Scorned lovers appear in court

CHILTON - Three of the four women accused in a lovers' revenge plot were in court Monday.

Court documents show at the end of July the women conspired to lure Donessa Davis to a Stockbridge motel, where he was tied up. A criminal complaint against Therese Ziemann says she cut off Davis' underwear, and glued his genitals to his stomach.

A few days after the women were arrested, Davis was charged with child abuse, misdemeanor theft and harassment.

This case has been getting a lot of attention around the country. National media crews were in court Monday, though the women involved, did not give interviews.

Ziemann is facing charges of sexual assault, misdeameanor battery, and false imprisonment. The other two women in court today are facing a charge of false imprisonment. Ziemann appeared without an attorney, as did Wendy Sewell. Both women are in the process of getting attorneys, and will be back in court two weeks from today.

Michelle Belliveau is also charged in the case. She was in court Monday and will be back in court for a preliminary hearing next month.

None of the women stopped to talk with reporters after court. Belliveau's attorney, however, did answer a few questions, including one about his client's state of mind.

"She's very upset about the charges as you might well expect," said Ralph Sczygelski, Belliveau's defense attorney. "I don't think she got up that morning thinking that we're going to go do anything like this, and I think it's one of those things that she knew someone and things got out of hand and she's embarrassed by the whole thing. This is not what she planned to do with her life, at her age and her position."

The prosecutor in the case, Ken Kratz, did not comment today.

The alleged victim's wife, Tracy Hood - Davis is also facing a false imprisonment charge in the case. She is scheduled to be in court next week.