CMYK U.S. says it has pursued Polanski for decades
Bank suspends activity with ACORN
Cougars prep for grid classic with HMS
World News, Page 3A
Business & Farm, Page 5A
Sports, Page 1B TUESDAY, September 29, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 228
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
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Candidate’s criminal past arises Council hopeful West’s Fla. drug term over, voting and office-holding rights restored By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
A candidate for the City Council said he does not believe his having felony convictions in Florida will impact his ability to help govern Henderson if elected to the eight-member panel on Tuesday. At the same time, the candidate, Lowell West Jr., when asked by the Dispatch on Monday about whether the electorate would give him a second chance, replied, “I doubt it. I mean, if somebody is
not going to vote for me for that, then they weren’t going to vote for me anyway.” West was West asked by the Dispatch whether he would have any concerns about being able to vote on matters involving law enforcement and on the budget, which involves funding the Police Department. “I’m pro-law enforcement,” West replied. In April 2003, West was
sentenced for attempted armed trafficking of more than 400 grams worth of cocaine and carrying a concealed firearm in Lee County, Fla., whose seat is Fort Myers. A charge of conspiracy to traffic illegal drugs was dropped. West received a five-year prison sentence, which was suspended, but he had to serve 364 days in jail, with 50 days of credit for time already served behind bars. And West had to serve four years of probation. Court records available on-line show that West
was ordered to pay $665 and owes $140. West told the Dispatch the court record is incorrect because he had to pay what he owed as a condition of being placed on probation. West and another man, Vincent Shearin, were arrested in October 2002 as a result of an undercover sting in Lee County. Arrest reports at the time said investigators, posing as illegal drug dealers, met West and Shearin in a parking lot, where Please see WEST, page 4A
Phillp Wayne Coley
Pair swindles local seniors Duo claims to be relatives of victims, ask for money to get disabled vehicle towed By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
Calm after the storm
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Skies begin to clear enough to glimpse the setting sun after heavy rains and storms moved through the area early Monday night. With clearing skies, autumn weather moves into the area as temperatures will be in the mid-70s for the next few days.
Pedestrians jump on, and off, moving vehicle
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-5B Football Contest. . 6-7B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 8B Classifieds. . . . . . 9-12B
Weather Today Clearing High: 73 Low: 48
Wednesday Warmer High: 75 Low: 50
By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
A driver told police two male pedestrians jumped on, and then fell off of, the back of the 2001 Chevrolet he was driving on Lamb Street Sunday when it stopped near Wood Street. According to an investigation report, neither Dakoth James Kittrell, 20, of 132 Lydia Lane, nor his two uninvited passengers were seriously injured in the accident which oc-
Deaths Henderson Beatrice H. Brame Pearl J. Parham, 73 Raymond B. Stevenson, 69 Oxford Louise W. Bibby, 88 Ridgeway Barbara I. Bender, 71 Warrenton Willie M. Turner, 85
Obituaries, 4A
20 mph in a 35 mph speed zone. Speed at “impact” was said to have been 10 mph. No charges were placed against the operator. The report also did not list any charges against Davis and Batchelor. The Chevrolet, which was not damaged, is owned by Vera Luann Kittrell of the same address as the driver. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.
Detectives are looking for a man and a woman suspected of taking money under false pretenses from half a dozen = local senior citizens as old as 93. Phillip Wayne Coley, 37, and Tammy Dawn Moore, 34, are alleged to have claimed to be related to the victims, and to need money to pay a wrecker service to tow their vehicle stranded on the side of a road. According to Lt. C.O. Pulley of the Henderson Police Department’s Investigations Division, six felony warrants have been taken out for each of the fugitives. He said all of the thefts occurred within the last two weeks. Estimated money stolen in each incident ranged from $80 to $150. The pair have been seen driving a red 1997 Nissan Pathfinder bearing N.C. Registration XWH-2415. Coley was described as white, 5-foot 9, weighing
185, with brown hair and brown eyes. He is blind in his left eye and has “LOVE” tattooed over the fingers of his left hand. Coley might attempt to alter his appearance by changing the length of his hair. Moore is white, 5-foot 6, weighing 145 pounds, with black hair and blue eyes. She has recently dyed her hair black and might be trying to alter her appearance. Moore has a rose tattoo on her left shoulder. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact the Henderson Police Department at 438-4141 or Detective Kendall Riddick at 430-2151. Callers can also reach Crime Stoppers at 252492-1925. Tipsters will remain anonymous. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the offenses. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.
