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Man Convicted of Murder, Manslaughter in Marengo Co.
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- A man has been convicted of murder and manslaughter in Marengo County.
Authorities say James Sheffield was found guilty of killing Charles Morrow, Jr. and his three-year-old son, Charles Morrow III. Both victims were found dead in their home after it was set on fire.
Sheffield will be sentenced December 10th.
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Former State Trooper Indicted in Perry Co. on Sex Abuse Charges
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This is CBS 8 News Across Alabama -- A former state trooper has been indicted in west Alabama on a charge of first-degree sex abuse.
Perry County District Attorney Michael Jackson says 31-year-old Kerry Horton of Selma was indicted after a woman complained that Horton drove her to a remote location in his state trooper car and fondled her.
Horton declined comment on the indictment Monday. But he gave investigators a statement last year saying the woman initiated the activity after a traffic stop.
A spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety says Horton was fired last year following the woman's complaint. If convicted, he faces one to 10 years in prison.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Perry Co. Residents Preparing for Five-Day "Obama Holiday"
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- There will be a countywide five-day holiday in Perry County honoring Pres. Obama.
The five-day event in Marion will feature dozens of activities, including a parade, a car show and a formal presidential ball.
The festivities begin Thursday evening with a meeting featuring Rev. Al Sharpton as the guest speaker. It ends Monday with a salute to veterans.
County officials say they hope to make the holiday an annual event on the weekend before the second Monday in November. Pres. Obama was elected a year ago this month.
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Selma City Leaders Consider Changing Youth Curfew
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Selma city leaders are considering whether to make changes to the city's youth curfew. City and Dallas County officials say amendments to the present curfew will to make it more fair and more firm.
City Council Pres. Geraldine Allen has proposed making changes to the city's curfew. The time of the curfew would change to start at midnight instead of 11 p.m. and would end at 5 a.m.
District Court Judge Bob Armstrong deals with juveniles on a daily basis.
"All the juvenile cases, delinquency, neglect and abuse, just out of control kids, they come through my court," Armstrong told CBS 8 News Thursday.
He says a properly enforced curfew could help improve public safety.
"There are statistics that show that if we have a curfew and those children aren't out we will reduce crime in the community," he said.
Many area residents like the sound of that.
"It's a small town, but look at our violent crime, our crime rate in this small town it's just too much and I think the curfew, when it comes along I think it will help out a lot, help our community, it will stop a lot of things that are going on," Selma resident John Perkins said.
The penalties for violators would also be amended to gradually increase with every offense.
The amended curfew could be voted on at the city council's next meeting.
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Selma Election Results
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- These are the final, unofficial results of the Selma city election, held Tuesday, Oct. 27. The bond issue will fund various repairs and improvements across the city. Voters are electing school board members for the first time. Each of those races will go to a runoff between the top two vote-getters on Dec. 8.
$12 Million Bond Issue
For 2,101 81%
Against 507 19%
Selma School Board Chairman
Anne Fitts 1,049 29%
Henry Hicks 959 26%
Coley Chestnut 642 18%
Ben Givan 515 14%
Kobi Little 401 11%
Barbara Hiouas 56 2%
Selma School Board Dist. 1
Holland Powell 539 49%
Roderick West 303 28%
Kirit Chapatwala 254 23%
Selma School Board Dist. 2
Brenda Obamanu 312 40%
Sunshine Alvarado 192 25%
James Terry, Jr. 176 23%
Velma Brewer 79 10%
Matricia Shannon 23 3%
Selma School Board Dist. 3
Frank Chestnut, Jr. 357 38%
Margaret Hardy 338 36%
David Cothran 237 25%
Selma School Board Dist. 4
Udo Ufomadu 345 46%
Debra Howard 295 39%
Frances Coles 117 15%
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Selma Voters to Elect School Board, Decide on Bond Issue
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Selma voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to support a $12 million bond proposal and to elect a school board.
Voters will choose a five-member school board made up of one chairperson and one member from each of four school districts.
Residents will also vote on whether to support the proposed bond issue. They can vote for or against the entire bond or decide among separate bond propositions.
Voters rejected a similar all-or-nothing bond last year.
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Update: Selma Shooting Victim Dies
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Selma police say the victim in Tuesday's shooting near GWC Homes, 22-year-old Byron Latimore, has died. Police say the investigation has now turned into a capital murder case.
Selma police say Kevin Moore and Jamien Brown have been arrested in the shooting investigation. The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday when police say two men drove up and opened fire into another car.
Latimore had been airlifted to Birmingham for treatment. Selma police will bring the body back for a forensic investigation.
Police say there may be other suspects in the murder. If you have any information, call Selma police at (334) 874-2125.
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Two Men Charged with Attempted Murder in Selma
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Two men are behind bars charged with attempted murder in Selma.
Police say Kevin Moore, 28, and Jamien Brown, 22, were arrested Tuesday afternoon for shooting a man in the head. It happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday near the GWC Homes.
Police say the two men drove up and opened fire into another car, critically injuring an unnamed victim who had to be airlifted to a Birmingham hospital for treatment.
