Mary Watkins won the Battle of the Fishhook at Culley Lake in Natchez Trace Village. Madison County Court Judge Ed Hannan ruled yesterday that Watkins is not guilty of simple assault by threat. A Madison Municipal Court convicted 80 year-old Mary Watkins of the charge after she repeatedly cast a fish hook in the direction of an 11 year-old boy who was jet skiing on the lake at Natchez Trace Village in Madison.
Madison Municipal Court Judge Richard Mitchell fined Mary Watkins $500 on July 19, 2018 and ordered her to pay $143 in court costs as well. Judge Mitchell ruled she was not guilty on two counts of disturbing the peace. Watkins appealed the conviction.
To say there is a neighborhood disagreement in the Natchez Trace Village is an understatement. Watkins is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Natchez Trace Village Homeowner's Association. The Watkins-controlled HOA has been trying to ban jet skis and other watercraft from Culley Lake. The Culley family owns the lake. A Madison County Chancellor ruled last year that the HOA had no right to regulate the lake. and the Culleys could use their lake as they saw fit.
The HOA appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court but the Court recently denied the appeal. Another homeowner sued the HOA to obtain financial records after the Board refused to provide them upon request. Several misdemeanor charges of disturbing the peace have been filed against Watkins but they were dismissed. Needless to say, a neighborhood civil war has broken out in Natchez Trace Village in Madison.
A trial was held on February 25 for Watkins. Judge Hannan cited various testimony at length in his opinion. However, he simply said the state did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Watkins was threatening the child. Case dismissed. Earlier post with video of trial.
26 comments:
Well, she is on the board no more. POA meeting is happening right now. Just cast votes for new board and her name is not on the ballot.
Y'all did see the terms of her "golden parachute?"
For clarity...the reason Mary Watkins was not on this most recent ballot for the HOA's Board is that she, just two weeks ago, submitted her written resignation from the HOA's Board on her own volition.
Not siding with her one way or the other...simply stating a fact.
"Golden Parachute"? What the hell. Who on this planet has ever heard of severance for a damned HOA board member?
And to have reversed this conviction is pure nonsense. There is no doubt in anybody's mind that she was taunting the youth by casting the hooked-line in his immediate direction. To claim and believe otherwise is pure bullshit.
The judge obviously felt sorry for the old bag, which is certainly not what we expect of our elected officials.
Looks like Madison County Judges give out “blessings” too.
@4:02AM...and there is no doubt in "anybody's" minds that the yewts on the jet skis were taunting the "old bag" as well.
657-absolutely!
This is nothing more than a bunch of rich people who thing they can do what ever they want. Natchez Trace Village is a dump. Board of Supervisors need to come in turn it into a garbage dump and turn Culley Lake into a sewage lagoon.
NATCHEZ TRACE VILLAGE Thank goodness for justice. I wouldn't take an 80 year old lady with a fishing rod as a threat. The Strive and Revitalize folks can't get it straight. One newly elected board member resigned after being elected last night, this morning! Without all of the drama, just follow the money. 1) $150K in PMO 's hands for silting in lake: 2)Culley land for sale on St. Augustine Drive has covenants attached, already platted out as a part of the village. Their aim is to dissolve any POA entirely, so their land can sell as undeveloped single family tract without any strings, such as covenants. And that is the bottom line.
7:45 - Even though the children were within their rights to use the water on their jet ski, there is no law against children taunting an old bag, even if your theory were true. However, it is a violation of law to cast a baited fishhook, a dangerous weapon when air-born, AT someone in a threatening manner - thus the original court finding.
She got a 'blessing' and hopefully will ride off into the sunset. Maybe they will hire her as a guard at the neighborhood entrance. Is there a guard shack?
12:21PM.. it probably is against the law for yewts to try and run over a 80 year old lady with a jet ski as well. Me you ask? I would rather take my chances with a 80 year old woman and her Zebco than pissed off yewts on a jet ski!
Not yet, may be before long.
She could play the part of the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz II.
WHO CARES most likely can't afford to purchase a house in Natchez Trace Village. Envy has apparently taken over. It's not an option for many, and that is a good thing...
Why did it take 4 months for Judge Hannan to rule? As long as we are throwing out wild conspiracy theories (@11:48), wonder if someone got a campaign donation?
The Supreme Court kicked it back to lower courts and they had to reexamine. Check with a realtor about this "conspiracy theory" . It's not a theory, it's stating
the obvious that no one is aware of. When the residents living on Kiowa Drive
hear the bull dozers behind their homes, they will believe then. The 29+- on St Augustine is where this whole disagreement started, and where it will end. Check
my statements before labeling it a conpiracy. Covenants are attached to the Culley land behind Kiowa Drive, fact.
1:14, I guess those yewts have special type jet skis that would allow them to become airborne and attack the old lady as she stood on her pier. If they had normal jet skis, that only operate on water, they wouldn't be of any kind of threat to her.
Have you got any idea where one could get one of these special type jet ski? I haven't been able to find one with my Google search, but certainly would like to know of a source.
Thanks for your help - I'm sure you have an answer to this simple inquiry.
I drove the school bus route for Natchez Trace Village. The kids are over dramatic and the parents are nothing more then a bunch of cackling hens. The neighborhood isn't anything special Looks like a northeast Jackson neighborhood.
Dramatic kids on a school bus...Oh My!
Thanks, Micah her for your honesty. Hopefully "drove" means you are no longer driving any school bus presently. Bus drivers shouldn't judge people, especially children.
//sarcasm mode on//
I guess bus drivers are the "little people" and shouldn't have an opinion, kind of like the NTV housekeepers and butlers.
//sarcasm mode off//
Bus drivers are like dog catchers. They aren't paid to have opinions.
I'm still trying to figure out what 'over-dramatic children' are.
@ 3:20, yes the Culley land behind Kiowa Drive is for sale. It has been for some time. There are NO covenants attached this wooded, undeveloped land. Getting rid of the HOA does not affects this land in ANY way. You have been mislead on your facts. If you have actual proof, give it up. If not, stop with the conspiracy theory.
Then I am correct in saying the whole 29 plus acres are not covered by the Natchez Village covenants - No part of that acreage - Very interesting - No part of the 29 plus parcel is covered by covenants.
Are you checking youself? What's interesting is what running the title procurs.
Plain as day, and as you say, very interesting.
You people in NTV are too scared of an old fart lady.
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