Belleville woman sentenced to probation in plea deal on stabbing

By Diane Madigan
Independent Court Reporter
Sealisa Marie Jones, 34, of Belleville was sentenced to two years of probation, accepting a plea deal on May 29 in Circuit Court after she pled no contest to Aggravated Domestic Violence.
Jones was arrested by Belleville Police at about 10:30 p.m. April 11 at her home at 308 Oxford Court in Victoria Commons following an argument with her husband.
Police said her husband, Thomas Fennon Jones, 53, had been stabbed in the chest and he was taken to the hospital. Jones was charged with two felonies: Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Aggravated Domestic Violence.
On May 15, before 34th District Court Judge David Parrott, Jones waived her right to a preliminary exam and the case was bound over to Circuit Court.
On May 29, Jones’ attorney Todd Perkins told Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas that his client has accepted a plea agreement offered by the prosecutor, in which she would plea No Contest to the second charge and the first charge would be dropped.
Judge Thomas asked to set a date for sentencing, but Perkins asked that sentencing be done immediately because his client had been suspended from work due to the felony charge. Judge Thomas agreed.
Perkins also requested that the sentencing be conducted under the guidelines of MCL 769.4a, which became effective April 1, 2013.
According to Legislature.mi.gov, MCL 769.4a states that an individual, who has not previously been convicted of assault on a spouse, former spouse, dating relationship, or resident of the same household, can be sentenced to probation, with mandatory counseling. The state police will retain a nonpublic record of the arrest and court proceedings will be closed for public inspection.
Other internet searches show that MCL 769.4a has recently been used by police officers in cases of domestic abuse so they are able to retain their firearm.
Judge Thomas asked if Jones was pleading guilty to count two and Perkins replied, “No, she wants to plead No Contest because a civil suit will likely arise in the near future, with her divorce.”
Judge Thomas sentenced Jones to two years probation, no contact with the victim, submit to substance screening, 26 weeks of counseling, and 80 hours of community service in lieu of $600 court costs.