If you can help with the investigation, call the Selma Police Dept. at (334) 874-2125.
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Was There a Riot at Concordia College in Selma?
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Selma police are investigating what some people call a riot at Concordia College.
It happened Saturday night when police say they found nearly 50 people involved in some sort of fight. They say most of the crowd ran away, and no arrests were made.
College officials say there was no riot. They say only two students were involved and everyone else was just watching.
Police say the fight may have started over a stolen t-shirt.
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New Figures Show Wilcox Co. Leads the State in Unemployment, at 25.6%
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Alabama's unemployment rate has jumped to 10.7%, while the rate in Wilcox County, at 25.6% again leads the state.
The figure reported Friday by the state Department of Industrial Relations is the highest since the state reached 10.9% in February 1984.
State Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees said he's disappointed the rate continued to rise in September, but the entire country is experiencing increases due to the recession.
The September rate was up from a revised August rate of 10.3%. It was nearly double the 5.4% Alabama recorded a year earlier.
Besides Wilcox County, the other counties with the highest rates are also in our area -- Dallas County at 21.1% and Perry County at 19.8%.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Madison at 7.5%, Shelby at 7.6% and Coffee at 8.5%.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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State Public Safety Director Hit by Suspected DUI Driver in Selma
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- A car driven by Alabama's public safety director was struck by another driver, who was arrested for driving under the influence while on his way to celebrate his birthday.
State Public Safety spokeswoman Martha Earnhardt said Col. Chris Murphy had been at the state trooper training academy in Selma on Tuesday to teach a class. He had just left Selma on U.S. 80 to return to Montgomery when a driver veered into his lane and struck his state car about 2:30 p.m.
Neither driver was injured, but she said the driver of the other vehicle, 64-year-old Willie James Williams of Selma, was arrested on charges of DUI and driving without liability insurance.
Earnhardt said Williams told troopers he was on his way to the White Hall gaming center to celebrate his birthday.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Update: White Hall Mayor Resigns after Pleading Guilty to Ethics Violation
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This is a CBS 8 News Update from the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- White Hall Mayor John Jackson submitted his resignation at an emergency meeting before city council Tuesday evening. Monday, he had been given
72 hours to resign after pleading guilty to violating the state ethics law.
His resignation will take effect Wednesday, which will end his nearly 30 years in office. Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Davis will take over, at least temporarily. The city council will have 60 days to name a permanent mayor.
Alabama Attorney General Troy King says Jackson broke the ethics law by depositing a check intended for the town of White Hall into his personal account.
King says Jackson is required to pay $43,609 in restitution to White Hall by November 20. On December 2, the court will consider the State's recommendation for a 12-month sentence, along with the defendant's application for probation.
Stay with CBS 8 News for updates on this story.
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Selma Police Identify Body Found in Creek
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A body found in a Selma creek has now been identified by police.
The body has been identified as that of 43-year-old Clyde Chandler. Police say Chandler was reported missing about 11 days ago.
His body was discovered around 6:30 Monday night behind the Steak Pit restaurant on Highland Drive. Police say an autopsy is underway at a forensics lab to determine the exact cause of death.
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Update: Quante Rice Convicted of Capital Murder in Selma
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- A jury in Selma has convicted a Georgia man of capital murder in a 2004 case and will hear evidence in the penalty phase of the trial. It could recommend the death penalty.
The jury convicted Quante Rice on Thursday in the shooting death of 37-year-old Morris Hatcher after deliberating for an hour. Hatcher was shot to death at a car wash in Selma. Police said Rice had arrived in a car stolen in the Atlanta area.
A witness identified Rice, who was from College Park, Ga., as the man who shot Hatcher.
In penalty phase opening arguments, prosecutor Shannon Lynch said it was "a gruesome and senseless crime so Quante Rice could have Morris Hatcher's Tahoe."
Defense attorney William Whatley said taking another life would not solve anything.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Testimony Begins in Quante Rice Murder Trial in Selma
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Testimony begins in a capital murder trial in Selma.
Quante Rice of Georgia is charged with shooting and killing Morris Hatcher at a Selma car wash during a robbery in 2005.
The state began presenting its case against Rice Tuesday morning after jury selection and opening statements were finished.
If convicted, Rice could face life in prison or the death penalty.
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New Unemployment Figures Show Wilcox, Dallas Counties Hard Hit
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From the CBS 8 West Alabama Newsroom -- Alabama's unemployment rate continues to rise, with Wilcox and Dallas counties again the hardest hit.
Wilcox County has the state's highest unemployment rate at 25.4%, followed by Dallas County at 21.3%.
Overall, The Alabama Department of Industrial Relations released statistics Friday showing the state's jobless rate rose to 10.4% in August. That matches a high last hit in 1984. It is up from 10.2% in July and it's higher than the comparable national unemployment rate of 9.7%.
The August rate represents more than 217,309 unemployed people in Alabama, and it's twice as high as the 5.2% unemployment in August just a year ago.
Shelby and Madison counties have the state's lowest unemployment rates, 7.6% each.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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