Cheatham County docket: murder arraignment, multiple pleas, probation revocations and a $25,000 bond set

Ashland City, Tenn. — At the Cheatham County criminal docket on March term, the court arraigned one defendant on a second‑degree murder indictment, appointed counsel, accepted several guilty or no‑contest pleas and probation agreements, revoked probation in multiple cases and ordered a conditional forfeiture and new bond for a defendant who failed to appear.

The most serious case called was the arraignment of Christopher B. Stokes on a second‑degree murder indictment arising from an alleged December 2023 death. The court read the grand‑jury presentment and appointed counsel for Stokes. The judge set a status date for April 15 and instructed counsel to confer with the defendant. “He’s now been arraigned, so we need to set status,” the presiding judge said as the court scheduled the next appearance.

Beyond the murder arraignment, the court resolved a string of pleas and probation matters. Angel Elizabeth Gowen pleaded no contest to an amended charge of reckless homicide; the court sentenced her to six years in the Tennessee Department of Correction, suspended after one year in the county jail and placed her on supervised probation with no contact ordered with the victim’s family. The court noted that the defendant would receive credit for time served.

Andrew Austin Walker pleaded guilty to a probation violation under an agreement with the state. The court revoked the prior status but—by agreement—reinstated Walker to probation on time served and extended his probationary term by two years. “By agreement with the state, you will be reinstated to probation on time served and extended on your probation for an additional 2 year period,” the judge said during the proceeding.

David Shane Johnson entered a no‑contest plea to simple possession. The court sentenced him to 11 months and 29 days in the county jail, suspended to probation, to run consecutively to the sentence related to his probation‑violation matter. The state summarized the evidence that would have been offered at trial before the court accepted the plea.

Other dispositions included: - Jordan Alexander McCroskey: pleaded guilty to a probation violation and, by agreement, was revoked and then reinstated and transferred into community corrections for the remainder of his sentence. - James Clay Standifer: pleaded guilty to a probation violation, was revoked to serve seven months, and will be reinstated to probation upon release; the court ordered completion of the Men of Valor treatment program as a probation condition. - Gary W. Henson: entered no‑contest pleas to multiple counts (aggravated assault and theft); the court imposed five‑year sentences on the counts, suspended to state probation, reserved $8,000 restitution for later determination and forfeited seized weapons.

The court also addressed failures to appear and bond matters. The docket officer told the court that Terrence Junior Biggs failed to appear after accepting a settlement; the court ordered conditional forfeiture of bond and issued a capias. The court recorded an initial forfeiture of $17,000 and set a new bond at $25,000 to be effective upon the forfeiture procedure.

Defense counsel substitutions and conflicts were resolved on several files. The public defender’s office filed a motion to withdraw in at least one matter because of a reported conflict; the court appointed replacement counsel and reset dates for status and trial readiness. For example, in one case the court appointed Scott Saul and set a status day for May 13, with a trial preparation date in September.

The docket included numerous scheduling orders: many cases were set for status hearings on April 15 or later dates (May 13, May 27, July dates), and several defendants were advised to contact appointed counsel and the probation department as part of post‑plea supervision instructions.

Throughout the call the court reiterated procedural protections—rights to counsel, rights to a jury trial, and the factual‑basis requirement for accepting pleas—and repeatedly told defendants to coordinate with probation or appointed counsel. Defendants who spoke included Joshua D. Porter, who testified during a violation hearing that he had struggled with methamphetamine use and said, “I’ve lost my family and everything because of it, and I really do need help.”

The docket concluded after the court disposed of the listed matters and set follow‑up dates for unresolved scheduling and restitution questions.