Jury finds Taco Bell assistant manager guilty of assault

Published 9:23 am Thursday, April 10, 2008

By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – On Tuesday afternoon a jury convicted a local Taco Bell assistant general manager of kicking and assaulting a young woman while she lay in the streets of Dowagiac.
The manager was in her work uniform at the time and on her evening break.
And if pummeling the victim wasn't enough, the manager and her three accomplices then ripped the footwear off the victim, leaving her shoeless on the cold November streets of Dowagiac.
Testimony at trial established that on Nov. 5th, 2007, the defendant, Chauntell Joseph, was working the afternoon/evening shift at the local fast food eatery.
Sometime before 7 p.m. the defendant, who was cruising through town on her break, spotted her sister, Sharmia Joseph, beating up the victim at the intersection of Allen and Andrew streets.
The defendant immediately exited her car and entered the assault zone, with Ashanta Murff and a fourth female.
By this time the victim had been taken to the ground.
Testimony described the quartet as striking the victim with their feet about her head and body.
Evidence established that the defendant, still in her work uniform, kicked the victim repeatedly.
While being kicked, the victim held her hands over her head for protection.
After administering repeated blows to the victim, one of the women in the fray yelled to the others to remove the victim's shoes.
With the victim helpless on the ground, Joseph, Joseph, Murff and the fourth individual took her shoes and a sock off and left in a car with those items.
The victim then hobbled down the street until she reached a friend's house and called 911.
A short time later defendant Joseph was observed tossing the victim's shoes out of the car window.
Testimony established that the defendant then went back to work and finished her shift.
The attack was in apparent retaliation for an earlier verbal dispute involving Sharmia Joseph and a friend of the victim.
The victim had been present but did not take part in the earlier verbal dispute.
Dowagiac Police Officer Jarrid Bradford responded to the call and conducted the investigation.
The three-man, three-woman jury ultimately convicted defendant Chauntell Joseph of assault and battery and disturbing the peace.
The defendant will face up to 93 days in jail and up to $1,000 in fines.
The jurors found the defendant not guilty of a 93-day misdemeanor larceny involving the shoes.
Diab Rizk tried the case for the People.
Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz stated Wednesday, "The four of them ganged up and overwhelmed this young lady. It was pure cowardice. We are pleased that the jury held the defendant accountable."
Sentencing for Chauntell Joseph, 26, of Amerihost Drive, is set for April 25 in front of District Judge Paul Deats, who presided over the trial.
The defendant's sister, Sharmia Joseph, was previously convicted of assault and battery and disturbing the peace arising from this incident.
She is scheduled to be sentenced in front of Judge Deats on Friday, April 11.
Murff has an outstanding warrant for her involvement in this case.
The fourth female assailant remains unidentified.
Anyone aware of the identity of this person is asked to contact the Dowagiac Police Department.