The government complex was a busy place Monday as three judgesconducted court sessions in the building.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys moved back and forth betweenthe main circuit court room upstairs, where Judge Mike Smith washolding court, and the city board room downstairs, where JudgeKeith Starrett held his regular Monday drug court and otheractivity. Also, Judge Ed Patten was holding a chancery court termin his courtroom upstairs.

Court officials said Monday was one of those few times a yearwhen sessions overlap. Circuit court activity included severalarraignment proceedings, some guilty pleas and a sentencing.

In Starrett’s courtroom, Joseph Parker, 20, of 101 Amite Road,pleaded guilty to a bill of information on an unlawful possessionof cocaine with intent to distribute charge. When pleading guiltyto a bill of information, a defendant waives the indictmentprocess.

Parker was ordered to serve three years of a five-year sentence,with the last two on post release supervision, and to pay a $5,000fine. Starrett expressed reluctance in sentencing Parker to prison,but he indicated that drug distribution charges have alwayswarranted jail time.

“I don’t have any other option,” said Starrett, who added areturn to school as a condition of Parker’s post releasesupervision.

In a bill of information pleading in Smith’s court, Jerry Doss,24, of 1103 Brookway Boulevard, pleaded on possession of stolenproperty charge and an armed robbery indictment was not prosecuted.He will be sentenced Friday.

Assistant District Attorney Diane Jones said Doss was one offour defendants in the armed robbery case. She indicated that hischarges were modified after further investigation.

“It was deemed that possession of stolen property was the moreappropriate charge against him,” Jones said.

Two other defendants also pleaded guilty to indictments beforeSmith and will be sentenced Friday. Those defendants include:

* Steven Kyle Walley, 21, of 1528 Walley Lane – two separateindictments, one for burglary of an automobile and conspiracy andanother for unlawful possession of methamphetamine, unlawfulpossession of two or more precursor chemicals with intent tomanufacture methamphetamine and conspiracy.

* Roger Smith, 51, of 2110 Madison Road – conspiracy todistribute cocaine.

Trial dates were set in other cases or they were continued untillater in Smith’s term.

In other Starrett court activity, most defendants waivedarraignments proceedings in their cases. Waiving arraignment, ineffect, enters a not guilty plea for the defendant and signals thathe is ready for trial.

Those waiving arraignment and their charges included:

* Jonathan Blake Williams, 19, of 1003 Bogue Chitto Road -manslaughter by culpable negligence.

* Michael Beasley, 35, of 1053 South First St. – unlawful saleof marijuana.

* Rashand Smith and Rashad Smith, both 17, of 1539 Crump Lane -grand larceny.

* Julian Williams, 30, of 100 Fred Walley Dr. – utteringforgery.

A formal arraignment, the reading of charges against adefendant, was held for Albert Moore, 38, of 935 Bryant St. He isfacing an armed robbery charge.