One of three suspects arrested in connection with the armed robbery of a local woman last year pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Tuesday after a Garland County Circuit Court jury was unable to reach a verdict in her trial.
Angel Nicole Hill, 20, who has remained in custody since her arrest July 19, 2017, pleaded guilty to robbery, reduced from an original charge of aggravated robbery, punishable by up to life in prison, and was sentenced to five years in prison. An additional misdemeanor count of fleeing on foot from the same incident was withdrawn.
Hill also pleaded guilty to a previous charge of residential burglary she was set to stand trial for later this week and was also sentenced to five years, with the sentence to run concurrently with the robbery sentence.
A six-man, six-woman jury had deliberated for about one hour and 45 minutes on the aggravated robbery charge when they released a note to the court indicating they were deadlocked, Garland County Public Defender Tim Beckham, who represented Hill, said Wednesday.
"There was an offer to plead to the reduced charge of robbery and to plead to the pending charge of residential burglary so we agreed to do that instead of giving the case back to the jury," Beckham said.
"We decided to take the plea and not risk having a retrial and giving the state a second opportunity to potentially present more evidence," he said.
Michael Jay Craig Jr., 20, of Hot Springs, and Diamond Dalissa Morris, 22, of Camden, were arrested at the same time as Hill on the same charges. Morris was released on $5,000 bond on July 22, 2017, and the charges against her were later withdrawn. "She was the prosecution's key witness against Hill," Beckham said.
Craig had remained in custody until he was released on $6,500 bond on Feb. 7, 2018, but then he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing in circuit court on March 13. A warrant for his arrest was issued and he was still being sought as of Wednesday.
Beckham noted the victim in the case had told Hot Springs police she believed the suspect who robbed her had a male voice and Craig was the driver of the suspect vehicle involved and the only male suspect.
According to the affidavit, on July 19, 2017, shortly after 4 a.m., Officer Taylor Gates responded to Indiandale Apartments, 105 Lowery St., in reference to an aggravated robbery and made contact with a woman who stated she was robbed at gunpoint about 20 minutes earlier.
She said she was carrying a tote with her purse on top of it from her vehicle to her apartment when she was approached by a black male wearing bluejeans and a mask with a skeletal design. He pointed what appeared to be a silver semi-automatic handgun at her head and began shouting.
The suspect took her purse and fled on foot to a gold 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. He entered the front passenger side seat and the vehicle left the parking lot.
While en route to the scene, Sgt. Frank Sears observed a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. He attempted to make a traffic stop but the vehicle fled, eventually stopping on Hendricks Street.
The three occupants of the vehicle fled on foot but were apprehended a short time later near Runyon Street. Next to the passenger side of the vehicle, Gates found two billfolds and loose ID cards with the victim's name on them.
He also located a skeletal mask and a fake plastic gun in the driver's side floorboard.
Police determined Craig was driving the car, Hill was in the front passenger seat and Morris was in the back seat. All three suspects were brought in for questioning at the police department.
Morris said Hill exited the vehicle to rob the woman in the parking lot. She said she was wearing a mask and once she returned to the car, she went through the victim's purse. Morris said she knew Hill intended to rob the woman.
Hill admitted to being in the suspect vehicle and fleeing on foot but said the robbery was not her idea. She also said she was passed out in the car the entire time.
Craig admitted to driving the vehicle and fleeing from police but also said it was Hill who robbed the woman. He said they had talked about "hitting a lick," slang for committing a robbery, and then saw a woman driving past them in a white car. He said Hill then put on the mask and robbed the woman.
According to the affidavit on the residential burglary, on Oct. 22, 2016, Angel, then 18, and four other suspects, all juveniles, broke into a residence in the 700 block of Third Street and stole two televisions and several other items before fleeing the scene.
Witnesses were able to identify Hill and the others and Hill was arrested Nov. 5, 2016, and was released on $5,000 bond on Dec. 28, 2016, pending trial.
Local on 05/17/2018