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 Heather Ellis (center) stands with family, and her attorney, Scott Rosenblum (far right), in front of various local and national media outlets following her plea of guilt to peace disturbance and resisting arrest. (Staff photo by Deanna Coronado) |
The prosecution agreed to drop two felony counts of assault on a law enforcement officer through the plea deal, while Ellis agreed to a plea of guilt regarding the two misdemeanor charges of disturbing the peace and resisting arrest.
The terms of the deal include the sentence that Ellis must serve one year of unsupervised probation, attend at least two hours of anger management classes and serve four days in the Dunklin County Jail, which Judge Joe Satterfield referred to as "Shock Detention."
Additional details, including when Ellis will begin her probation, as well as, when she will be required to serve jail time, should be decided through the court soon.
Ellis is also required to pay court costs and other expenses relating the jury and the trial as a whole. Details on those fees will also be determined at a later time. The Daily Dunklin Democrat will issue a full report on the trial, including witness testimony in the Sunday print edition. The full report will also be available online.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
I see she finally came to her senses. Of course, her ACLU lawyers will say she isn't guilty of anything, but decided to take the plea "for the good of the community". I think she has gotten off much, much too lightly for the commotion she has caused -- needlessly, I might add.
Dad looks mad!!!
Does she have to pay the NAACP back also?
I wonder if Ellis will cut in line at the Jail House cafeteria? Can you believe the nerve of this...person, (almost said lady but that would be giving her too much credit). The real credit goes to the Daily Dunklin Democrat for their excellent coverage.
Congratulations to Dunklin County for not caving in to these $$ seeking race baiting scum. The court should have given them 40 years. The Rational Hopeful world salutes you. LP
A fair and just punishment for unacceptable behaviour. Too bad the defense got cold feet. I think she would have gotten a lot worse. Must have been plenty of convincing evidence to make them accept this "plea deal."
Well I hope when she goes to anger management there arent any lines for her to break into, and maybe she'll serve one of her four days on ham and bean night at the jail, and while she's on probabtion in the coming year we can only pray that Walmart gets all those SELF CHECKOUT LANES INSTALLED!!!!!
This area is so full of racial issues. You can tell by these post on here. By the way I'm white and glad I don't live there any longer.
Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
Ignorance and sub human behaviour is NOT racism.
This woman could have been bright green for all I care and she still deserved to be punished. We're all glad you moved to where that kind of behaviour is tolerated Semo. Good luck with that.
If I were Dad, I'd be more than mad, four attorneys in 2+ years, is a whole lot of money down the drain. They didn't get what they wanted with the first three attorneys so they got the high-powered, high-priced one and then took a plea, HEATHER YOU'RE A FAILURE, and the Walmart clerk served you up on a platter.
I don't think it's fair that defendants can accept a plea after a certain point - in this case, taking a plea after going to court and hearing all the testimony. I do think Heather Ellis will never put her hands on a cop again though. Four days of jail isn't enough, she could stand to lose some weight and jail food is awful, the bed is hard, only one blanket, and one pair of socks in a chilly jail. Very disappointing that she got so little jail time.
Everyone saw how arrogant and guilty she was when the light was finally shown on the case. Thats why Big Al Sharpton didn't march. I left Kennett when I was 9 years old, went on to received a Bachelors Degree and now have a successful business in Nashville TN, Some that leave Kennett and have sucessful careers in larger cities feel as if they are some how smarter and more sophisticated. I have never forgotten where I came from and I know most of the people Kennett are honest, fair and moral people. Kennett does not deserve the way it has been portrayed by some in the national media and it is good to have this finished.
The black community should be up in arms over the fact that she played the "race card" to cover her own arrogance and spoiled behavior. Her father as a preacher should be teaching her that pride comes before a fall. The Lord hates the proud and shall bring them low. I did't know that once a jury has to make a verdict that you could accept a plea deal. She needs to pay all costs, and appologize to the witnesses, the jury and the court for her selfishness. They dropped the charges for which she was brought to trial, assault on a police officer. I guess if the NAACP gets involve you can hit a cop as much as you want.
Aren't police always believed? I know where I live police RARELY are held responsible for their actions, you file a lawsuit against a cop and 9 times out of 10 you will lose. So yes the defense feared that the jury would rule for the police and believe their story, and adults are suppose to know - do not touch a cop.
The really sad thing is all the time people had to waste setting up there in that court room they took a whole day to pick the jury and those poor people had to do all this for four days for nothing. All the tax payers money that was wasted!
I know one thing........That was one expensive tantrum. I wonder if she thinks it was worth it.
