A young woman in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was arrested after firing shots at a police officer during a routine traffic stop. Despite being apprehended, her defiant attitude persisted. The incident occurred when the woman, Desiree Breshay Smith, was observed by officers running a stop sign in her Chevrolet Impala.
Rather than cooperating, Smith chose to take more aggressive actions. Allegedly, she fired a shot at the officer in an attempt to commit murder before fleeing the scene. Fayetteville police, however, were able to catch up with her and made a second traffic stop to finally place her under arrest.
Upon inspecting Smith’s vehicle, police discovered expended bullet casings from the shot she had fired. They also found a stolen firearm inside the Impala, resulting in additional charges against her. ABC 11 reported that Smith was charged with several offenses, including felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, possession of a stolen firearm, felony flee to elude arrest, failure to stop at a stop sign, and careless and reckless driving.
Thanks to the efforts of the police, Smith was arrested and taken to the Cumberland County Detention Center. Her bond was set at $25,000.
When Smith appeared in court, she claimed to have a clean record, emphasizing her role as a community pillar with a stable job and a commitment to education. However, her statements contradicted official records from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, revealing previous encounters with law enforcement.
Judge Stephen Stokes was angered by Smith’s deception within the courtroom. To prevent her from deceiving him further and as a response to her serious crimes, Judge Stokes made the appropriate decision to increase Smith’s secured bond from $25,000 to $100,000. This four-fold increase significantly reduces the likelihood of her release prior to the trial related to her traffic violation, evasion of police, and attempted murder of an officer.
Judge Stokes did not stop at increasing the bond amount. He also issued a strict order forbidding any contact between Smith and the Fayetteville Police Department. This order ensures that, if she were to be released on bond, Smith would not be allowed within 100 feet of any Fayetteville police officer or police station.
Judge Stokes acted decisively by not only increasing the bond but also establishing strict conditions, effectively safeguarding both Smith and the police officers she had aimed to harm.
Video here:
https://abc11.com/video/embed/?pid=5718744
It is imperative for judges to take a firm stance against criminals like Smith, who disregard the law. We need more judges who are willing to set stringent bonds and conditions for defendants, particularly when they are accused of such severe crimes. We extend our gratitude to Judge Stokes for leading by example and sending a clear message that criminal behavior will not be tolerated within our community.
The question remains: should more judges take a stand against criminals?
