Ridgeland Municipal Court Judge Bob Camp set bond at $200,000 for Northpark shooter Za'lill Patterson at her initial appearance today.
Slight of build, the 16 year-old defendant slowly walked into the courtroom on crutches, clad in an red jumpsuit. She somberly stood before Judge Camp as he read out the charges of aggravated assault, misdemeanor shoplifting, and possession of a stolen firearm. The jurist advised her to to not say anything since she was unaccompanied by counsel. He entered a plea of not guilty for the defendant.
Prosecutor Boty McDonald alleged Patterson tried to rob a popcorn stand on the second floor of Northpark near Dillards (women's section). She fired at the owner of the stand who returned fire, striking her in the leg.
Police recovered the gun and found it to be stolen. McDonald said the investigation was still active and there were more videos to review.
McDonald requested a $200,000 bond for Patterson. Judge Camp said it was "a fairly large bond." McDonald said it was and asked him to expedite her preliminary hearing to September 27. He said that would give her time to have counsel. The Court granted the request and set bond at $200,000. She will be placed under electronic supervision if she posts bond.
The young woman stood on her crutches through it all. Her parents nor any other family members were in the courtroom.
30 comments:
1. Glad the owner had a gun for self defense
2. Sadly says a lot that no family was there in court. Probably part of the problem
Guessing she purchased at gun show?
No parents in court. Maybe some kind parental figure will adopt her in prison. Sadly, I see a wasted life tragedy in full develpment here.
camp is very liberal. surprised there was any bond
Prison won’t do anything. Put her butt in the military where she can have adult supervision/mentor and learn a trade.
1:27 I think you nailed it.
I bet her eyes got as big as a pizza pan when the popcorn man pulled his gun!
I would assume no family because they were mad at her for getting caught.
@3:00 PM - Yep, as she didn't bring home some free stuff.
3:00 & 3:27 pm:
My immediate thought to explain absence of any family was who's responsible for the stolen gun; maybe from brother, father, Mama's bf? Doubtful she stole it.
I was a little surprised the parents were not there.
There is the matter of the stolen gun. Wonder where she got it from and if that had anything to do with absent parent or parents.
Really sad no family at all there for her. That has to be a big part of this. This is really a no win for anyone, but lucky the person that was shot at had a gun to fight back.
Send the parents to prison for negligence.
Please elaborate on why it is doubtful that she stole the gun. The firearm dealers at the gun show would never sell to her.
I have seen two videos of the Northpark Mall shooting. One showed a young man trying on shoes when 13 gunshots in quick succession could be heard from somewhere off-screen. The 2nd video is from inside a store looking out into the common area showing an adult male in a white T-shirt moving forward with his arm extended in front and gun in hand. I heard 5 gunshots in quick succession. The male then turns and runs back in the other direction.
Questions to be answered:
1. How many shots were fired? 18? More than 18?
2. Who fired all those shots?
3. How many did the suspect fire, at whom and when?
4. How many did the store owner fire, at whom and when?
Probably some other questions that need to be answered.
Parents. LOL
let this girl choose between spending now until 18 in juvie, then on to the army..or be tried as an adult
parents or guardian? probably where the gun came from, and round them up and charge them with accessory. and don't give them the option to clean up.
I'm sure the rightful owner of the gun has been contacted and its prompt return has been arranged?
4:32pm
"Doubtful she stole the gun" because 16 yo girls in her circumstance still haven't advanced to sufficient brazenness for breaking into cars, homes and pawn shops. If she were that advanced in her criminal career, she wouldn't steal popcorn, she'd buy it. So she likely "borrowed" the gun, with or without permission, from a male at home or her boyfriend.
@ "Questions to be answered:
1. How many shots were fired? 18? More than 18?
2. Who fired all those shots?
3. How many did the suspect fire, at whom and when?
4. How many did the store owner fire, at whom and when?"
Why does anyone need to know that? Probably not necessary for a successful prosecution of the robber or for a successful defense of the victim, assuming the victim didn't hit anyone else.
@ 6:21 - "16 yo girls in her circumstance still haven't advanced to sufficient brazenness for breaking into cars, homes and pawn shops."
You just keep telling yourself that.
All concerned family members probably have outstanding warrants/fines. This young lady is in for a rude awakening! Or maybe this was a cry for help!
This whole situation is sad! Mama these kids didn’t ask to be here, you had them, you raise them to be hardworking crime free citizens. Is this too hard to ask of you, mama/daddy!
Dang, what happened to the dream! Nothing comes easy!
@ 1:55 I think you have the wrong Camp. As a lawyer, I know Judge Camp is one of the best judges I appear in front of. With the bond guidelines on an aggravated assault charge his parameters are limited.
Yeah, the whole thing is a tragedy for all involved.
A guy tying to make an honest living by selling popcorn.
Innocent people spending a lazy afternoon shopping/strolling through a mall.
And then a 16 year old kid - willing to shoot another human over a damn bag of popcorn - pulls out a handgun. I'm so glad the popcorn guy surprised her.
And yes, the fact this kid had no relatives appear in Court with her is also heartbreaking ... but I can't shed too many tears.
She's a victim of her own culture.
Nothing will change until the majority of the "Black Community" make an active stand against their so-called leaders.
Sadly, I can't see any positive changes for kids like her in the near future.
8:34 this young lady can’t be that stupid. Something is wrong with this picture. But I do agree 100%. 8:06 over and out 10/7.
Military does not take those stupid and uneducated, those days are long gone. She would put others at risk. I am confident she has a sad interesting story to share. Willing to kill over popcorn? I agree prison will not change her for the better.
There’s more to this story than what we’re being told. Don’t think for a second someone just walked into a mall to hold up a popcorn stand and it led to a shootout. May never know but “popcorn” is a distraction.
Also worth mentioning here…..Foot traffic will drop dramatically at NorthPark. May be a death blow to the whole area.
This is going to cost NorthPark a hell of a lot more than 200K in lost business. Once places like that start down I've never seen one brought back.
@ 8:25, correct. Never thought I would hear Judge Camp be called liberal-lol-Camp is a good man, good attorney and great judge.
8:02 "There’s more to this story than what we’re being told. Don’t think for a second someone just walked into a mall to hold up a popcorn stand and it led to a shootout. May never know but “popcorn” is a distraction."
No. Don't let your conspiracy theories get away with you. The child was carrying a gun and she planned to use it as needed. We don't know what other "shopping" she'd already gotten away with or what more she had planned. Popcorn was just going to be her snack along her way.
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