I am wondering where she teaches and what??? Heather needs to expand her vocabulary and people skills. I would not want her teaching any of my children! She needs to rethink her position and maybe get some help before she takes center stage again.
Caring parent, think about it she teaches in Louisiana; you might be aware of the educational statistics there but they are pretty low some where like the bottome 3 out of the 50 states. I read on one of the forums that she was fired last year from teaching. Madison, you shouldn't be so hard on Wal Mart, not saying they will win any fashion statement, but there are some nice things in there (electronics, grocery, household items, etc...).
Watching her statements to the media, she's still claiming her innocense. She said testimony backed up her story and it was time for others to step up to the plate and take responsibility. Hopefully she will leave town soon and we won't have to witness her arrogance any longer.
Tooooo much ado about nothing but arrogance. The lady should have been sentenced to months instead of days. The whole thing was a farce from the beginning. It's a shame that the media made our hometown look like Selma, Alabama in the 60s. And shame on those goofs who held up swastica laden Confederate flags on the parade route. They just fueled the fire and "proved" that Kennett is a racist town. Shame on this defendant for lying about this incident, who, after her attorney decided that, OOPS, you're gonna get fried, she took a plea deal. How much money and energy was wasted on this?????????
Is that Rev. Run?
In nearly two hours of testimony, Ellis denied cursing or attacking anyone. Instead, she said, it was police who assaulted her in the parking lot after she was led outside.
So the little piece of crap went on the stand and gave that testimony only to turn around and "oops just kidding". I hope the City of Kennett turns around and sues her.
What happened to not taking the plea deal because "she won't admit guilt to something she didn't do". Ignorant family, every single one of them.
from another news source....
The Louisiana Department of Education's Web site lists Ellis, a Xavier University graduate, as having a one-year practitioner teacher license, which allows her to teach biology in the Central school system while continuing to work toward a Level I teaching certificate through the Louisiana Resource Center for Educators.
So, she's not even a CERTIFIED teacher. Basically just a glorified intern. No wonder Louisiana's public schools are in the mess they are in.
here is the real problem....
A deal may have been made (in the Heather Ellis case), but groups who've screamed racism from the beginning say their fight isn't finished.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Memphis Branch President Dwight Montgomery said they'd continue to expose issues of racism in Kennett.
"There is corruption in the police department," Montgomery said. "There is corruption with the prosecutor, and we are going to continue to expose these issues."
more.....
Two years ago, prosecutors offered a plea deal under which Ellis would have received probation if she dropped her complaint against the police.
"She decided not to sign it, because she was taught to never admit guilt when you're innocent," her father has said.
JUNGLEJIM, the statemet "And shame on those goofs who held up swastica laden Confederate flags on the parade route. They just fueled the fire and "proved" that Kennett is a racist town."
How can you sit here and claim that Kennett is a racist town? I know we have a few "goofs" as you call them but not everyone here is like that.
I am just glad that the whole ordeal is over with. I still cannot believe that she pulled the race card. Does anyone know what the tapes showed or did they even show them in court?
haha, NoDisclosure...I was wondering the same thing...about Rev. Run, that is!
i see Kennett isnt short of local idiots or idiots who love to run their big fat mouths
Madison is correct..the Dexter paper gives so much detail it is painful to read. But they haven't put up the news about the plea deal yet.
Satterfield did a great job keeping this in the location it belonged....nd also from being a circus like the NAACP and others wanted.
Kennett resident, when a word has quotations around it, that means that the writer is being sarcastic or ironic. You took issue with Jungle Jim as follows:
"JUNGLEJIM, the statemet 'And shame on those goofs who held up swastica laden Confederate flags on the parade route. They just fueled the fire and "proved" that Kennett is a racist town.'
"How can you sit here and claim that Kennett is a racist town? I know we have a few "goofs" as you call them but not everyone here is like that."
You misunderstood him. By putting "proved" in quotes, he was saying that this is what other communities would think. It's not what HE thinks.
Ah, sometimes words can be so hard to explain.
As for the news in the Dexter paper, it was written by a writer from this paper, and - you know, everyone was wanting more details. He gave what amounted to a transcript of the trial.
That same transcript is on this website as well.
Okay Heather, now that you've got the whole city of Kennett in an uproar. Go back to La. We don't need or want your rude,lying butt here! Daddy, aren't you so proud of your little innocent daughter now? She started a bunch of crap in Kennett that could have gotten someone killed!
Only when you saw the evidence against you (via video) did you decide to take the plea bargain, I hope when they tally up all the state charges it breaks you and you have to get 3 jobs to repay 'US' taxpayers. Enjoy your 4 days in the KJC....try cutting line there and see what happens.
