MONTICELLO — Two men accused of kidnapping and carjacking, analleged accessory to the crime and three men charged with armedrobbery are the most serious cases facing Judge R.I. Prichard IIIwhen the Circuit Court term opens Oct. 23.

Frederick K. Jefferson, 20, and Detric Stringer, 20, both ofSilver Creek, are charged with kidnapping and carjacking GregNorton, 18, of Wesson, on Feb. 18. Heather Hux, 20, of Monticello,is charged as an accessory to that crime. Stringer is also chargedwith possession of a firearm by a felon.

The incident allegedly occurred when Norton was driving onHighway 84 West to Brookhaven for work after visiting friends inMonticello. He was flagged down by a pair of men near the oldBobby’s Smokehouse, according to a Feb. 20 DAILY LEADER reportciting sheriff’s office officials.

Norton stopped for the two men, according to the report, becausehe believed they were friends. He was then forced at gunpoint tothe floorboard of his 1986 Honda CRX. The two men then split up,with Stringer driving Norton’s CRX while Jefferson drove FordEscort belonging to Hux.

The men allegedly took Norton to an abandoned house and struckhim on the head with a pistol, according the sheriff’s office. Thetwo men split up again.

Jefferson was stopped in Monticello by police officer GaryMilton during a routine traffic stop. While arresting Jefferson onsuspicion of driving under the influence, Milton noticed asawed-off shotgun on the floorboard.

Meanwhile, Stringer went to Hux’s home and she allegedly becameaware of the carjacking and kidnapping. After visiting Hux,Stringer traveled east on Highway 84. When he slowed down to make aturn and lowered his pistol, Norton jumped from the vehicle andtook refuge in the woods. When he emerged from hiding, he called911.

The dispatcher taking Norton’s call recognized his descriptionof one of the assailants as fitting Jefferson.

Stringer was arrested Feb. 27 when off-duty police officer RaySmith saw him at a Brookhaven retail store and called BPD to makean arrest.

Jefferson and Stringer will argue their case before Prichard onNov. 1. Hux stands before the judge Nov. 6.

Three other men, Mario Cardell Stowers, Jeremy Stowers andMarcus Robinson Jr., are charged with armed robbery after allegedlystealing $290 and two twelve-packs of beer from Brad’s One Stop inJanuary.

Prichard will hear their case on Nov. 6.

The court term opens Oct. 23 with a docket call. Civil trialsbegin Oct. 25 and criminal trials begin Nov. 1 with the Jeffersonand Stringer case.

Other criminal trials for the October court term include:

* Catherine M.P. Lee on a charge of felony bad check Nov. 9.

* Wardell Horton on a charge of aggravated assault Nov. 9.

* James A. “Jamie” McNeese Jr. on a charge of burglary of acommercial building Nov. 8.

* Candice M. Boyd Padgett on a charge of child desertion. Datenot set.

* Bobby and Sue Ann Ricks on a charge of grand larceny Nov.2.

Several more criminal trials will be held during the term, butwere unavailable because the subjects involved had not receivedtheir summons. These cases include four for felony bad check, twofor sale or transfer of a controlled substance, one grand larcenyand one dog stealing.