Daily Corinthian E-Edition 080912

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Thursday August 9,

2012

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 191

T-storms Today

Tonight

93

71

• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • One section

Court upholds Whitaker conviction BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

The Mississippi Court of Appeals this week upheld an aggravated assault and burglary conviction that occurred in Alcorn County Circuit Court. Timmy Dale Whitaker, 48, challenged the November 2010 convictions, which carried a sentence of 25 years on the burglary of a dwelling charge and 20 years on the aggravated assault charge, running consecutively. He was sentenced as a habitual offender without eligibility for parole or probation

and fined $10,000. The victim in the case was beaten and died several months after the crime. The Court of Appeals in a decision handed down Tuesday did not agree with Whitaker’s assertion that the circuit court erred in denying a mistrial following comments made by prospective jurors during questioning of potential jurors; that his right to a speedy trial was violated; that the court erred by not suppressing the statement he made to investigators while under the influence of narcotics; and that the jury’s verdict

was against the weight of evidence. Whitaker argued the jury panel was tainted by comments during voir dire by three prospective jurors who were dismissed for cause — one who said he had jailed Whitaker and been sued by Whitaker, one who was a former correctional officer and a lifelong associate of the Whitaker family, and one who was a jail administrator while Whitaker was incarcerated for an unrelated crime. On the question of a speedy trial, the Court of Appeals

found that Whitaker did not raise the issue until 595 days after arraignment, outside the 270-day time frame to raise the violation. The court noted continuances requested by Whitaker delayed the trial by 216 days. According to the court opinion, on Aug. 5, 2008, Whitaker drove Samuel Patterson Jr. and William Danny Whitaker to the home of William Clark after they picked up a crowbar and a pipe from Patterson’s workplace. Whitaker dropped off the two at Clark’s trailer, where they broke in and severely beat

Fair lines up Eagles tribute band

ACES has big first day

BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

The first day was a crowded one at Alcorn Central Elementary School. Close to 120 kindergarten students showed up for their first official school experience. The huge number meant that the four kindergarten classes at the school will contain an average of 30 children until a new teacher arrives Friday. “Our enrollment is at 511 with 116 of those being kindergarten students,â€? said ACES Principal Tonya Farris. “It has been an exciting day and all our teachers have worked so hard to get ready.â€? Farris expects more kindergarten students to arrive next week. That could push the average of 23 — when the new teacher begins — to a higher number. “There are all kind of mixed emotions the first day,â€? said kindergarten teacher Kim Kirkland. “We have had to squeeze 7-8 per table ‌ right now we are going over rules and regulations and making sure they are comfortable and loved.â€? Maria Shipman's class was in search of the Gingerbread Man on day one. Please see ACES | 13

the man, taking his wallet with several hundred dollars and his telephone so that he could not call for help. Timmy Whitaker picked up the two 20 minutes after dropping them off. Clark was found the next morning by his daughter. He was treated at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis and later released. He died on Nov. 8, 2008. The case was tried before Judge Thomas Gardner III. Whitaker is incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary.

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Organizers of the Alcorn County Fair are taking the event to the limit. “Take it to the Limit� — an Eagles Concert Tribute Band — has been booked as the fair's finale on Sept. 15 at Crossroads Arena. “We really wanted to have a concert last year,� said fair committee member Sandy Mitchell. “This gives a way to reach some people who don't normally come to the fair and the group is really excited about coming.� “Take it to the Limit� performs four nights a week in Branson, Missouri. Voted Branson's Group of the Year, the band is one of the most popular in the vacation town. “This kind of fell in our lap,� said committee chairman Chris Porterfield. “A local businessman contacted us about bringing the band in for the final night.� Sponsored by Big A Auto Sales, the concert is set for 8-10 p.m. Tickets go on sale next week at the arena box office. The $22 tickets can also be purchased on the arena website. “It's a Branson show, so you know it's going to be

McCaden Rhoads gets ready to use his scissors on a cutting activity.

Please see FAIR | 2

Marsh attends national 55 graduate from county work center leadership conference BY BOBBY J. SMITH

bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

A local youth leader recently attended a national leadership conference in Orlando, Fla. Corinth’s Kala Marsh was one of approximately 430 youth service club leaders who earned the opportunity to take part in the Modern Woodmen of America’s Merit Club Leadership Conference. While in Orlando, Marsh attended educational and motivational workshop sessions, networked with other club leaders and gained new ideas for leading volunteer activities for kids. She was accompanied by her husband, Jonathan, and their two children, Bryant, 12,

and Dacy Kate, 7. “The conference was held to inform us, to motivate us and help us get new ideas for community service and working with youth in our area,� Marsh said. During their time in Orlando, the Modern Woodmen youth leader attended a private screening of IllumiNation at Epcot Center and completed a service project. They stuffed 500 teddy bears for the children’s hospital in Atlanta, dressed the bears in Modern Woodmen T-shirts and wrote positive notes to go with the bears to the hospital’s young patients, many of whom are terminally ill. Please see MARSH | 2

The Alcorn County Community Work Center recently completed its first Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program with 55 graduates. “The purpose is to make a difference in the lives of incarcerated individuals so that when they get out you wouldn’t mind them living next door to you,� explained Program Coordinator Barbara Ware. The six-month program began in February. Class members attended classes every day and worked with Mississippi Correctional Management facilitators. They also received credit for participating in an interactive journal program. The inspiration for the program came from Irb Benjamin, president and CEO of Missis-

Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11

sippi Correctional Management Inc. According to program of-

ficials, the Alcohol and Drug Please see GRADUATION | 2

On this day in history 150 years ago

Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports........8

MEDISTAT CLINIC

Submitted photo

Fifty-five graduates recently completed the Alcorn County Community Work Center Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program.

During the Battle of Cedar Mountain in Virginia, “Stonewall� Jackson turns a near defeat into a victory over a small Union force from John Pope’s Army of Virginia. Pope halts his movement southward, allowing Gen. Lee to rush reinforcements into the region.

A minor medical walk-in clinic and diabetes management

clinic located adjacent to Magnolia Regional Health Center in the Doctor’s Plaza.

Amanda Ham, NP & William Ross, MD

MEDISTAT CLINIC

(662) 286-1499

"MDPSO %S 4VJUF $PSJOUI .4 t )PVST BN o QN .POEBZ 'SJEBZ (closed for lunch 2-3pm)


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