Around Southeast Missouri 3/30/07

Answer in murder case filed with appeals court

A recent stop order filed by the Missouri Court of Appeals-Southern District in regard to 13-year-old Bloomfield, Mo., boy charged with murder has been answered, but with some changes. On March 23, Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Briney Welborn filed a new motion for order of a pretrial psychiatric examination of Owen Welty. Welty, who was certified to stand trial as an adult in December, has been accused of the November murder of Don McCollough, 64, on his rural Bloomfield farm. Immediately following Welborn's order, Stoddard County Judge Stephen Mitchell rescinded his initial order for the examination and filed an answer to the Court of Appeals. The original stop order requested reasons for the examination when there has been no stated intent to use mental disease as a defense. Welborn said in the document that the court wants to be satisfied Welty is able to understand the charges and is capable of aiding in his defense. Welty's psychiatric examination will take place at the Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center in Farmington, Mo.

-- Dexter Daily Statesman

Fisk woman pleads guilty in car death

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Fisk, Mo., woman was placed on probation last week after pleading guilty in connection with an August crash that left her passenger dead. Jeanna K. Johnson, 23, pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree involuntary manslaughter in Butler County circuit court. The Aug. 13 accident on County Road 659 left Jennifer N. Magill, 23, of Fisk, dead. Johnson was placed on five years' supervised probation.

-- Daily American Republic, Poplar Bluff