Former Charleston High School teacher and basketball coach Willie Bell III, 27, of 717 Boothe St., Batesville, faces an Oct. 8 trial date on a charge of sexual assault for allegedly having sex with a minor female student while he was employed at the school.
During a May 17 pretrial hearing, Bell formally waived his arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty.
Circuit Judge Smith Murphey V then set the trial date for Tallahatchie County Circuit Court’s First Judicial District at Charleston.
According to a court document, a minor female student at CHS charged that on or about Nov. 28, 2017, Bell “engaged in sexual intercourse” with her.
At the time, Bell was in his second year of employment as the Algebra I teacher and head coach of the boys’ varsity basketball team at CHS. He subsequently resigned both positions effective Jan. 10.
The charges against Bell were investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office. A warrant for Bell’s arrest was issued Feb. 15.
In other court news:
• Mountanaous L. “Monty” Dogan, 26, of 73 Marshall Road, Apt. 23, Charleston, was indicted April 26 for aggravated assault in a July 14, 2017, case involving his alleged assault of Charleston Ward 1 City Commissioner Gyrone Kenniel.
According to court documents, Dogan is charged with “striking Gyrone Kenniel with his fist and causing facial fractures” during the incident that occurred at the then 63-year-old Kenniel’s residence on Depot Street.
• Kendrick Scott, 34, of 106 Chestnut St., Charleston, has been indicted on a charge of storm arm robbery in an Aug. 3, 2016, case.
• Calvin B. Walls, 48, address unavailable, faces an Oct. 8 trial date in Tallahatchie County Circuit Court.
During a May 21 pretrial hearing, Murphey ordered the trial for Walls on a charge of assault of an adult over the age of 65. Court records show that Walls allegedly threw an elderly female “to the ground” during a July 26, 2017, incident.
