Nearly 100 people were indicted last week during the July 2020 term of the Tipton County Grand Jury. On Monday, those indicted were arraigned in court. Following are summaries of some of the assault cases.

Ernie James Baskin II, 33, was charged in two separate indictments for assaults.

On July 10, 2020 his girlfriend, whom we are not identifying, requested assistance at a home on Simonton Street after he reportedly assaulted her. Court documents show she told police he was upset his father had been diagnosed with cancer, the house was completely trashed, and he denied physically assaulting her. He was charged with domestic assault.

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A month later, on Aug. 15, 2020, the two were reportedly involved in another altercation, this time in a vehicle. Though she had injuries, he denied injuring her. He was charged with interfering with a 911 call and domestic assault after this fight.

Then, on Dec. 8, 2020, an argument between the two ended with wrecked vehicles and assault charges against other people. One witness told police he saw them fighting, then Baskin’s girlfriend got into a blue SUV and left the scene. Baskin later wrecked into this witness’s vehicle.

Inside the blue SUV was a woman and her two preschool- and elementary-age grandchildren. Baskin’s girlfriend asked the driver to take her to a public place so she could get a ride. Baskin chased the SUV and attempted to run it off of the road, a story which was corroborated by the first witness, before forcing it to pull over. Baskin allegedly got on the hood of the SUV and the driver and her grandchildren felt they were in fear for their lives.

Meanwhile, Baskin’s girlfriend had called her sister for help. Police were not able to get into contact with Baskin’s girlfriend, but Baskin was charged with assaulting the driver and her two young passengers. Baskin denied the incident.

He is currently serving time in prison for a previous reckless aggravated assault case.

Robert Lee Adams reportedly stabbed a woman after she rejected his sexual advances and subsequent requests for sexual activity. He was charged with aggravated assault and is currently serving a prison sentence at the Hardeman County Correctional Facility.

Matthew Carpenter was charged with aggravated assault and interference with 911 calls after attempting to set his grandmother on fire on March 13, 2020. Court documents show after an altercation Carpenter held a lighter to a blanket on a couch on which his grandmother was sitting. He reportedly took the batteries out of the phones, hid them, and told her he would kill her once he got out if she called the cops. She later called the police from another family member’s home. The affidavit shows Carpenter told detectives with the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office he intended to burn her. He will likely be represented by the public defender’s office and is scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 9.

Van Chaney Jr. was charged with assault and domestic assault after reportedly attempting to kick his ex-girlfriend’s door down in the middle of the night. Court records show the victim told police Chaney yelled that everyone needed to get out of the house because he was going to kill her and her young child. The victim told police it wasn’t the first time he’d assault her.

Christopher Michael Daniels was initially charged with attempted second degree murder in January, but was indicted for aggravated assault and aggravated elder abuse after he reportedly stabbed a man at the Budget Inn in Covington. Witnesses told police Daniels told them he’d “stabbed the old man in room 12” and Daniels had blood on his forearms and hands at the time of his confession to them. Daniels reportedly told a third witness the victim pulled a knife on him and he tried to defend himself. Daniels did not admit to police he’d stabbed the victim, but did tell police he and the older man had been drinking whiskey for several hours that morning. Surveillance footage shows Daniels leaving room 12 and walked to his room, three doors down, carrying a knife, whiskey bottle and a small Christmas tree. He is currently in custody and is set for trial on Nov. 15. Daniels is being represented by the public defender’s office.

Jaylun Malik Currie was charged with several assault charges in three separate indictments. The first charges him with domestic assault by strangulation, interfering with a 911 call and theft under $1,000 after an incident involving his girlfriend. The affidavit alleges Currie was at her home early on the morning of Aug. 25, 2020, asking her to use her phone to help find her friend’s phone. He reportedly became angry after seeing a message from someone else, then began to yell and threaten her before strangling her. She told police she tried to call 911, but he picked her up by her neck, slammed her to the ground, kicked and punched her while she was on the ground and pointed a gun at her. She said he threatened to kill her, then took her car keys before he left.

