The Caldwell County Grand Jury returned indictments Monday on various charges including drug possession, assault, and wanton endangerment.
The grand jury returned an indictment for 55-year-old Henry W. Cotton on charges of first degree assault, first degree wanton endangerment, theft by unlawful taking of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. The charges stem from an incident on Tuesday, August 6th when the Princeton Police Department reported that officers responded to a complaint of a female being cut with a knife in the 300 block of North Harrison Street. When officers arrived they learned that Cotton had reportedly been in an argument with the victim, 58-year-old Sandra Monroe, when it escalated and he allegedly cut her with a knife. Cotton had also supposedly taken her pistol and pointed it at her before fleeing the scene. Cotton was later located at the Stratton Inn and was taken into custody. Monroe was transported to the Caldwell Medical Center and was later transferred to Vanderbilt in Nashville for non-life-threatening injuries.
The grand jury also indicted 31-year-old Janice D. Harris on charges of possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia buying or possessing, third degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. The charges stem from an incident on March 15th when the Princeton Police Department reports that officers responded to a drug complaint at Highland Homes. Management told officers that an employee had witnessed a small baggie containing an unknown drug allegedly drop from Harris’ pocket. Officers were later able to determine the baggie contained methamphetamine. Harris was then taken into custody.
