 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Archives
11-20-2002 News
Wreck at Ivyton stretch results in
multiple injuries
Meth chemicals found last week in stolen vehicle
Sgt. Jacob Boswell and Dep. John Garrett sort through items taken Friday, Nov. 15 from a stolen car
By BECKY MEREDITH, OCN staff A routine traffic stop led to the arrest of two Clay County men on Friday, Nov. 15 after Sgt. Jacob Boswell, with Overton County Sheriff's Department, spotted some questionable items in the car. According to Sgt. Boswell, he pulled over a Pontiac Grand Am on Baptist Ridge Road because the car was travelling too fast. "I walked up to the vehicle and noticed some items in the floorboard that kind of got me to wondering,Ó Sgt. Boswell said. "I asked the gentleman for his driver's license. He didn't have a valid driver's license. He said it was suspended." Sgt. Boswell also noticed that the steering column of the car was Ôpunched'. The driver, a Clay County resident, identified himself to Sgt. Boswell as Richard Scott. "I then checked him for warrants out of Clay County, and he had active warrants out of Clay County. I went ahead and took him into custody," Sgt. Boswell said. A passenger in the vehicle, James Boles, of Clay County, was also apprehended. "We did an inventory search of the vehicle; that's when we located more components used in manufacturing (methamphetamine)," Sgt. Boswell confirmed. "Also in the vehicle was some jewelry and some tools." "The vehicle was in Violation of Registration. The tags on it were the wrong tags. The tags that actually came back to the vehicle were in the trunk. "The lady who owned the vehicle came up to the Sheriff's Department the next day. She went to Clay County first and took warrants on them down there for Joyriding. "Then she came up here and gave a statement that they weren't supposed to be in the vehicle, and they had taken it the same day as the traffic stop was. They had taken it from her residence while she was sleeping," Sgt. Boswell said. Scott had reportedly been working on the car for the owner, Sheila Bailey, prior to his alleged theft. Both Scott and Boles face Manufacturing charges, Sgt. Boswell reported. Scott is also charged with Theft. Other officers assisting in the case were Dep. Lucian Finch, Sheriff Bud Swallows, and a Clay County deputy who was dispatched to help Sgt. Boswell, as he was closer to the area than Overton County officers.
County will not run work release program By DEWAIN E. PEEK, OCN staff Overton County Legislative Body refused to set up a work release program for Overton County Sheriff's Department in action taken during the Tuesday, Nov. 12 regular monthly meeting. Sheriff Bud Swallows had asked the County Commission to consider a work release program. Work release is currently given by judges, with approval of the Sheriff's Department. Commissioner John Phillips asked County Attorney Daryl Colson, "As far as this work release program goes, if these people are out and they're on the job, if they leave work early and anything happens, is this a liability to the county? Since they are under arrest, is the county liable for their actions, whatever they do?" Colson said, "If the county were to implement a workhouse program, which is under state law, there is some theory which would expose the county to liability. As a general rule, the county would still have its immunity from suit, but there are factual circumstances that can arise. "For example, if we grant a work release to a person who has a propensity to violent behavior, and we should know that, then we could be exposed to liability if that person got a work release and then commits a crime." Colson went on to say, "As a general rule, the person's propensity to commit a crime has to be reasonably foreseeable by the governing agency that grants the work release program before the county incurs any liability." Colson informed the County Commission that certain criteria would have to be met before the county could have a work release program. "We have to declare the jail to be a workhouse, as opposed to just a jail. Once we declare it to be a workhouse, we have to create a board of workhouse commissioners, which consists of four people. "We would then have to create a commission to determine who is eligible and who will participate in the work release program. So, there's a couple of commissions that have to be created. "In addition, we have to have quarterly reports, we have to have reports to the sentencing judges, and we have to have an annual public hearing to determine that our work release program is being operated in accordance with the law." Commissioner Ben Danner asked about the cost. Colson said he did not know. Pay would have to be determined for the people serving on the commissions, and paperwork would have to be handled. Commissioner Gail Arney asked who would be able to employ inmates through the work release program. Colson said, "Those questions are to be considered by the board of workhouse commissioners. That's what that initial board will determine Ð what types of employment qualify, what types of proof are we going to require from employers. I would recommend workman's compensation. If a person gets hurt while out on the job and they don't have workman's compensation, and they come back to the jail, then the jail's going to have to provide medical treatment." According to Colson, the inmate or the employer would have to provide transportation. Commissioner Jean Moore asked why having a work release program was brought up. Sheriff Swallows said he had been asked about it, so he brought it to the County Commission for consideration. Commissioner Grant Pennington made a motion to leave it up to the judge to grant work release, to leave it as is and not try to do a workhouse. Commissioner Pennington said, "I think we would be asking for a liability that would come back to haunt us." The motion was approved unanimously. The second reading was approved of a resolution to strip law enforcement powers from constables of Overton County. Commissioner John Phillips was appointed to the E-911 Board to fill the unexpired term of Jimmy Johnson, who resigned. Commissioner Gail Arney was appointed to the Overton County Planning Commission as an additional member. The State Planning Commission had recommended having nine members instead of eight, according to County Executive Kenneth Copeland. The Overton County quarterly report and budget amendments were approved. The budget amendments were to use grant money for computers for the Election Commission, to use grant money for uniforms for the Sheriff's Department, and to give funds to Overton County Health Department as was supposed to have been placed in the budget. Revenue is running approximately 1 percent behind last year, and expenses are at the same level as last year, according to Budget Director Debra Maberry. Overton County School System quarterly report and
budget amendments were approved. Bond was approved for Director of Schools Bill Needham. Brandy Leann Sisco, Cara Dale, and Gary Smith were approved as notaries at-large. The meeting adjourned.
Teen murder case set for trial in April By ROBERT FORSMAN, court reporter The first degree murder trial of Kenneth Rich, 49, has been scheduled to begin April 29, 2003. Rich is charged with killing 17 year-old Greg Inman in December 2001. Rich allegedly shot Inman with a 12-gauge shotgun in the chest during a domestic altercation that ensued after Rich arrived at the residence of Inman's mother, Lillian Peters. Overton County Sheriff deputies had reportedly responded to domestic disputes at the residence on prior occasions. A 14 year-old reportedly shot Rich with a .410 shotgun while Rich and Peters were struggling after Inman was shot. Inman was transported by ambulance to Livingston Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Rich was airlifted by helicopter to the University of Tennessee trauma center and was later moved to a Department of Corrections special-needs prison, where he is currently being held, according to reports. Rich is represented by Public Defender Art Johnson. Assistant District Attorney Owen Burnett will prosecute the case. ADA Burnett said, "This is a standard first-degree murder case. It will not be prosecuted as life without parole."
Overton County News
|
Becky Meredith/OCN staff