Photo/HPD
A pair of local fraud suspects reportedly drive a red Nissan Pathfinder similar to this vehicle shown above. The duo reportedly tricks victims into believing they are relatives of the scammed person, and in need of cash to tow the allegedly disabled vehicle.
Chief asks city to put its trust in police By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Details, 3A
curred at 6:27 p.m. The pair were identified as Tracy Davis Jr., 11, of 611 Breckenridge St. and Cayton Batchelor, no age given, of 252 Lowry St. The investigator, Officer R.E. Wiggins, reported that neither pedestrian was taken to a hospital by EMS. The report did not state how far the Chevrolet traveled while the two people were on the back of the vehicle. It did estimate that the car was initially traveling
Tammy Dawn Moore
Police Chief Keith Sidwell on Monday evening told the City Council that Henderson needs to unite to help officers fight crime and additionally had a statement for critics he said would use words like “brutality,” “harassment” and “racism.” “And I will tell you that those that come into this council meeting and speak with you — you hear one side of the story,” Sidwell said, not naming names. “And those statements are meant to inflame, not to inform,” Sidwell added. “And every person sitting here is intelligent and knows that there are two sides to every story.” Sidwell made his comments at a Council Public
Safety Committee meeting, which was folded in with a work session following a council meeting. The Sidwell council met for a total of nearly four hours. “Every complaint that comes through our department is aggressively investigated,” Sidwell said. “And I have policies and procedures in place to deal with anyone that would do wrong. “And if you don’t believe it, walk over there (to the police station) and ask anybody that works for me and ask ‘em how heavy my hand is. It is fair, but it is heavy because I will only tolerate good police officers,” Sidwell said. “We have police officers
here that I would put up against anybody in this state,” Sidwell said, noting the officers want to work in Henderson because they believe in the city. “Now, the detractors that would come and try to use smoke and mirrors and thwart our efforts for reducing crime in this community — all I can say to them is, ‘Pick a side’,” Sidwell said. “If you want this community to be the place where you want to raise your children and your grandchildren and stay here, then work with me. Work with me,” Sidwell said. Sidwell added that when he reads police reports every morning, “I never once look at race. I read the body of the report and see what the reasonable suspicion or probable cause is for that
officer taking the action that they did.” And Sidwell said he next determines whether the officer followed departmental procedure. “Once all that is done, there’s nothing to talk about,” Sidwell said. “It’s simply at the end of the day somebody that broke the law and the officer did his or her job. It’s that simple. “And anyone that would cloud issues with anything else is hurting our community,” Sidwell added. “We’ve got everything here. It’s all in place,” Sidwell said, a reference to Interstate 85, the city being along a proposed high-speed railway route and proximity to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. “What’s holding us back? Ourselves,” Sidwell said.
Sidwell said that officers could arrest persons all day long, but that his concern is with the recidivists. “And I will tell you that the property managers in this city are not the villains that people make ‘em out to be,” Sidwell said. “They’re trying to work with us. They want to do what’s right.” Henderson “did not get in the shape it’s in overnight and it won’t be fixed overnight,” Sidwell said. “But, my question to everyone in this community is: Are you in it for the long haul or are you here just to make a buck and get out? Are you here to make a complaint because you don’t even live here, but it’s fun to keep it stirred?” Sidwell said. Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.