More than 40 suspects have been served with indictments and arestarting to move through the court process after a recent LincolnCounty grand jury session, records show.

Following arraignment proceedings last week, Wednesday, Oct. 18,has been set aside to accept guilty pleas or for omnibus hearingsin cases headed to trial. Omnibus hearings are to make sureevidence discovery, motions and other trial-related activity is onschedule.

During arraignment proceedings, defendants may elect to havecharges formally read against them or waive the reading. Waivingarraignment, in effect, enters a not guilty plea and signals adesire to move on to trial.

Among recent indictments are at least six that involve thirdoffense driving under the influence (DUI) charges. AssistantDistrict Attorney Jerry Rushing expressed concerns about thenumbers of drunk driving arrests.

Rushing indicated, though, a new law that took effect Sept. 1could help reduce totals. The law change, which also stiffenedpenalties for first and second offense DUIs, calls for a mandatorysentence of at least one year in jail upon conviction.

“It applies to DUI thirds after Sept. 1,” Rushing said.

Indicted defendants arrested for DUI third offense before Sept.1 are not subject to the mandatory sentencing even though, ifconvicted, they will be sentenced after that date. For thosepeople, Rushing said the possibility of jail time still exists, butit is not mandatory as it is under the new law.

An indictment is not a statement on the guilt or innocence ofthe accused. It is a statement of belief by the grand jury that acrime has been committed and there is cause to pursue chargesagainst a suspect.

Indicted defendants and their charges include:

* Willie James Henderson, 18, of 364 Highway 583 — burglary ofa dwelling.

* Rodney Dewayne Rushing, 20, of 1921 Falvey Road — burglary ofa dwelling.

* Barbara Watson, 17, of 334B East Minnesota St. — aggravatedassault and burglary of a dwelling.

* Eric Eugene Stacy, 24, of Water Valley — possession of stolenproperty.

* Eric Cheyenne Coglan, 23, of 3765 Cole Dr. Bogue Chitto –burglary and conspiracy.

* Jay Dean Hux, 20, of 2818 New Sight Dr. — burglary andconspiracy.

* Harry B. Huff, 19, of 1689 Nola Road — third offense DUI.

* Billy R. Bledsoe, 37, of 923 No Egypt Circle — two countsthird offense DUI.

* John R. Kosinski, 25, of New Jersey — unlawful possession ofpsilocybin and unlawful possession of dextroamphetamine.

* Patrick Milton Payton, 41, of 517 Turner St. — two countsuttering forgery.

* Terry Demorest, 19, of Hazlehurst — uttering forgery.

* Timothy Bowman, 17, of 107 Brady Dr. — uttering forgery.

* Gary Wayne Sanders, 29, of 531 North Jackson St. — aggravatedassault.

* Darrick Dale May, 25, of 1340 Sammy Trail — aggravatedassault.

* Travis Allen Blount, 42, of Flowood — embezzlement.

* George Mcgee, 33, of 341 West Congress St. — grandlarceny.

* Victor Earl Johnson, 40, of 308 Union St. — third offenseDUI.

* Henry Earl Rawls Jr., 22, of 304 East Enterprise St. –failure to support minor children.

* George Wilson, 45, of 426 East Minnesota St. — grand larcenyand conspiracy.

* Willie A. Connley, 37, of 225 East Minnesota St. — grandlarceny and conspiracy.

* Maurio Terrell, 17, of Katey Trail — eight counts of burglaryand second degree arson.

* Timothy Laird, 28, of Prentiss — burglary of a dwelling,aggravated assault and kidnapping.

* Jonathan Robert Hutt, 21, of Wesson — third offense DUI.

* Melissa R. Porter (also known as Melissa R. Byrd), 30, of 3165Highway 550 — third offense DUI.

* Anthony McDaniel, 29, of 354 Doolittle Lane, Bogue Chitto –third offense DUI.

* Bobby Gene Jackson Jr., 30, of 2303 Hurricane Lake Road –third offense DUI.

* Byron Krausch, 46, of Jefferson, Mo. — unlawful possession ofmethamphetamine and unlawful possession of marijuana.

* Patrick M. Allen, 28, of 301 Greenwood Lane — unlawfulpossession of cocaine.

* Tommy Kelly, 18, of 408 East Cherokee St. — unlawfulpossession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

* Marlon Wells, 23, of 122 Short St. — unlawful possession ofmarijuana.

* Richard Butler, 45, of Jackson — unlawful possession ofcocaine.

* Christopher Smith, 25 of 534 Rogers St. — unlawful possessionof cocaine with intent to distribute.

* Robert Lee Washington, 56, of 58 Otis Trail, Bogue Chitto –unlawful possession of cocaine.

* Jennifer McCarty, 30, of 780 Hog Chain Drive, Bogue Chitto –unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

* James Vanetten, 44, of Vicksburg — conspiracy to manufacturemethamphetamine, unlawful possession of two or more precursorchemicals or drugs with intent to unlawfully manufacturemethamphetamine and unlawful possession of methamphetamine withintent to distribute.

* Ralph Edmond Guitierrez, 28, of Delhi, La. — conspiracy tomanufacture methamphetamine, unlawful possession of two or moreprecursor chemicals or drugs with intent to unlawfully manufacturemethamphetamine and unlawful possession of methamphetamine withintent to distribute.

* Marsha Reid, 44, of Greenville — conspiracy to manufacturemethamphetamine, unlawful possession of two or more precursorchemicals or drugs with intent to unlawfully manufacturemethamphetamine and unlawful possession of methamphetamine withintent to distribute.

* Jesus Valez Pina, 38, of Houston, Texas — unlawful possessionof cocaine with intent to distribute.

* Eddie L. Thompson, 25, of Jackson — unlawful possession ofmarijuana with intent to distribute.

* Brooke Heller, 20, of Sugarland, Texas — unlawful possessionof marijuana, alprazolam and diazepam with intent todistribute.

* Antonio Riley, 30, of Jackson — unlawful possession ofcocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy.

* Charles L. Ferguson, 27, of Kosciusko — unlawful possessionof marijuana, alprazolam and diazepam with intent todistribute.

* Antonio Riley, 30, of Jackson — unlawful possession ofcocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy.