Friday April 17,
2015
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Daily Corinthian
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Vol. 119, No. 89
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • Two sections
Shooting victim remains critical Police chief describes shooter as white female in Ford pickup truck vehicle. A short time later, two individuals pulled up and fired one shot into Thomas’ vehicle.” According to Dance, the bullet struck Rogers in the left shoulder and exited through the right side of his neck. The bullet then grazed Morrison’s stomach. The victims left the Cass Street area heading to the hospital when Rogers lost control and wrecked his Mercury Grand Marquis sedan on U.S. 72 near Gaylean Road. “Two mystery good Samaritans stopped shortly after Rogers wrecked and carried the victims to the E.R.,” said Dance. Rogers was flown by air ambulance from Magnolia Region-
BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
A Corinth man remains hospitalized in critical condition from a gunshot wound while police continue the search for his shooter. Thomas Rogers, 25, of 701 Crater Street, was shot around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday while he and his friend, DeMichael Morrison, 25, of 1222 Johns Street, sat in Rogers’ parked car off Cass Street in the parking lot between McDonald’s and Belk. “Apparently, DeMichael was standing outside on his break at McDonald’s when he saw his friend, Thomas, parked in the neighboring parking lot,” said Corinth Police Chief Ralph Dance. “DeMichael went to visit with Thomas and got into the
Please see SHOOTING | 2A
Staff photo by Zack Steen
Shooting victims Thomas Rogers and DeMichael Morrison were headed to the hospital when Rogers lost control of his Mercury Grand Marquis sedan on U.S. 72 near Gaylean Road. Rogers remains in critical condition at Regional One Health in Memphis with a gunshot wound through the shoulder and neck.
Man pleads guilty to false pretense BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Colonel James “Jim” Howard Weaver is being remembered as someone who put the needs of others before his own.
Veteran always assisted other vets The retired U.S. Army veteran served his country for over 26 years. Weaver, 79, will be remembered for much more than just his service as he is laid to rest
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Colonel James “Jim” Howard Weaver was “Army Strong” long before the military branch adopted the recruiting slogan.
today. The former helicopter pilot, who died Sunday, April 12 at Sanctuary Hospice in Tupelo, leaves a lasting impression of Please see WEAVER | 2A
Alcorn County Circuit Court completed the March-April term last week with numerous guilty pleas going on the record. Among the term’s defendants was Ahmad Fryar of Ripley, who pleaded guilty to two counts of false pretense on April 2, according to court records. On Feb. 13, he pleaded guilty in Tippah County to one count of conspiracy and two counts of false pretense in an alleged scheme to con an elderly victim, according to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. In the Alcorn County case, Judge Thomas Gardner III sentenced Fryar to 10 years in custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with five years suspended, leaving five years to serve concurrent with the five years he will serve in the Tippah County case. He was ordered to pay restitution of $5,329.75 to the victim, a resident of Tiplersville. In the Tippah County case, the AG’s office said the victim believed she was helping the defendants after they contacted her and asked for money that they would repay after a lawsuit they pretended to by involved in was settled. Other pleas and sentences from the March-April term:
■ David Franklin Gurley, 20, fondling — Fifteen-year sentence with 12 years suspended, leaving three years to serve day-for-day, followed by five years probation and a $1,000 fine. Gurley must register as a sex offender, and the judge ordered him to have no contact with the victim. ■ Scottie Kelley, 35, sale of marijuana — Suspended three-year sentence, two years probation and a $500 fine ■ DeMichael Morrison, 25, sale of cocaine — Suspended eight-year sentence, three years probation and $1,000 fine ■ Daryl Alan Hopper, 29, possession of cocaine in a correctional facility — Suspended five-year sentence, four years probation and $1,000 fine ■ Timothy Dale Whitley, 52, DUI third offense — Five years house arrest, four years probation and $2,000 fine ■ Chris Hudson, 28, possession of a cell phone in jail — 15year suspended sentence, five years probation and $1,000 fine ■ Tommy Joe Driskell, 59, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell — One year house arrest, five years probation and $1,000 fine ■ Carl Edmond Rogers, mutilation of vehicle identification number — Suspended five-year sentence, three years probation and $1,000 fine
E911 dispatchers make sacrifices to help others BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Lilly Melson never knows what to expect when she comes to work. Neither do her fellow E911 dispatchers. The life of an E911 dispatcher is one of being ready for anything which might happen during a normal 12-hour shift. “Every day is something different,” said Melson. “You have to be prepared for whatever happens that particular day.”
“You have to love this type of job to do it,” added Alcorn County E911 Director Kim McCreless. “A dispatcher has to have a lot of compassion and make many sacrifices.” Local businesses combined to honor nine full-time, four parttime and four on-call dispatchers during National Public Safety Telecommunications Week on April 12-18. “We have a great team,” said McCreless. “All of them make a living by what they get and make
a life by what they give.” The second full week of April is always recognized as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. Dispatcher’s actions are consistently instrumental in saving lives. Over the last two weeks, their compassionate and composed talents have been on display during two shootings in Corinth. “It can get chaotic sometimes,” Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Please see 911 | 2A Alcorn County E911 Dispatcher Lilly Melson answers a call.
25 years ago
On this day in history 150 years ago
The Alcorn County Board of Supervisors officially designates April 30 as “John Darnell Day” in Alcorn County. The Corinth graduate was the starting quarterback for Ole Miss, which sent to the Liberty Bowl.
William T. Sherman and Joseph E. Johnston meet at the Bennett House in Durham Station, NC to discuss surrender terms. Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth takes refuge in a barn having been slowed by a broken leg.
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