Grand Jury Round-up: Zachary Smith charged with assault, Josias Jones pleads guilty

This column is part of a weekly round-up of notable grand jury indictments and court decisions, following through on cases reported by Savannah Morning News public safety reporter Drew Favakeh. If there are cases you're curious about, email Drew at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

Marcus Malik Bryan

The Chatham County grand jury indicted Marcus Malik Bryan on Oct. 5 for carrying weapons within certain school areas, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and criminal trespass.

A Chatham County Board of Education Campus Police Officer arrested and charged Bryan on July 14.

It's not clear on what school property Bryan was arrested, but reports have been requested and are pending. Bryan, 24,  hails from Fayetteville, Georgia. The gun recovered from the scene was a Taurus 9mm pistol.

A calendar call for Bryan’s case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Nov. 28.

Grand Jury Round-Up: Sanderson indicted for murder in car crash, Wright bond hearing held

Kavon Preston Giles

On Oct. 12, Kavon Preston Giles was indicted for involuntary manslaughter and pointing a gun or pistol at another.

On July 7, Savannah Police charged Giles, 22, in connection with the accidental shooting death of 18-year-old Mercedes Contreras that took place that same day at the 100 block of Shellbark Way.

Arrest Made: Savannah Police charge 22-year-old in accidental shooting death of 18-year-old girl

Giles, a resident of Springfield, was booked into the Chatham County jail on charges of involuntary manslaughter and pointing a gun at another.

Giles’ next court case — an arraignment — is scheduled for 2 p.m., Jan. 13, 2022.

Alex Eric Duncan

On Oct. 11, Alex Eric Duncan was arraigned in Chatham County Superior Court for charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Duncan was arrested on July 2 on murder charges stemming from the shooting death of a man around the 4500 block of Meadows Avenue in the Liberty City neighborhood. Duncan was age 21 at the time.

Two guns — a 380mm pistol and a 9mm pistol — were recovered from the scene.

Original Story: 21-year-old man arrested in connection to Friday night fatal shooting

Duncan’s trial date has not been scheduled.

Corey Reynolds Kent

On Oct. 18, the bond order for Corey Reynolds Kent was denied because, according to a copy of the filing, he was considered a "significant threat to people, the community or to any property in the community" and because he was considered a "significant risk to committing any felony pending trial."

Kent was charged with malice murder, felony murder and two aggravated assault charges on May 13 in connection with the shooting death of 27-year-old Benjamin Tucker. Tucker was visiting from England when he was shot around 1:20 a.m. on April 24 at the Time Saver convenience store on West Bay Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Georgia Mae Lawrence was also charged with murder in Tucker’s death.

Savannah Police: Murder of UK national Benjamin Tucker 'not a random shooting'

Indictments: Chatham County grand jury indicts two for murder in April shooting of British tourist

In June, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Kent and Lawrence.

When he was charged with murder, the 44-year-old Garden City resident was on probation for March 2022 charges of loitering or prowling and possession of drug-related objects.

Kent has an extensive criminal history, as noted by Superior Court Judge Penny Freesemann in the summary of facts supporting the denial of bond. Kent is a "three-time convicted felon, who also had two parole violations. He further has unrelated pending charges for aggravated battery, burglary and two state court cases," Freesemann noted.

In 2011, Kent was charged with robbery. In July 2016, Kent was charged with aggravated battery. On Aug. 25, 2018, Kent was charged with simple battery, first-degree burglary and interference with government property.

On March 13, 2019, Freesemann granted Kent bond of $4,000 "as he had not been indicted within 90 days," according to a copy of the bond order.

On Nov. 14, 2020, Kent violated his probation when he was charged with criminal trespass, family violence. Two days later, on Nov.16, he was arrested. Bond for Kent was set at $1,000. He was to have no contact with the victim and obtain counseling for domestic violence, Recorder's Court Judge Harris Odell Jr. ordered in a bond hearing.

In a motion to revoke his bond, the assistant district attorney working the case, Brian DeBlasiis, said, "It is clear that this defendant poses a serious risk of reoffending that makes him a danger to the public at large."

Meanwhile, on Feb. 2, 2020, Kent was charged with theft by taking. Kent pled guilty, but the case has yet to be bound up to superior court.

On Feb. 20, 2021, Kent was charged with driving under the influence, driving with his license revoked and reckless driving.

On March 2, 2021, Kent was sentenced to 12 months in the Chatham County jail. He was also ordered to pay $150 to the victim. Again, he was to undergo domestic violence counseling and have no contact with the victim. He was also ordered to stay out of trouble with the law.

