Jackson plans to enter change of plea

Monday, August 9, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- A Greencastle woman accused of injuring four people with a knife during an altercation at a bar will be in Putnam County Circuit Court Aug. 19 to enter a change of plea.

A representative of the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office said no definite terms had been come to as yet, but that James Holder, attorney for Treva J. Jackson, and officers of the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office were hammering out details for a plea agreement.

Jackson, 36, had been scheduled to go to trial July 28 to face four charges of Class C felony battery by means of a deadly weapon. Each charge carries a maximum possible sentence of eight years in prison.

The July 28 date had been set after three continuances.

Court records said Jackson, along with her four alleged victims, was at Old Toppers Tavern in Greencastle on Sept. 19 when Jackson and another patron at the bar, Jessica Phares, began to argue.

An affidavit of probable cause said witnesses told police the verbal sparring escalated into a physical altercation between the women, and that Jackson pulled a knife on Phares.

A narrative on the case said three men jumped into the fray in an attempt to break up the fight between Jackson and Phares, and that they, along with Phares, were injured.

Phares is the former girlfriend of Scott Hoover, who is currently serving a prison sentence at the Putnamville Correctional facility for his role in the Dec. 15, 2007 death of Jackson's teenage son, Dietrich Jackson, who died of a prescription drug overdose. Phares was initially implicated in Dietrich Jackson's death, but all charges against her were dismissed.

Jackson was arrested on Sept. 21, and her bond was set at $20,000 cash only. Although the state objected, on Oct. 13 Judge Matthew Headley reduced Jackson's bond to $20,000 with 10 percent allowed. Jackson made bond and was released from jail on Oct. 15.

As a condition of her bond reduction, Jackson was required to be placed on electronic home monitoring immediately upon her release from jail.

Jackson's former attorney, Kristin Szczerbik of Cloverdale, requested on Nov. 12 that Jackson be released from home monitoring, but that request was denied by the court. Holder took over on Jackson's case in January.

Originally, Jackson was represented by former Putnam County Public Defender James Recker.

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  • She sounds like a crazy to me...just sayin, she pulled a knife on people. Distraught or not over her sons death, this is not acceptable behavior. Sounds as if she need some help, anger management perhaps.

    -- Posted by dcsaiht on Mon, Aug 9, 2010, at 10:33 AM
  • She can now be in prison with her other half. The charges should have never been dropped with that case. She should not be in a bar using her welfare money to buy beer. What a messed up mess!!

    -- Posted by barrreeve on Mon, Aug 9, 2010, at 10:43 AM
  • to pull a knife. somethings wrong somewhere. i agree she should never had charges dropped. this is a sign of rage. and you'd be surprised how people spend their welfare money at the bars and clubs.

    -- Posted by pukee on Mon, Aug 9, 2010, at 6:51 PM
  • Yes, it's sad all the way around. I can't possibly imagine how tough it is to lose a child, especially due to drugs which could have been prevented! I'm sure she's angry. I know it's not acceptable but she does need help.

    As far as welfare $$, seriously, these people need to figure out HOW to stretch a dollar! Some just aren't willing.

    -- Posted by bannerstuff on Tue, Aug 10, 2010, at 3:03 PM
  • Why does everyone assume she is on welfare? I have been to a bar before and don't remeber seeing anyone use their EBT card to but drinks.

    -- Posted by princessv on Tue, Aug 10, 2010, at 6:36 PM
  • Wow... she is not on welfare like 90% of the trash that is in putnam co.

    i was there at the bar and these people jumped in on her!

    the girl told her that her son deserved to die...

    who would not be upset over a comment like that?

    then when things got escalated the 3 boys jumped in too... this woman was jumped and was simply defending herself

    Now you tell me if it were 4 people against you what would you do?

    don't you think this poor woman has been through enough...

    how dare you people be so ridicoulous and want to belittle her...

    what terrible people you all are... passing judgement and not looking at yourselves

    Jehovah forbid something happens to one of your children and the people associated with your childs demise appear back in your life and try yo rub it in!

    -- Posted by BlackBarbie22 on Wed, Aug 11, 2010, at 9:28 AM
  • Yes, let's all feel sorry for her. That will solve everything. It is sad that her son died. It is sad that now he is just a statistic and a memory. But, I do not feel sorry for the parents who spend their time at bars and doing drugs themselves. I'm not saying that she is to blame 100%, but had she set a better example, maybe her son would've been able to say no.

    Parents set the stepping stones that their children will all too soon be walking down, lets lead them the right way!

    -- Posted by WTFRUthinkin on Thu, Aug 12, 2010, at 2:13 AM
  • Don't worry she will probably go in front of Judge Headley and she will get off with a slap on the wrist just like everyone else in his courtroom!! It is sad that she lost her son I feel for her but that is not an excuse to pull a weapon. As for what I would do if I was jumped by 4 other people, for one I wouldn't put myself in that position. It takes a bigger person to walk away. No one has ever been injured by someone's stupid remarks.

    -- Posted by seriously do people think on Fri, Aug 13, 2010, at 12:59 AM
  • I dont think she is crazy. She has had alot happen to her. She is a nice person and is only human. People can only be pushed and pressed so many times before they cant handle it. Actually she has a job, and who says she gets wellfare and uses them at the bar?? People in this town are way too judgemental. ONLY GOD HAS THE RIGHT TO JUDGE HIS CHILDREN>!! Anyone Over the age of 21 can legally get into a bar, Does that make them bad parents? druggies? bad people? i do not believe so! Those people from the bar should take anger classes on how not to instigate fights and violence. I think she is great mother and should stop being persucuted for self-defense. Those people were just attacting her with words, that should never be broughten up. I do not believe anybody would of got cut if they were not trying to grab a weapon from someones hand>? how stupid. common sense should be a role in it! should I grab a knife with my bare hand from someone holding it or if i believe they are going to use it on me? I dont think so, what idiots these people must of been. Jessica got a haircut, maybe she needed one.

    -- Posted by topher_hanneman on Fri, Aug 13, 2010, at 5:37 PM
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