Man gets year in jail for text messages

Sending cellphone text messages to his estranged wife cost a local man a year in jail after his wife produced a phone full of evidence.

The defendant, Darrell Hannah, was handed an 11-month, 29-day sentence by General Sessions Judge Larry Ross after he entered a guilty plea to the charge of harassment and allowed the court to set sentence. The sentence handed to Hannah was the maximum possible for the misdemeanor count which normally carries probation and a fine.

‘You were told not to have any contact with this victim,’ Judge Ross said.

Hannah was in court for allegedly abusing his wife, Michelle Hannah, who told police her husband hurt her after she tried to end their marriage.

‘I told him it was over,’ Mrs. Hannah said of the eight-year relationship.

Mrs. Hannah said her husband pushed her down and wrestled their car keys from her hand. Mr. Hannah has been bound to the grand jury on the domestic assault charge from the physical confrontation.

It was the allegation of abuse which prompted the judge to warn Mr. Hannah to have no contact with his estranged wife before his trial. However, while entering his plea agreement to the harassment, he admitted to texting his wife on her cellphone.

His wife showed the court 15 text messages she had received from her husband, all after he was warned to leave his wife alone. In addition to his texts, Mr. Hannah sent his wife a picture of his new girlfriend.

In his defense, Mr. Hannah said his wife had texted him first and that he was responding to her communication. His excuse, however, was rejected by Judge Ross who said it did not matter if she contacted him first, noting Hannah should not have responded.