Wednesday June 12,
2013
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 139
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 22 pages • Two sections
Mississippi Supreme Court denies Whitaker BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Mississippi Supreme Court has declined to hear an Alcorn County man’s challenge to his aggravated assault and burglary convictions. Last August, the Mississippi Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of Timmy Dale Whitaker that occurred in Alcorn County Circuit Court in November 2010. The Court
of Appeals in March rejected a motion by Whitaker to have the case reheard. Whitaker, 49, unsuccessfully argued that the circuit court should have declared a mistrial because of comments made by members of the jury pool; that his right to a speedy trial was violated; that the court should have suppressed the statement he made to investigators while under the influence of narcot-
ics; and that the jury’s verdict was against the weight of evidence. He argued that three prospective jurors tainted the panel — one who said he had been sued by Whitaker and had put the defendant in jail, another that was a long associate of the family, and a third who was a jail administrator while Whitaker was incarcerated for an unrelated crime.
According to court records, 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 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.
Mission Mississippi journeying 82 in 82 BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Mission Mississippi is letting its light shine for Jesus all across the state. To celebrate its 20 years of unifying the Body of Christ throughout the state, Mission Mississippi is embarking on an 82-day journey called Mississippi Glowing for Christ. A six-foot cross that is battery operated is set to make a stop in all 82 counties with a Celebration Service held in each of the counties. A pair of services will be held in the Corinth area on Sept. 22. An
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Tameron Patterson takes part in the “Rock the Belt” activity.
B&G Club members learn vehicle safety BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Teenagers have a choice and a voice when it comes to their vehicle safety. DREAM, Inc. provided members of the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Mississippi the tools necessary to stay safe when traveling in a motorized vehicle. “Motor vehicles crashes are the leading cause of deaths for teens age 16-19,” said Youth Programs Director Tawni Basden. “We are trying to reach
teenagers during the summer because this is the most dangerous time for them.” Club members got the chance to take part in several activities such as the proper way to buckle their seat beats, a demonstration on the dangers of drinking and driving along with the risks of texting while driving. “We want to educate you to make good decisions while on the highway,” said Basden, who was accompanied in the demonstration by co-workers
De'Marco Fomby and Alex Cantrell. DREAM, Inc. is under the auspices of the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety and had been doing the Youth Highway Safety Program since 2011. “It's important to buckle up and make sure everyone else in the car is also,” said Fomby. Fomby, Youth Programs Specialist, timed eight members during the “Rock the Belt” activity. The competitive event Please see SAFETY | 3A
11 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. service is scheduled locally. The cross makes its first appearance in the region on Sept. 21 in Iuka with a 7 p.m. service. A Booneville event is slated for 7 p.m. on Sept. 23. A Celebration Service includes prayer for the county, a Mission Mississippi moment, testimony from FCA and other elements planned by countyled volunteer groups. The celebration journey begins Aug. 7 on the steps of the State Capitol Building. Selected Please see MISSION | 3A
Corinth School District acts on faculty changes BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth School District trustees acted on several staff resignations and hiring recommendations in a brief open session on Monday. Resignations before the board included the Corinth Middle School principal, Charles Beene. Resigning teachers include Deborah Letson, math teacher at Corinth High School; Angela Pounders, an assistant teacher at Corinth Elementary School; and Valeria Weatherly, a teacher at CES. For Corinth Elementary, the board approved rec-
ommended hires including Deborah McKenzie, dyslexia interventionist; Breonica Carter, teacher; and Molly Sims Haynes, speech pathologist. Hires for Corinth High School include Jennifer LeGoff, gifted art; Sarah Beth Alexander, English; Sabrina Hyde, English; Candida Hancock, math; and Misty Starr Tucker, science. The board also approved 41 summer camp workers. The board approved a oneyear leave for Lesley Bain, Corinth Middle School librarPlease see SCHOOL | 3A
‘Raise the Roof’ Fundraiser will help provide animal shelter with cover BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter is teaming with the Elks Lodge in a fundraiser to provide a new roof for the local shelter. Tickets are now on sale for Raise the Roof, coming June 29 at the Elks Club. The fundraiser will feature food, fun and music — and all for a good cause. “We’re in desperate need of a new roof,” said Elizabeth DeGraffen, the shelter volunteer in charge of fundraising. “There are several places that need replacing really bad.” Once the money is raised,
the shelter administration plans to install a new tin roof that will extend past the east side of the building over the dog run area, the fenced-in plot of land where the shelter’s canine inhabitants take their daily exercise. Shelter director Charlotte Doehner said the facility has come a long way in recent months. A group of high school students volunteered their time and talents to decorate the interior of the shelter with artwork, and a large donation recently provided for new windows in the shelter building. Please see ROOF | 3A
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
Sandy, a female mixed Lab, joins Animal Shelter volunteers Phyllis Driver and Elizabeth DeGraffen by the dog run area. The upcoming Raise the Roof fundraiser is seeking to provide a new roof for the shelter that will extend over the dog run and provide some shade for the exercising canines.
Index Stocks......9A Classified......6B Comics......3B State......6A
On this day in history 150 years ago
Weather....10A Obituaries...... 7A Opinion......4A Sports....12A
The Army of Northern Virginia is on the march. One of Lee’s corps crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains and enters the Shenandoah Valley with the others prepared to follow. A small Union garrison in Berryville, Va., manages to escape and avoid capture.
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