The city of Kennett NO longer welcomes you!
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES. Thank the Lord this mess is over and Kennett can get back to semi-normal. The threat of the SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE OF MEMPHIS needs to stay in Memphis. Sweep your own front porch and stay off of ours. We are a good community and like all other communities we DO have a few bad apples, but that doesn't make ALL of kennett bad. We all need to remember what time of year it is and what "THE REASON FOR THE SEASON" is. Grow up.
Ae any of Rev. Ellis' congregants watching these boards? Aren't you ashamed of your pastor's behaviour in defending a clearly guilty daughter and promoting her idea that she can behave any way she cares to if there are people of other races involved? Would this young woman have been so arrogant and so ill-mannered if these were blacks customers and black police? I think not. Who, exactly, are the racists here?
The taxpaying citizens of Kennett need to contact the city attorney, Mayor, and Sokoloff, and demand that they bill Ellis, and her family, for all expenses occurred by bringing in extra law enforcement, etc. for thier little escapade (faux)march.
Being that it has now been established that the "march" was nothing but a farce, and a waste of taxpayer's money, she is certainly liable for those expenses.
If the city fails to seek reimbursement for those expenses, then the citizens of Kennett need to initiate a class action lawsuit themselves against Ellis, and her family.
Behavior such as this must cost a criminal in order to deter such behavior in the future, and 4 days in jail will certainly not deter such a metal case as her.
RE:::: Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
Ignorance and sub human behavior is NOT racism.
-- Posted by TooTall
RE: "Would this young woman have been so arrogant and so ill-mannered if these were blacks customers and black police?" Posted by MelMarino
I was from Memphis, have friends in Kennett and glad I don't live in either city.
I was part of a large group hired in the 70's with most from some place in TN.
I remember several from east TN that could not believe the hate and racism in Memphis. After a few years several went back to east TN. When they left, they said "now I understand". In Memphis about 1/2 the police force is black and the majority of clerks in stores are black. Mel, in Memphis the answer to your answer is YES. But the real problem is ignorance and sub human behavior. Some have no respect for clerks or police of their own race. The company I worked for lost many college educated blacks over the years. Why? They wanted out of Memphis. I remember one BF from Chicago. It did not take 6 months for her to apply for a transfer to Atlanta. In the 80's, I lived in a mixed neighborhood and the black families were moving out to avoid the black trash moving in. My next door neighbors were a Christian family with two children. They began to fear for the safety of their young daughters.
When a city looses control over the "trash", what you just saw in Kennett happens on a daily basis. And, "trash" comes in all colors. Part of the problem here is that no white, yellow, red or foreign groups of people have anyone to show up and march for them and get them on the national news. I guess if the suspect had been white and the police were black, the KKK might show up and march, but I doubt it.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think blacks only make up about 14% of the population in the US. Why do they have such power and the other races in the U.S, seem to have none? There are a lot of Mexicans in Memphis and the Mid-south, but would a group have marched for them?.
need to back home you have made a fool out of yourself.plus if it had been someone else they would have gotten a lot more time out of it, but heather has many web sites that she has gotten money from,so she will beable to pay for ever thing....
for Too Tall:
The racism is in how the store and police related to this idiotic behavior. Her color should not have been an issue.
I also think you are using the wrong part of the definition of Racism to make your point. There is nothing in this case about superior or inferior. And if you want to use the term sub-human... consider this: the people that enslaved and hung blacks and murdered Indians and stole their land make the rules that you live by. So tell me who has demonstrated sub-human behavior?
RE: " And if you want to use the term sub-human... consider this: the people that enslaved and hung blacks and murdered Indians and stole their land make the rules that you live by. "
I disagree with the enslaved part. Maybe they changed the history books since the 50's, but back then, the books said that black slave traders in Africa rounded up the future slaves and loaded them on ships which took them to America. Then white people auctioned them off as slaves. I wonder how many of these trouble makers and welfare deadbeats would accept a free one way ticket back to Africa if they were offered one?
If anyone does like the way they are treated in Kennett or memphis, they are free to move. They are also free to leave the U.S.A., if they don't like it here. Today this country is about freedom. Everyone has the freedom to LEAVE. That is a freedom some countries do not allow.
You need to read the transcript (or articles with all of the court proceedings). This lawsuit went on until the lady in line and the clerk admitted what they had done. It is now officially on the record. The lady in line and the clerk perpetrated the crime(s) and kept on, and kept on, and kept on.
