Defendants in Pleasant Valley shooting plead not guilty

Michael Wells

Michael Shivers

Darrell Jones

Jeremiha Hatten

James Davis Jr.

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Michael Wells

Michael Shivers

Darrell Jones

Jeremiha Hatten

James Davis Jr.

1 / 5

The five men charged in the June 16 shooting in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood that left two men dead have pleaded not guilty to each of their two second-degree murder charges.

These defend­ants have submitted their written arraign­ments in recent Nov­em­ber and Dec­ember weeks, the most recent one filed Tuesday:

• James C. Davis Jr., 35, of Fort Dodge.

• Jeremiha R. Hatten, 22, of Fort Dodge.

• Darrell L. Jones, 23, of Fort Dodge.

• Michael J. Shivers, 55, of Eagle Grove.

• Michael J. Wells, 33, of Fort Dodge.

All except Hatten have also pleaded not guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony. Hatten was not charged with that offense.

Two Fort Dodge men, 25-year-old Jamael Cox and 47-year-old Tyrone Cunningham, were killed in a volley of bullets in the early morning hours of June 16 as an altercation followed a celebration of life gathering in the neighborhood. Two others were injured but survived: Marissa Andrews of Fort Dodge, 21, and Jayne Bartrom of Wesley, 30.

The men were charged Nov. 10 after a five-month investigation involving several law enforcement agencies in and out of Webster County.