The next indictment, in which he was charged with domestic assault and vandalism under $1,000, involves an incident less than a month later. Currie reportedly went to his ex-girlfriend’s house, who is a different victim from the aforementioned case, called her derogatory names while trying to break into her house, and left after she told him she was calling 911. She had filed a harassment complaint with Covington police three days prior and Currie had previously been banned from Broadmeadows Apartments. The third indictment involves the same victim and took place less than two weeks later and Currie reportedly strangled her and held her in her home for more than three hours without her consent, leading to his being charged with especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated burglary and aggravated domestic assault by strangulation.

Currie is being represented by Frank Deslauriers with the public defender’s office. His cases are scheduled for trial on Nov. 10.

Also charged in three separate indictments was Jacob Fincher, whose charges include felony failure to appear, aggravated domestic assault, aggravated burglary and theft. On Aug. 14, 2020, Fincher reportedly put a knife to his girlfriend’s throat, screamed at her and said he’d kill her, then pushed and hit her as she walked away. His girlfriend and their young son were visiting his girlfriend’s sister’s home. He left the home, allegedly threatening to kill everyone inside, including his child. His burglary and theft charges stem from breaking into another home and stealing various items, including power tools, a machete and ammunition. The home was also vandalized. Fincher’s co-defendants in that case are Robert Fincher, Francis Montague and Danny Walker. Fincher does not yet have a lawyer and is due to return to court representation on Aug. 13. His trial date is set for Nov. 16.

Bobby Lee Frazier was charged with aggravated domestic assault and resisting arrest after a fight with his ex-wife. The victim told police she was lying in bed when Frazier, whom she said was in a drunken rage, grabbed the mattress, flipped her onto the floor and threw a knife at her while their minor son was present. Frazier denied it, however the bedroom door was broken and a knife was in the wall, police reported in their affidavit. The victim also provided them with an audio recording of the incident. He later resisted being arrested. Frazier is being represented by Blake Ballin and is set for trial on Nov. 17.

Jason Victor Gereau reportedly argued with his wife about their children, then got angry and hit her. The victim said she tried to leave with their children and Gereau pushed the kids, resulting in a preschool-age child hitting its head against the wall. She told police Gereau left afterward she locked herself and her children in their vehicle. He was charged with domestic assault and will be represented by the public defender’s office. Gereau is set for trial on Nov. 17.

Christopher Brian Lenagar was also charged with aggravated domestic assault by strangulation, vandalism under $1,000 and domestic assault in two separate incidents involving his girlfriend during the same week. During one he strangled her and during both he destroyed her cell phone. There was also a child inside the home.

Roderick Parker of Memphis was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation and robbery after reportedly strangling his female co-worker while driving through Covington. The victim told police when she ended a phone call on May 4, 2020, Parker told her to quit playing games before becoming aggressive and strangling her while the two were en route to Newbern. She said she had to jump out of the car and afterwards he chased her and grabbed at her phone and pants. The victim told police the two had not had a romantic relationship. Parker is in the process of hiring an attorney and is scheduled for trial on Dec. 7.

James Thomas Pearson Jr. was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation stemming from a February 2021 incident in which he reportedly accused his girlfriend of cheating, said he was going to get rid of her and whomever she was seeing, then attacked her and strangled her until she was unconscious. He does not yet have an attorney, is due to report to the court with representation on Aug. 13, and is scheduled for trial on Dec. 8.

Michael Dwayne Rone was charged with aggravated assault after allegedly shooting and threatening to kill his neighbor over a property line dispute in November 2020. Represented by Jeremy Armstrong, he is due to stand trial on Dec. 9.


The Leader maintains those indicted are innocent unless proven guilty in Tipton County Circuit Court.

Echo Day
Author: Echo Day

Echo Day is an award-winning journalist, photographer and designer. She is currently The Leader's managing editor.