona Alderwoman Sylvia Clark, Ford’s neighbor. Ford is also charges for disturbing the peace and malicious mischief, and Clark is also the affiant in that case. However, due to health issues, she could not be present for Thursday’s proceedings and her portion of the case has been continued.
Milletello testified that Clark told reported that Ford came to her home and threatened her. She told officers that Ford said he had a gun and a knife and threatened to kill her.
Milletello said when officers approached Ford’s home across the street, they could hear Ford yelling from inside the home. He said Ford admitted to going to Clark’s home but refused to open the door to the police.
He testified Ford wasn’t initially under arrest, as they only wanted to speak with him.
“He told us that he had and knife and a gun and he would use them,” Milletello said.
He said Ford still refused to open the door, and officers had to contact Ford’s family members to get inside the home.
“When we got inside home, he barricaded himself in the bathroom, and we had to pry the door open,” he said.
Milletello said when officers finally made contact with Ford face to face, he was compliant.
Lancaster dismissed Ford’s failure to comply charge because he said Ford was in the home where his mother allowed him to stay. Because the officers did not have a search warrant or a warrant for Ford’s arrest, he didn’t have to open the door.
He also found that the city didn’t hold its burden of proof on the simple assault charge because Ford was in his home and he had every right to defend his castle.
However, Ford’s not clear yet. He still has charges pending against him due to the incident that led the police to Ford’s home, however; Thursday Ford also received another simple assault charge for an incident that happened during transportation between Winona Municipal Court and the Carroll-Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility in Vaiden
That case will be heard in Montgomery County Justice Court.
