THURSDAY, MAY 15th, 2008 
P.M. UPDATE
Reported by Chuck Vipperman & Jack Garrett

Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor at this morning's observance.

(CHATHAM) -- TODAY IS "NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY," AND A LOCAL MEMORIAL WAS HELD THIS MORNING AT THE SHERIFF'S COURTYARD.  THE SERVICE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE 8 PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY OFFICERS WHO HAVE DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY OVER THE PAST 80 YEARS.  SENATOR ROBERT HURT (R-CHATHAM), THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, SAID HE WAS PROUD TO HAVE KNOWN TWO OF THE MEN BEING REMEMBERED -- FRANKIE BETTERTON AND TERRY BARKER.  HE SAID THE GRANITE MONUMENTS IN THE COURTYARD SERVES AS A LASTING REMINDER OF THE SACRIFICE MADE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  THIS IS THE 6th YEAR THE SERVICE HAS BEEN HELD IN CHATHAM.

THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT KENNEDY IN 1962.  THIS WEEK IS ALSO KNOWN AS "POLICE WEEK."

(NORFOLK) -- THE LEGAL BATTLE BETWEEN DAN RIVER, INC. (DRI)  AND ITS CREDITORS CONTINUES.  HOME TEXTILES TODAY REPORTS THAT OFF-SHORE MILLS CLAIM THE DANVILLE-BASED TEXTILE COMPANY OWES THEM $30-MILLION FOR MERCHANDISE, AND PORT AUTHORITIES IN NORFOLK ARE DEMANDING $2-MILLION IN DOCK FEES.  THE FIGHT IS OVER MONEY AND OWNERSHIP OF THE PRODUCTS, WHICH INCLUDE BED-IN-A-BAG, TOWELS AND COMFORTERS.  

DRI FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION APRIL 20th AND, SINCE THEN, A GROUP OF PAKISTANI MILLS HAS FILED SUIT, CLAIMING SOME OF THE GOODS INVOICED TO DAN RIVER WERE ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER GHCL DIVISIONS NOT IN BANKRUPTCY.  GHCL IS THE INDIA SODA ASH MAKER THAT IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF DRI.  A BANKRUPTCY JUDGE HAS RULED THAT 71 OF THE CONTAINERS BOGGED DOWN IN PORTS BELONG TO DAN RIVER AND HAS GIVEN THE COMPANY TIME TO ATTEMPT TO PAY ALL FEES TO HAVE THEM RELEASED.  ABOUT $6. 3-MILLION WORTH OF GOODS ARE CURRENTLY STUCK IN NORFOLK PORTS.

Scene of this morning's accident at the intersection of U. S. 29 & Snakepath Road, near the Chatham Middle School.

(DRY FORK) -- STATE POLICE SAY A MEDICAL CONDITION MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A SINGLE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT THAT DELAYED TRAFFIC ON U. S. 29 NEAR CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS MORNING.  ROBERT LANE, 68, WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON 29 AROUND 10:15 WHEN HIS MAZDA RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, STRUCK A DITCH AND OVERTURNED -- TOTALING THE VEHICLE.  LANE WAS TAKEN FROM THE SCENE BY HELICOPTER TO LYNCHBURG GENERAL HOSPITAL WHERE HE IS LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION AND IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER.  NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED.  

(GRETNA) -- AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE BODY FOUND ON ROCKFORD SCHOOL ROAD WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS DEREK LAMONT WILLIAMS, 23, OF LYNCHBURG.  A MOTORIST SPOTTED THE BODY LYING BY THE ROAD AROUND 10:15.   PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE TAYLOR SAYS THERE WERE NO WOUNDS ON THE BODY AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT HE DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES,  BUT THEY ARE NOT YET CALLING THIS A HOMICIDE.  AUTOPSY RESULTS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY.  DEPUTIES AND THE ASSISTANT COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY SPENT MUCH OF TODAY AT THE SCENE GATHERING EVIDENCE AND TALKING TO ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE INFORMATION ON THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH.

(DANVILLE) -- A 13-YEAR OLD DANVILLE YOUTH IS IN CUSTODY, CHARGED WITH ROBBING THE PINEY FOREST ROAD EXXON WITH A RIFLE AROUND MIDNIGHT THURSDAY MORNING.  POLICE LT. SCOTT EANES SAYS THE STORE’S SURVEILLANCE CAMERA CAUGHT THE INCIDENT ON TAPE SHOWING THE YOUTH TAKING AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF CASH.  AN OFF-DUTY OFFICER SPOTTED THE ROBBER LEAVING THE STORE ON A BIKE AND USED A K-9 UNIT TO TRACK HIM TO THE NEARBY WOODSIDE VILLAGE APARTMENTS.  HIS NAME IS NOT BEING RELEASED, BECAUSE OF HIS AGE.

