Courthouse secured after woman makes threat
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Last Thursday Superior Court Judge James Morris received a call that caused a few tense moments. Although the judge wasn't directly threatened, a woman threatened to kill her husband and kidnap her children. An emergency custody hearing was taking place in Superior Court on the third floor of the courthouse in Versailles. The case had been venued from Dearborn County.

The woman had apparently told her doctor of her intentions and he had alerted authorities.

The Ripley County Sheriff's Department immediately responded to the call. Sheriff Bill Davison, along with Lt. Lee Mathews and Versailles Marshal David Adams quickly secured the courthouse evacuating several of the employees. No one was harmed in the incident. Sheriff Davison noted that Superior Court Bailiff Jim Purdy was instrumental in the quick evacuation effort.

The judge noted that Sheriff Davison and the other officers did a great job, adding that the woman told him later that when she saw the officers in place, she thought better of her plans.

Judge Morris said he has been threatened personally maybe three times since he's been in office and does take the threats seriously. He further noted that the woman making the threats was not arrested.