COUPLE ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO ENTER COURTHOUSE WITH A LOADED GUN

ST. JOSEPH – There were some scary moments last week at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph when a couple tried to sneak a gun into the courthouse.
For many, the incident brought back memories of last July’s courthouse shooting where an inmate shot and killed two bailiffs. Veteran court bailiffs Joseph Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63, were the men killed July 11 by Coloma resident Larry Gordon, 45.
Gordon, who was in custody on several felony charges, first shot and injured Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputy James Atterberry, Jr., 41, an 18 year veteran of the department, before killing the bailiffs. Atterberry had been alone when he escorted Gordon from a courthouse courtroom after a hearing.
That incident caused county officials to take a new look at courthouse security. Changes made included hiring two more deputies to escort prisoners in the courthouse as well as purchasing new safety equipment for officers and more shackles and handcuffs for inmates.
Last week, it was a couple from Wyoming, Mich. who attempted to bring a gun into the courthouse. Berrien County Undersheriff Chuck Heit reported that two people tried to bring a loaded firearm into the courthouse around 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30.
The firearm was hidden inside a purse and was discovered by Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Court Security Officers as the purse went through the x-ray machine during the normal screening process, Heit said.
Once the firearm was detected the male subject grabbed the purse and attempted to flee the scene.  Both subjects were given verbal commands to stop and they failed to obey those commands as they fled the courthouse entrance.
Court Security Deputies and Bailiffs were able to apprehend both subjects in the courthouse parking lot without further incident.  A loaded semi-automatic pistol was recovered during the apprehension of the two suspects. The pistol was found several feet away as was the purse.
Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic reported that two people, Arnelda Dywayne Jackson, 40, and Molly Michiell Jackson, 37, both of Wyoming, Mich. Were arrested in connection with the incident and arraigned on felony charges.
Arnelda Jackson was charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon (on person), Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, both five year maximums; Tampering with Evidence, a four year maximum; Resisting and Obstructing an Officer, a two year maximum; and Felony Firearm, a mandatory two year consecutive sentence.
Molly Jackson has been charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon (on person), Carrying a Concealed Weapon (in vehicle), both five year maximums; Tampering with Evidence, a four year maximum; Resisting and Obstructing an Officer, a two year maximum; and Felony Firearm, a mandatory two year consecutive sentence.
Arnelda Jackson was scheduled to be in court May 30 for a preliminary hearing on a charge of Possession of Counterfeit Money, a five year maximum.  That hearing was delayed until June 1 when he was bound over for trial after testimony.  A trial date for that charge is set for August 1, 2017.
Also June 1, the couple were arraigned on the new charges related to bringing the weapon into the courthouse. Bonds were set at $100,000 cash or surety for Arnelda Jackson and $400,000 cash or surety for Molly Jackson.  A preliminary exam conference for both is set for Friday, June 9 with a preliminary exam hearing set for June 15 in St. Joseph.
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department investigated this incident with assistance from St. Joseph Department of Public Safety. Those involved in apprehending the two people were court officers, court security bailiffs, road patrol and detectives from the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and St. Joseph Department of Public Safety members.