Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Witness tries to bribe man she accused

A Prescott woman who identified a would-be robber has now been charged for attempting to extort money from the accused.

Caradine Pearson, 56, 73 Hale Ave., told officers from the Prescott Police Department that shed witnessed Stephen Black, 18, 239 W. First St. N., as he tried to rob a man. Pearson identified Black as the man who had also tried to rob her.

Black was charged on July 17 with two counts of aggravated robbery, based in part on Pearsons testimony. Court records on file at the Nevada County Courthouse indicate that a relative of Black told police on June 10 that Pearson had called her home. According to the woman, Pearson said that she was not sure that Stephen Black was the one who tried to rob her. Pearson reportedly told the woman that she would drop the charges in return for $200.

The court records indicate that the woman saw Pearson again the following day.

Pearson told her if she would pay her about $150 for her pain and suffering, she would tell the police that she was wrong on who tried to rob her, the court records state.

The charge is listed as witness bribery.

Black was accused of telling an elderly man that his nieces apartment was on fire, then holding a gun on the man and demanding money once they were outside the mans home. He also reportedly demanded money from Pearson but she slammed the door in his face.