On June 14, 2021, a warrant was put out for Kent's arrest. A copy of the warrant showed that Kent failed to pay more than $300 total in court-ordered fees and restitution, failed to report to his probation officer and failed to attend a court hearing, and either failed to provide a valid address and/or left Georgia without permission from his probation officer. Kent also failed to provide proof of completion of the Family Violence Intervention Program.

On March 15, 2021, Kent was again charged with driving under the influence.

Kent is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 15.

Timothy Mario Mitchell

On Oct. 19, Timothy Mario Mitchell was indicted by the grand jury for aggravated assault, family violence and false imprisonment. He was arrested and charged by Savannah Police on July 25.

Just one month prior in May, Mitchell was adjudicated on federal charges stemming from an August 2020 arrest. Savannah Police chased Mitchell through the Fellwood Homes area when a pistol fell from the waistband of his shorts. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years' supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Prior to both arrests, Mitchell's criminal history included a charge of theft by receiving stolen property and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in Dec. 2015. In Feb. 2017, Mitchell was charged with obstruction of an officer and criminal attempt to commit a misdemeanor.

Mitchell pled guilty to both sets of charges in July 2017, and was placed on probation. On Feb. 24, 2020, Mitchell violated his probation.

A bond hearing for Mitchell is set for 9 a.m., Oct. 28.

Ronell Paul Millien

The grand jury indicted Ronald Paul Millien on Oct. 19, for malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault, in the Dec. 2020 shooting death of Ian Ferris, a South Carolina resident, around the 600 block of West 34 Lane.

In April 2015, Millien was charged with battery, family violence and aggravated assault. He has since violated his probation three times — in Sept. 2018, Dec. 2019 and Dec. 2020 — before being charged with committing the Ferris' murder.

Millien has a motion hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Nov. 10.

More: One police shooting per month in Chatham County in 2022, so far

Zachary Smith

On Oct. 19, Zachary Smith was charged by the Savannah Police with aggravated assault on a peace officer. That same day, a Chatham County grand jury indicted him for the Feb. 19 charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, theft by receiving stolen property (a firearm), and possession of firearm by convicted felon.

The Savannah Morning News is awaiting police reports for the Oct. 19 incident from the Savannah Police Department.

On Feb. 19, a Savannah Police officer shot Smith, 24, in an incident that took place on White Bluff Road. For that incident, Smith was charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and theft by receiving stolen property, a firearm.

According to a GBI press release, officers chased Smith through an apartment complex and commercial business area, ending in the parking lot of Home Source Rentals, 9133 White Bluff Road. While running, Smith pointed his weapon at the officer, and the officer fired, hitting Smith in the leg. Agents recovered a weapon from the scene, the press release confirmed.

A motion hearing is set for Smith at 9:30 .m., Nov. 15.

Josias Jones

In a plea hearing held on Oct. 20, the Chatham County Superior Court chose not to prosecute Josias Jones for malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault. Instead, Jones pled guilty to second-degree murder, a copy of the negotiated plea reveals.

Jones was sentenced for a total of 15 years with the first 10 years to be served in confinement and the remaining five years to be served on probation — a stark contrast to the total potential maximum sentence for the original charges, which was life plus 35 years in prison.

Jones, 19, has been in Chatham County Jail since Sept. 17, 2021. He will receive credit for the time he has served in jail.

On Sept. 17, Savannah Police arrested Jones for the Sept. 13, 2021 homicide of 14-year-old Qahmain Orr, then a freshman at Alfred E. Beach High School, who was shot and killed on the 500 block of Emerald Drive in the Frazier Homes complex.

Gun Violence: Savannah police make arrest in murder of 14-year-old Qahmaine Orr

Opinion: Savannah teens are settling disputes with bullets. Heed call to action on gun violence.

Young Victim: Savannah teen dies from gunshot wounds, 25th homicide this year

About one year prior to the alleged murder, Jones was charged with theft by receiving stolen property, possession of a pistol or revolver by a person under the age of 18, and carrying a weapon without a license.

Part of the evidence the prosecution collected in the case were interviews with Vincent Truesdale, 19, and Hershel Orr, 17, the state’s supplementary discovery reveals. On July 7, though, Truesdale and Orr, along with Lamartus Exley, 19, and Tony Crawford, 17, were charged in the murder of 26-year-old Gary Pitts on West Park Avenue. Truesdale, Orr and Exley were indicted in late August.

More: Savannah Police arrest three teenaged suspects in connection with July 7 homicide

Judge Martin G. Hilliard recommended Jones, as part of his sentence, undergo an anger management course.

Hilliard wrote in one court filing, “Given the age of the defendant, the court recommends vocational training as approved by [Department of Corrections].”

Drew Favakeh is the public safety reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Corey Reynolds Kent denied bond in murder of UK national Benjamin Tucker