WARNER ROBINS — A Warner Robins man was sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole in connection with an attack on the then-estranged wife of a friend, a Houston County prosecutor said.
Superior Court Judge Edward D. Lukemire sentenced Marion Nikell Jackson, 20, immediately after he entered a guilty plea to kidnapping in the March 2008 incident, Houston County Chief Assistant District Attorney Jason Ashford said. Jackson was also sentenced to a 10-year probationary term after he finishes his prison time, Ashford said.
Jackson participated in the kidnapping of Jakaria Fields, who was the estranged wife of his friend, Jabari Fields, at the time of the crime, Ashford said. Jakaria and Jabari Fields have since divorced, Ashford said.
Jackson and Jabari Fields abducted Jakaria Fields, put her in handcuffs, forced her into the trunk of a car and forced her to withdraw money from an ATM, Ashford said. She was able to escape, Ashford said.
Jabari Fields pleaded guilty to kidnapping in 2008 and was also sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole, Ashford said.
A third person, Travis Chatfield, who participated in forcing the victim to withdraw money from the ATM, pleaded guilty in 2009 to aggravated assault and was sentenced to nine years in prison, Ashford said.
The reason Jackson’s case came to trial much later was that he previously had been declared incompetent to stand trial and has spent the last two years in Central State Hospital, Ashford said. Jackson was found competent to stand trial a few weeks ago and the case then moved forward, Ashford said.
“With his plea, Mr. Jackson admitted responsibility to a horrible crime that terrorized the victim,” Ashford said in news release. “Even though his criminal record was clean previously, this crime was just too serious to allow anything but a serious no-parole sentence, and we’re pleased the judge agreed.”
Ashford also praised Warner Robins police for its investigation of the case.
Ashford added in the release, “We hope Mr. Jackson spends the next decade of his life thinking about the choices he made that fateful day and that others will learn from his example that Houston County will not tolerate domestic violence.”
Clarence Williams III, a Warner Robins attorney who represented Jackson, said, “As far as we’re concerned, he did have some mental health issues I was concerned about.
“He was evaluated by Central State and found to be competent. He understood what he did was wrong and accepted the plea under the terms because he wanted to accept responsibility and close the case out and put this behind him and have some sort of normal life once he’s released,” Williams said.
Williams noted that Jackson grew up under a lot of hardship.
“He feels bad about what’s happened,” Williams said of Jackson. “He feels like he kind of got caught up ... with something he regrets.”
To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559.
E-Mail
Print
Reprint|license
