Dothan Police Make Arrest In Shooting On Virginia Drive

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
Date: Nov 10 2017 1:32 PM

DOTHAN:    There was a shooting in Dothan on Wednesday. 

On Thursday Dothan Police made an arrest of Quan Pepravious McGhee and placed him in the Houston County Jail for Attempted Murder.

The shooting was at Virginia and Fortner Street. McGhee is alleged to have shot another subject at least three times while in car.

Dothan Police Officer Sima saved the life of the victim by placing a turniquet on the victim to get a uncontrollable bleed under control unit advanced life support units from Dothan Police and Pilcher Ambulance Service were on the scene.

Dothan Police Criminal Investigators hit the ground running the day of shooting. They ran down leads of suspects and information leading to the arrest of McGhee.

Dothan Police Criminal Investigation Division has a new Commander. Dothan Police Chief Steve Parrish assigned Dothan Police Lt. Len Watkins to command Criminal Investigation Division. GREAT JOB on the first major case under your command of CID.

McGhee was placed in jail for Attempted Murder. Houston County District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis ordered "no bond" on McGhee. Should there be a Grand Jury Indictment of McGhee the case will then be assigned to 20th Judicial Circuit Court Kevin Moulton. 

Houston County District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis appointed Attorney Tom Smith of Smith and McGhee Attorney at Law to represent McGhee. A bond hearing is set for November 18, 2017 at 8:30 AM.

NOTE:    A person is arrested one of three ways: (1) an arrest warrant (2) encounter with a officer through an investigation or traffic stop (3) a Grand Jury indictment.

All felonies in Alabama are required to go before a Grand Jury before trial. If arrested under example number 1 or 2, your case begins in District Court, which is a court of no record - no court reporter. In District Court the Judge handles arraignment - tells you the offense charged and range of punishment along with your rights, if you request a bond hearing that is scheduled and held before the District Court Judge, and if a Preliminary Hearing is requested, the District Court Judge conducts the preliminary hearing.

A preliminary hearing is a "probable cause" hearing. Probably a crime was committed and probably that person did it. Hearsay evidence is permissible and the threshold to establish probable cause is a minor one compared to the threshold in order to obtain a conviction.

After the preliminary hearing, if probable cause is found, the case is then forwarded to Grand Jury. That is 18 people, held in secret. Normally the defendant does not testify because his or her attorney can not be in the Grand Jury with the defendant but the prosecutor can. 

After Grand Jury, if there is an indictment ( which in Alabama a ham sandwich could be indicted ) the case is then assigned to a Circuit Court Judge - a court of record with a court reporter. You have another arraignment before the Circuit Judge to read the indictment to you and make sure you have an attorney. If you qualify then an attorney is appointed for you. Then the case forwards to trial.

If you are arrested as described in number 3, a Grand Jury Indictment... you go straight to Circuit Court. You have an arraignment and then the case forwards to trial.

McGhee is arrested under situation number 2. The investigation made it’s way to McGhee and he was arrested. On Thursday the first appearance was held and a bond hearing has been requested.

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