In a courtroom in Blytheville, Arkansas, a jury delivered not‑guilty verdicts for defendant Malek Merriweather on two serious charges. The jury’s decision, recorded on signed verdict forms filed in Mississippi County Circuit Court, clears Merriweather of aggravated robbery and third‑degree battery.
Verdict details
The jury considered three possible outcomes for the aggravated robbery charge: guilty of aggravated robbery, guilty of robbery, or not guilty. The foreperson signed the not‑guilty line, leaving the other two options blank. A separate form for third‑degree battery shows the same result, with the foreperson’s signature beneath the not‑guilty finding and the guilty line left empty.
Charges and classifications
Aggravated robbery, the most serious allegation, is classified as a Class Y felony in Arkansas. Third‑degree battery is a Class A misdemeanor. The case also listed a carrying‑a‑weapon charge, another Class A misdemeanor, but the jury’s verdict forms did not address that charge, and its disposition was not entered in the public docket at the time of review.
Case background
The case was filed on January 8, 2026, and cites an alleged offense date of October 2, 2025. Court records identify John Henderson Bradley as Merriweather’s defense attorney. The online court summary continued to show the case as open with blank disposition fields, but the signed verdict forms confirm the jury’s not‑guilty findings on the two primary charges.
Legal principle
As always, suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The jury’s decision reflects that principle, concluding that the evidence presented did not meet the burden of proof required for conviction on the aggravated robbery and battery counts.
Next steps
The carrying‑a‑weapon charge remains unresolved in the public record. Interested parties should monitor future docket updates for any disposition on that charge. For now, Merriweather walks free of the aggravated robbery and battery accusations.
All court filings are publicly accessible through the Mississippi County Circuit Court’s online portal.
Original reporting: NEA Report (Jonesboro) — read the source article.
