|
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.

E-mail us
|