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252nd District Court clears multiple pleas, defers sentences and orders probation during docket call
Summary
At a June 16 hearing in the 252nd District Court, the judge accepted guilty pleas, imposed probation and fines in several cases, reset others for sentencing or trial, and ordered treatment or reporting conditions for multiple defendants.
The 252nd District Court conducted a broad docket call on June 16 that produced a mix of guilty pleas, deferred sentences, bond adjustments and resets.
Judge Mayra Brooke accepted a guilty plea from Edward Godfrey to assault-family violence by impeding breath or circulation and, following the parties’ agreement, deferred proceedings and placed him on six years’ probation. "You're ordered to pay the $500 fine and to follow all of the rules and conditions of probation," the judge said, adding that Godfrey must begin a GED process or return to school within 30 days and have no contact with Ramsey Howard.
The judge also followed plea agreements in other cases. Jason Weinberg — whose earlier plea to engaging in organized criminal activity was confirmed — was deferred to five years’ probation with a $1,000 fine. "You'll be placed on probation for 5 years. You're ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to follow all of the rules and conditions of probation," Judge Brooke told Weinberg.
In multiple matters the court reset cases so the probation department could prepare presentence reports. Marvin Lee Watts entered guilty pleas in two aggravated-robbery matters with a negotiated cap of up to 17 years; Judge Brooke found him competent and reset the matters for sentencing to allow completion of a pretrial report. The judge repeatedly advised defendants that waiving appeal rights is part of following plea agreements and warned that violating probation could result in harsher penalties, including imprisonment.
Some defendants rejected offers and elected to proceed to trial. For example, Dalton Batiste rejected plea offers in several manslaughter cases and the court set those matters on the trial docket.
Several probation-revocation matters were resolved or deferred. Chashanda Riley pleaded true to revocation allegations and related theft cases; the judge found the counts true and sentenced Riley to concurrent 15-month terms in state jail. In other revocation cases the court declined immediate revocation while ordering additional treatment or updated reports and setting personal bonds to permit release pending further proceedings.
Routine procedural matters — waivers of indictment reading, admonishments about immigration consequences and instructions to appear for probation intake — punctuated the docket. In several plea colloquies the court reminded defendants of collateral consequences, including ineligibility to possess firearms following conviction.
The court scheduled return appearances where needed: sentencing hearings after presentence reports, a bond-reduction hearing in a separate high-profile case, and trial-setting dates for defendants who rejected plea offers. The proceedings were chiefly administrative in nature but resolved or advanced many individual cases on the court’s calendar.
