Court briefs 1/6/06

Cape Girardeau woman enters guilty plea

A Cape Girardeau woman pleaded guilty on Thursday to lesser charges for scratching the face of one police officer and attempting to bite another. Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp sentenced Marsha V. Hinson, 41, of 45 S. West End Blvd., Apt. 105, to 30 days in the Cape Girardeau County jail, with three days credited for time already served. Original charges were felony possession of a controlled substance, two felony assaults, felony resisting arrest and misdemeanor domestic assault. Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor Morley Swingle reduced the two assaults and resisting arrest to misdemeanors and dismissed the possession and domestic assault charges. Hinson was arrested on Dec. 11 when officers responded to a domestic dispute. According to officer accounts, Hinson became agitated and uncooperative as the officers began to leave.

Suspect in attack on two enters not guilty plea

James W. Leach, 23, of Clubb, Mo., pleaded not guilty on Thursday to slitting the throats of a 22-year-old man and 12-year-old boy in Bollinger County. He is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond and faces up to life in prison on multiple felony counts of assault, armed criminal action and stealing a motor vehicle. Bollinger County prosecutor Stephen Gray charged Leach for allegedly injuring three people on Nov. 5 after he entered their residence during a dispute. The victims survived.