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By Steve Good
Four Bismarck teens charged with criminal mischief, one a 17-year-old juvenile, were arraigned in circuit court at Malvern on Wednesday.
Tyler Whitley Hansford, 18, Jonathan Loyd Pittman, 19, Alex Jeffery Hayes, 18, and a male juvenile appeared before Seventh Judicial District Circuit Judge Phillip Shirron. Charges against the teens arose from alleged acts of vandalism in which the four, acting together and in concert, damaged property in the Bismarck area on Nov. 26, 2007, according to an information filed by Seventh Judicial District Chief Deputy Prosecutor Richard Garrett. Hayes is charged with one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief. Hansford is charged with two counts of felony first degree criminal mischief. Pittman is charged with three counts of felony first degree criminal mischief. The juvenile is charged with two counts of felony first degree criminal mischief. Property damaged in the alleged vandalism spree includes a cow, signs, mailboxes, Bismarck School and a Bismarck district school bus. Shirron appointed Malvern attorney Phyllis Lemons to represent Hayes and entered an initial plea of “not guilty” for him in the absence of Lemons. Shirron ordered Hayes to return to court Aug. 27. Shirron appointed Malvern attorney Gregory Crain to represent Hansford and the juvenile defendant. He entered initial pleas of “not guilty” for both teens in the absence of Crain and ordered them to appear again Aug. 27. Shirron said he saw no conflict with Crain representing both men. Pittman’s request for a court-appointed public defender was denied by Shirron, who ruled that Pittman had sufficient assets to hire an attorney to represent him. Shirron ordered Pittman to appear again Aug. 27 with an attorney of his choice.
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