(DANVILLE) -- THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RELEASED THE ABOVE SURVEILLANCE PHOTO OF THE TWO WHO ARE SUSPECTED OF SNATCHING A PURSE IN THE WAL-MART PARKING LOT ON MAY 7th.  THE VICTIM REPORTED SHE WAS GETTING INTO HER VEHICLE AROUND 10pm WHEN SOMEONE GRABBED HER PURSE, PULLING HER OVER A SHOPPING CART AND ONTO THE PAVEMENT IN THE PROCESS.  SHE WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE FOR MINOR ABRASIONS BY THE DANVILLE LIFESAVING CREW.  TWO TALL BLACK MALES OF SLENDER BUILD, DESCRIBED AS BEING IN THEIR EARLY 20s AND WEARING DARK-COLORED HOODIES, WERE SEEN FLEEING THE SCENE IN A DARK GREEN DODGE NEON.  ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF THE SUSPECTS IS ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE DANVILLE CRIMESTOPPERS AT 793-0000.

TO SEE THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE ACTUAL CRIME, CLICK HERE: http://danville-va.gov/upload/images/Police/Wal-Mart%20Video.wmv http://danville-va.gov/upload/images/Police/Wal-Mart%20Video.wmv

(GRETNA) -- TWO WEEKS AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY MAKING MACHINE GUNS IN HIS HOUSE, A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS ORDERED A PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION FOR JACK RANDOLPH SCOTT, 64.  THE EXAM WILL DETERMINE IF HE IS A DANGER TO HIMSELF OR TO OTHERS.  SCOTT IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND ON MULTIPLE CHARGES.    PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE TAYLOR SAYS AGENTS UNCOVERED PLENTY OF EVIDENCE INSIDE SCOTT’S HOUSE WHEN THEY MADE AN ARREST LATE LAST MONTH.  

(LYNCHBURG) -- TODAY IS THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF REV. JERRY FALWELL.  NO FORMAL SERVICE WAS PLANNED, BUT THE FAMILY SAID THEY WOULD SET ASIDE SOME TIME TO VISIT THE GRAVESITE AND REMEMBER FALWELL, THE FOUNDER OF THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH AND LIBERTY UNIVERSITY.  FALWELL WAS FOUND SLUMPED OVER HIS DESK IN HIS OFFICE LAST MAY 15th AND WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD WITHIN TWO HOURS.  HE WAS 73.

(RICHMOND) -- LAWYERS FOR VIRGINIA DEATH ROW INMATE --  CHRISTOPHER SCOTT EMMETT (pictured) -- AND THE STATE SAY THEY MAY BE OPEN TO SETTLING A LAWSUIT BY AGREEING TO A REVISED METHOD OF LETHAL INJECTION.  THE POSSIBILITY WAS RAISED WEDNESDAY BY A JUDGE DURING ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE 4th U. S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS.

EMMETT CLAIMS VIRGINIA'S PROTOCOL IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE IT DOES NOT ALLOW A SECOND DOSE OF ANESTHESIA IF THE FIRST ONE DOES NOT APPEAR TO B ENOUGH.  JUDGE DENNIS SHEDD ASKED EMMETT'S LAWYER MATTHEW HELLMAN IF HE WOULD DROP THE CASE IF THE STATE AGREED TO A METHOD EMMETT CONSIDERS CONSTITUTIONAL AND EFFECTIVE.  THE LAWYER AND RICHARD VORHIS OF THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SAID THEY WOULD CONSIDER SUCH A SOLUTION.  THIS IS THE FIRST LETHAL INJECTION CHALLENGE HEARD BY A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT SINCE LAST MONTH'S U. S. SUPREME COURT CASE UPHOLDING KENTUCKY'S PROCEDURE.

EMMETT WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR THE 2001 BLUDGEONING DEATH OF A CO-WORKER IN A DANVILLE MOTEL ROOM.  HE BEAT THE VICTIM TO DEATH WITH A LAMP, ROBBED HIM AND USED THE MONEY TO BUY CRACK COCAINE.

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