The clerk should lose her job immediately, and if possible Ellis should sue the lady in line for assault, the clerk, and Walmart. Have you ever heard of something like this going all over the United States? No, because most civilized clerks play their game a bit, then check the person out so they can leave the store. But this clerk decided she wasn't going to check her out, and would cause as much harm as possible. A very, very, very, mean spirited lady in the line and Walmart clerk. But their true colors came through and showed we have all been duped. The lady in the line and the clerk perpetrated all the actions, causing Ellis's actions. Not to mention all the libel and slander directed at Ellis since she was the one on trial. BUT WE WEREN'T GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION conveniently, that is why Ellis had to hold out so the lady and the clerk would be put on the spot in court and be compelled to tell the truth and get it on record. They are the POS, not Ellis. I'm white, and I too believed Ellis was in the wrong until I read the transcript and saw how much we had been deceived.
When she finally took the plea bargain they shouldve gave her a year for each plus 5 yrs probation,court cost and all..She was wrong in everything..If we were to hit or kick a police officer we would be in jail for the maximum sentence.I dont think what she got was justice at all,she deserved a lot more time..I hope her dad is happy now.
You all must have a really weak police department if one single black woman can beat up 4 or 5 officers. One got kicked and one got a busted mouth? So you say. Had she done that, the plea deal would have included that VERY serious charge, but it didn't because it's a lie.
I'm from the Show Me state and have always been a proud Missourian but what you shown is that your ignorance in Kennett is beyond measure. How in the world would getting angry and allegedly cutting a line in WalMart warrant 15 years in prison? You all are racist and sad and believe that you are above other races and are always right. However, you are wrong. Sometimes things happen to bring attention to what you want covered. No longer will you be able to hide behind your smug smiles, sheets, overalls and badges. The world is watching you Kennett, so is the Justice Department. What will we continue to see?
You live in a dying town. Instead of focusing on how to bring businesses to your town you focused on something as simple as an incident in WalMart. Who is probably one of your largest employers. How sad.
Grow beyond WalMart and your fields...the world is bigger than Kennett. And it's a diverse world. Get used to it.
Darcy, I said the same thing in a letter to Wal-Mart. Their staff escalated this matter. I'm wondering if the proud citizens of Kennett have read the entire transcript or are they going to continue to insist this case was all the fault of one woman?
It was TWO officers, and her little tiraid was cought on 6 different vidio cameras, I didn't see one sheet.... On top of your comment, and some of the others! Their are a lot of very pathetic people around here...
Stormey
You all must have a really weak police department if one single black woman can beat up 4 or 5 officers. One got kicked and one got a busted mouth? So you say. Had she done that, the plea deal would have included that VERY serious charge, but it didn't because it's a lie.
I'm from the Show Me state and have always been a proud Missourian but what you shown is that your ignorance in Kennett is beyond measure. How in the world would getting angry and allegedly cutting a line in WalMart warrant 15 years in prison? You all are racist and sad and believe that you are above other races and are always right. However, you are wrong. Sometimes things happen to bring attention to what you want covered. No longer will you be able to hide behind your smug smiles, sheets, overalls and badges. The world is watching you Kennett, so is the Justice Department. What will we continue to see?
You live in a dying town. Instead of focusing on how to bring businesses to your town you focused on something as simple as an incident in WalMart. Who is probably one of your largest employers. How sad.
Grow beyond WalMart and your fields...the world is bigger than Kennett. And it's a diverse world. Get used to it.
-- Posted by MasonGirl on Sat, Nov 21, 2009, at 3:39 PM
Darcy and others, how dare you find fault with the Walmart clerk who stood up to this idiot. The clerk had guts enough to stand up for what is right and that is more than a lot of people would have done. She should be commended for her performance.
Using patriotism to shield racism is an old KKK mantra! The south will never rise again!
First,she was going to get 15 years for assaulting a police officer, not cutting in line at wal-mart. Second, this is the second time something like this has happened.[Duke lacross case]. I think american is getting tired of black women doing these things. Most black women in the town i lived in, they all want money.
Kennett has nothing to be ashamed of and everything to believe in. What everyone involved in this fiasco did what was RIGHT. This country and the hard working, common people, who try to do the right thing, need to stand up and stop the onslaught of obnoxious, rude, threatening blacks just like the spoiled, so-called "educated" one here. Anyone who can't pronounce "asked" on national radio and TV, and repeatedly says "aksed" is not educated. I can tell you that if she had done what she did in that Walmart line to my wife, her story could have been told from her hospital room. I have made myself a promise to not turn a blind eye or ear to this kind of nonsense. One example is the increasingly rudeness of black boys who have no respect for children or women in public places and use vulgarity and profanity in front of them. It is addressed if it is around my family. Anyone who condones the behavior of Heather Ellis or similar actions, is just as guilty or ignorant as she is.