Bell Found Guilty Of 2006 Assault Of Girlfriend's Baby Who Was Left Brain Damaged:

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Jamie Paul Bell (mug shot PCSO)

A man from Mountain Grove who was charged with assaulting his girlfriend's two year-old son in January of 2006 has been found guilty of first-degree assault with deadly force.

Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson says when Jamie Paul Bell, 34, shook Quentin Ferarra
 it caused severe brain damage that has left him in a persistent vegetative state.  Bell told authorities the little boy, who had bruises that covered his entire body, fell from a chair and bumped his head on a table.

The jury has recommended a life sentence, which is 30 years in the state of Missouri, for Bell who is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2012.

The case was moved from Texas County to Phelps County on a change of venue.

Texas County Prosecutor Ordered To Pay $1 Million To Court Clerk In Malicious Prosecution Lawsuit:

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A Texas County court clerk has been awarded $1 Million dollars from a sitting county prosecutor who accused her of being involved in running a swinger sex ring out of the county courthouse.

A civil jury in Webster County, where the case was moved on a change of venue, awarded Mildred "Millie" S. Williams $500,000 in actual damages and $500,000 in punitive damages in her case against Texas County prosecutor Michael "Mike" Anderson.

Williams brought the lawsuit against Anderson after he began a smear campaign to defame her after she allegedly witnessed him sexually harassing an employee of his office.  She claims Anderson attempted to keep her from testifying against him by intimidation or coercion.

Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson

Anderson filed a lawsuit in 2006 against Williams and Monica Daniel-Hutchison claiming the women used their positions to do favors for friends, were involved in running a swingers sex ring out of the Texas County court house and were involved in a conspiracy to deprive him of serving in public office.  Anderson dropped the lawsuit about six weeks later, but not before he had alerted local media outlets to the pending litigation via press, and settled out of court with Hutchison for an undisclosed amount of money.

Williams attorney, David Steelman, says, "It was important to her [Williams] to clear her name in connection to running a sex ring out of the courthouse.  Now that this very, very difficult situation has been resolved it is Ms. Williams hope that they can all put this behind them and work in a positive direction."

Texas County Presiding Commissioner Fred Stenger says the county was removed as part of the lawsuit several months ago and is not liable in any way for the monetary judgment. 

It would take action from the attorney general or the governor to remove Anderson from office since he is an elected official.  He is up for re-election in 2014.  "I don't see the AG or the Governor interceding at all.  This was a personal lawsuit. Mr. Anderson serves his constituents in Texas County very well," said Warren Harris who represented Anderson in the case. 

Harris has thirty days to decide whether he will file an appeal in the case, "There was no evidence presented at trial that anyone thought less of Ms. Williams as a result of the lawsuit being filed.  Obviously the monetary judgment is higher than we thought it would be," Harris said. "We'll have to consider our options on appeal and see what's available. While I think the judge did a fine job in the case I do think there's potential of some error in the case."

Bagley Pleads Guilty To Son's Drowning Deaths, Sentenced To 90 Days:

Jennifer Bagley

A mother charged in Texas County with two counts of involuntary manslaughter has pleaded guilty for her son's drowning deaths last August.

Texas County Prosecutor Mike Anderson brought those charges against Jennifer Bagley last March after a coroner's jury found Jennifer Bagley was negligent in the deaths of Jesse James and Wyatt Earp Bagley.

Jesse James (l.) and Wyatt Earp Bagley

Bagley told investigators she was making a beaded key chain in the kitchen while her children played outside. In testimony presented at the coroner's jury, Bagley told investigators that her 3 year-old daughter, Belle Starr, came into the house soaking wet and told the grown ups (Jennifer Bagley and the children's grandparents) that her brothers were in the Big Piney river that runs directly behind the family's former home.

Anderson says Bagley didn't begin searching for the boys for at least 20 minutes and waited at least an hour before calling 9-1-1.

After the deaths of her brothers, Belle Starr was placed in protective custody and is living with a foster family. The family had been reported to DSS for things ranging from unsanitary living conditions, the children being unsupervised and malnourished.

Jennifer Bagley was sentenced to eight years in prison, however, the sentence was suspended and she was ordered to serve 90 days shock time. She must also serve five years supervised probation, perform 200 hours community service and pay a $300 fine.

Judge Mary Sheffield said to Bagley, "There's not much left to be said. You're suffering the greatest penalty any woman can have."

UPDATED~~DEVELOPING~~Vance Charged With First-Degree Murder In Texas County:

Mistie Vance mug shot

A woman from Mountain View has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the shotgun slaying of a man near Clear Springs last night (04-29-10.)

Texas County Sheriff Carl Watson says it appears an alleged dispute over drugs led to the death of 56 year-old Monty Dale Beltz. The Sheriff says that the preliminary investigation shows that when Beltz arrived home around 6:30 p.m. two people were hiding in a building on his property and ambushed him.

In the probable cause statement, James Skelton, 22, told investigators that he and Mistie Dawn Vance, 32, walked to Beltz's house to retrieve her belongings and steal prescription medication from Beltz. Before leaving the shed where the two were hiding, Skelton says he saw Vance put two shotgun shells in her pocket.

Sheriff Carl Watson

Skelton says as Vance was attempting to pry open the front door of Bltz's home, he opened the door and the two went inside and argued for about an hour. When Vance exited the trailer she was allegedly holding a 12 guage shotgun. Skelton says that Beltz followed Vance outside and ordered him off of his property...and Vance walking backward with the gun in her hands telling Beltz "to not make her do it." He say he then witnessed Vance shoot Beltz in the abdomen.

Vance then backed up Beltz's truck to where he lay got out reloaded the gun and was going to shoot Beltz again before Beltz's brother disarmed her and called 9-1-1. Beltz was airlifted to a Springfield hospital where he died from his wounds several hours later.

Early reports indicated that a woman with long blonde hair fled into the woods surrounding the crime scene after the shooting and was apprehended in a farmhouse not far from the scene of the shooting.

Watson says at the time that a 22 year-old man turned himself into authorities in Mountain View.

Vance, pleaded guilty in 2005 to resisting arrest and in 2006 she pled out to a charge of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. She received probation on each conviction.

Mistie Vance is considered a flight risk and is being held in the Texas County jail on 2 Million dollars bond.

The Howell County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are assisting in the investigation.