The case of a local man charged with attempted murder has been bound over to 22nd Judicial District Court, where a judge granted a request for the alleged victims to visit the man in jail.
Termain D. Yazzie, 20, faces multiple charges after allegedly attempting to shoot his grandparents Jan. 6 including attempted second-degree murder, felony menacing, prohibited use of a weapon and under aged consumption of alcohol.
In a hearing Thursday, Yazzies grandmother Elsie Green asked Chief Judge Douglas Walker for permission for her and her husband to visit Yazzie in jail, saying the man was never disrespectful to her before the alleged incident and she does not feel threatened by him.
Everybody that I have talked to has said he is remorseful, she said.
Walker granted the request saying visitation would be closely monitored.
According to a report filed by Cortez Police Department officers, the night of the alleged incident, Green told police that Yazzie pointed a handgun at her and pulled the trigger twice. She told police the gun misfired both times.
Green reportedly told police she thought to herself, Oh my God, how many more times is the gun just going to click?
Yazzie then reportedly ejected the magazine, removed the top cartridge and put the clip back into the gun. Green reportedly said she knew she was going to be shot but tried to remain calm because she had a bad knee and was unable to escape. The man left the room, she said, and a juvenile grandchild was able to call 911.
In a written report, a Cortez police officer stated he arrived at a residence in the 1300 block of Mesa Verde Street and was contacted by a juvenile witness who said Yazzie had a gun and was saying he was going to kill his grandparents.
On approaching the residence, the officer reported looking through the window and seeing an elderly woman sitting on a couch and hearing a male voice shouting multiple times, threatening to kill someone.
Officers reportedly burst into the residence and subdued Yazzie with multiple Taser strikes until he was able to be placed in handcuffs. A handgun pushed out of Yazzies hands had seven rounds in the magazine but none in the chamber.
Green reported Yazzie became angry at her for not letting him borrow her truck. She stated he did not have a drivers license. She said he threatened to kill her whole family, began throwing things, slammed doors and threatened to slit her throat. She alleged Yazzie also pointed the gun at his grandfather, Lester Green, during the incident and asked his grandfather to shoot him in the head.
A portable breath test on Yazzie resulted in a 0.14 blood alcohol content. In comparison, the legal driving limit is 0.08. While being booked into the Montezuma County Detention Center, he reportedly said he would kill himself and was placed on suicide watch.
Yazzie is being held on a $35,000 bond and awaits arraignment set for May 5.
The public defender did not return calls to the Journal seeking comment on Yazzies behalf.
Reach Reid Wright at reidw@cortezjournal.com