Daily Corinthian E-Edition 022013

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Wednesday Feb. 20,

2013

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Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 44

Partly sunny Today

Tonight

45

28

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• Corinth, Mississippi • 24 pages • Two sections

Mother-daughter murder trial begins BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com

BOONEVILLE — Proceedings began Tuesday in the retrial of a Prentiss County woman accused of murder in the shooting death of her mother in 2010. Prosecutors described the crime as a deliberate murder in the course of an argument between the two women, while defense attorneys argued it was a tragic accident that happened during a struggle for a

“She never thought that the child she gave life to would be the one that would take her life.” Kimmi Kitchens Assistant District Attorney, Prentiss County weapon. A mistrial was declared last October in the first trial of Rebecca Lynn Jones after she fell ill following the second day of the trial and was hospitalized

in Alabama. She was later released from the hospital and ordered held without bond until the conclusion of her second trial. Jones was charged in the

May 2010 death of her mother, Jane Jones, who was shot twice at her home at 439 Highway 4 East, Booneville. A jury of seven men and seven women (including two

alternate jurors) was seated for the start of the new trial around 3 p.m. Tuesday after a daylong jury selection process. Assistant District Attorney Kimmi Kitchens told jurors in her opening statement Rebecca Jones had a lifelong problem with drug and alcohol abuse that led to problems in all of her relationships and caused her mother to have to step in and take control of land Please see TRIAL | 3A

Public records sought in case Police investigate where principal was dismissed second shooting BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

A local attorney has submitted a letter requesting public records from the Alcorn County School District. Attorney Joseph Wallace sent the letter to the Alcorn County Board of Education — in care of the board attorney — on Monday. Signed by eight parents of Alcorn Central Middle School students, the letter requests documents and records related to the investigation, suspension and termina-

tion of former Alcorn Central Middle School principal Dan Burcham. The letter also asks for all documents and records relating to any breach or potential breach of the privacy of ACMS students, whether or not such a breach of privacy is related to personnel decisions affecting the former principal. According to the request letter, the records should be released because their disclosure is of great public interest to the parents of ACMS children and

Center and was in the intensive care unit on Tuesday. Bacarra Hill, 26, of Johns Street, Corinth, turned himself in at the police department Tuesday morning. Dance said charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon are pending. The police department received a call of a shooting at the corner of Young and Proper shortly before 7:30 p.m., and officers arrived to

BY JEBB JOHNSTON

the broader community. “We anticipate several objections to the release of this information,” the letter states. “However, given the public interest demonstrated in this manner and the concern that students’ and parents’ rights or interests may be involved, both public policy and the law favor release of the hereinrequested records. In circumstances such as the present, parents’ rights and students’

jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

The Corinth Police Department has a suspect in custody with charges pending following a shooting at Proper and Young Streets Monday night. It is the second shooting in the city in a three-day period. Detective Capt. Ralph Dance said Andraea Stovall, 29, of Boyd Drive Apartments, Corinth, had three bullet wounds, including two in the chest and one in the arm. He underwent surgery at Magnolia Regional Health

Please see RECORDS | 3A

Please see SHOOTING | 3A

Tourism sponsors Farmington event BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

The Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board approved a $5,000 sponsorship for the Battle of Farmington Reenactment, slated for mid-Septemeber. Farmington Mayor Dale Fortenberry submitted the funding request at Tuesday’s meeting of the Tourism Board. At its beginning in 2007, the Farmington reenactment was produced by local volunteers. Only 40 reenactors participated, and all were from Mississippi. By last year the event had grown to include over 600 reenactors from 16 states, some traveling from as far away as Gettysburg and Fort Worth, Texas. “This year we believe we could have 1,200 to 1,500 reenactors,” said Fortenberry. The event is sponsored by the Blue-Gray Alliance, one of the largest living history groups. The Blue-Gray Alliance has pledged to make Farmington one of its yearly events. “The reason they want to come here, it’s not because the size of Farmington, but because a lot of their ancestors fought here in 1862,” said Fortenberry. All of the sponsorship money will be spent in advance on advertising and promotion for the event, the mayor said. The majority of the money will be spent locally, the only exception being the purchase of ads from the Civil War Courier and the Civil War News, the nation's two primary reenacting

publications. As in previous years, there will be no reenactors fee and no admission for the Farmington reenactment. “We don’t do this for the money,” said Fortenberry. “It’s for the history and heritage of our community.” A unique part of the Farmington reenactment is the emphasis put on its school days — the day-long events held for area schoolchildren. Last year approximately 2,200 students from grades 4 through 7 attended the two-day school days segment of the reenactment. “This year it looks like we’re going to three days,” said Fortenberry. “If we take all comers, we’ll have 3,000 kids over the three days.” In total, the event will include three days of school days and two days of reenactments. The major emphasized how much potential for growth the Farmington event has demonstrated — and how important the reenactment can be for the local economy. “You’d be surprised at how many people want to come here,” Fortenberry said. “The people will stay here, shop here.” Fortenberry said he can see the event quickly growing to draw 4,000 people a year to Alcorn County. “We haven’t even scratched the surface of what the Civil War could do in this area,” he said. (For more information visit www.battleoffarmington. com.)

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Corinth High School sophomore LeighAnn McClain talks with shelter volunteer Jacinda Byrom about ideas for the Art for the Shelter Project.

11 high school students commit to Art for the Shelter Project BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

Some local high school students are ready to go to work. Eleven students have committed to take part in the Art for the Shelter Project -- an idea to give the Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter a fresh look. Pupils received information packets Tuesday on the criteria for setting up projects come

Index Stocks......8A Classified......5B Comics......3B State......5A

March 1 in the CHS cafeteria. “I really love animals and I think the project would be a good way of brightening up the shelter,” said LeighAnn McClain, one of three CHS students taking part in the event. “It will be a good experience for everyone involved. McClain’s sophomore classmate Madison Bickert plans on using her art talents to help the

shelter. “I believe more people will show up to adopt animals when the shelter is fixed up more,” said Bickert, who plans on putting designs together for five of the rooms at the facility. “I might be over my head, but I have all kinds of ideas to go along with the theme.” Please see SHELTER | 6A

On this day in history 150 years ago

Weather....10A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....12A

Gen. Grant orders a battery of heavy guns to be placed on high ground overlooking the Mississippi River south of Vicksburg. The battery will make it difficult for Confederate vessels to ply the waters between Vicksburg and Port Hudson, further isolating these two remaining bastions on the river.

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