A municipal judge believes there is probable cause to order three men charged with capital murder in Brookhaven to be bound over to the grand jury.
It will be up to the Lincoln County grand jury, which typically meets a few times each year, to decide if any or all of the trio should be indicted for the murder of Zaria A. Newton, who was shot to death July 20 during a burglary at her home on Mason Street.
During three separate preliminary hearings Tuesday in city court, Brookhaven Judge Brad Boerner also kept the bonds the same for each defendant.
At initial appearances held July 30 for the three men, he set bond for $2 million for Adrian Smith, 18, of Brookhaven, because he considered him a flight risk. Smith was arrested at the Evers International Airport by the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority July 22.
He set bond that day at $1 million each for Justin Anderson, 24, of Natchez, and Jatavious Berry, 19, of Brookhaven, because they both surrendered to police. Berry turned himself in to Brookhaven police July 21. Anderson turned himself in to deputies at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office July 22 and was brought to Brookhaven Police Department that night.
The charge remains the same for all three — capital murder for killing Newton while engaged in a felony. The men allegedly were burglarizing the house at 202 Mason Road that Newton shared with her boyfriend, Javion “J.J.” Richardson, when the couple came home and confronted the intruders. Newton was shot and died later that night at King’s Daughters Medical Center.