1 THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter InmateLAKECITYREPORTER.COM convicted JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Principals in the capital murder trial of Richard Franklin for the slaying of Columbia Corrections Institution corrections officer Sgt. Ruben Thomas III are seen in Columbia County Court on Wednesday. LEFT: State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister (right) speaks with Assistant State Attorney David Phelps. RIGHT: Assistant Public Defender Jonathan Austin (right) speaks with Robert Baker, assistant regional counsel for the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel. Jury returns quick verdict in prison guard’s murder Death sentence could contraband in a prison. The jury foreman handed the “I respect the hard work of the escorted from the courtroom by A seven-man, five-woman jury verdict sheet to a bailiff, who jury and I respect the verdict,” uniformed DOC officers on the be ordered during took about three hours to ren- gave it to Bryan. he said, as he walked out the security detail. der its verdict. Two hours into Bryan then reviewed it before courtroom. After the legal proceedings, penalty phase of trial. deliberation the jury sent a note passing it to the court clerk, who The court gallery was standing State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister to Circuit Judge Paul Bryan ask- read the verdict. room only with people waiting to turned and hugged each member By TONY BRITT ing which charges carry the Franklin, who stood with his hear the verdict. Although people of the Thomas family, who were [email protected] most weight for a specific assault attorneys to hear the verdict, low- in the gallery were quiet while the sitting in the second and third charge. ered his head when the clerk verdict was read, many shared rows of the gallery. A Columbia County jury took Franklin was facing first-degree read the jury’s decision. He the hugs with each other when court Each day after jury selection less than three hours Wednesday murder, aggravated battery on crossed his arms, sat back down was dismissed. and trial proceedings, Siegmeister to convict Richard P. Franklin a law enforcement officer and and listened intently as Public Although the verdict had been would sit outside the courtroom of first-degree murder in the possession of contraband in pris- Defender Blair Payne whispered rendered, many of Thomas’ on a bench or stand outside the stabbing death of Columbia on charges. The jury convicted to him. friends, family members and courthouse and tell Thomas’ fam- Correctional Institution officer Franklin of the felony battery Payne didn’t offer many com- Department of Corrections col- ily what he expected to happen Sgt. Ruben Thomas III. charge, which is a lesser crime ments after the verdict was read leagues, stayed in their seats next or what the next part of the Franklin was also convicted of than aggravated battery on a law and the proceedings had con- and watched as Franklin was felony battery and possession of enforcement officer. cluded for the day. fingerprinted. Franklin was later VERDICT continued on 3A Problems halt Bell Road work Commissioner new loca- tions. wants road paved “I was no matter what. displeased with stop- ping work By DEREK GILLIAM with that [email protected] Ron Williams p r o j e c t , ” he said in Progress was halted on a phone the Bell Road economic interview. development project after C o u n t y preliminary engineering M a n a g e r and soil studies found a D a l e nonpermitted landfill near W i l l i a m s the road right of way and discussed other problems, a memo Dale Williams some of his from Columbia County’s c o n c e r n s JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter County manager says. about the Northwest Bell Road is project with the Economic Taking a peek a dirt road that parallels Development Advisory Interstate 10 and connects Board at its Wednesday Playmates (from left) Casey Rivera, 2; Rosemary Davis, 2; and Isiah Mathews, 6, peek out of holes in a tunnel while play- U.S. 41 with U.S. 441. The morning meeting. ing at Youngs Park on Wednesday. area also has railroad lines He said the majority of and is considered for future soil contains a high level industrial development. of clay. Jordan Green, plan- The state Department ning director with FDOT, Elder abuse awareness raised of Transportation has said clay is difficult to com- approved a grant for about pact, which can lead to dips $1.1 million for paving Bell in roads from clay settling Elder Options summit in the Piggly Wiggly checkout line. nurse specialist for adult protec- Road, which the county is after paving. Also, water With eyes downcast, she accepted tive services at the Department of required to match. The aim takes a long time to dis- brings attention to growing the verbal abuse her son doled out. Children and Families. She spoke at of the grant is to pave Bell sipate — leading to longer problem among seniors. Kim Roane, standing behind the the Elder Options’ 2013 Elder Abuse Road to provide economic construction times. two shoppers, did nothing. Prevention Summit Wednesday at opportunity. Also, a nonpermitted By AMANDA WILLIAMSON “To this day, I’m still incredulous the Parkview Baptist Church. County Commissioner landfill exists along part [email protected] I did nothing,” she said. “But at Karen Hatton, assistant state Ron Williams said the road of the right of way, which that time, I didn’t even know about attorney for District 3 of the Florida has access to I-10 frontage has not been abated or Pill-box hat and patent leather elderly abuse.” and utilities, both attractive purse adorned the petite elderly lady Now, Roane works as a registered SUMMIT continued on 3A to companies looking for ROAD continued on 5A Vol. 138, No. 362 People. 2A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 91 69 Opinion . 4A PEOPLE FRIDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-Storm Chance Obituaries . 5A THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics . 3B Taking practice Local news Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Puzzles . 2B swings. roundup. 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Celebrity Birthdays Wednesday: Wednesday: n Actor Martin Landau is 85. Bob Vila is 67. Afternoon: 2-7-8 Afternoon: 3-8-8-9 Tuesday: n Actress Olympia Dukakis n Singer Lionel Richie is 64. Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 5-7-23-29-32 is 82. n Actor John Goodman is n Actor Danny Aiello is 80. 61. n Actor John Mahoney n Bassist Michael Anthony PEOPLE IN THE NEWS (“Frasier”) is 73. (Van Halen, Chickenfoot) is n Musician Brian Wilson of 59. the Beach Boys is 71. n Bassist John Taylor of n Actor John McCook (“The Duran Duran is 53. Bold and the Beautiful”) is n Keyboardist Mark De Gli 69. Antoni (Soul Coughing) is 51. Cher: Stars can’t escape paparazzi n Singer Anne Murray is 68. n Bassist Murphy Karges of n Home repair show host Sugar Ray is 46. UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. her is no stranger to tab- loid fodder. Daily Scripture The 67-year-old singer who has spent most of her life in the spotlight Husbands, love your wives, just Coffered this advice to young artists on navigating the world of paparazzi as Christ loved the church and attention: “You’re screwed. That’s gave himself up for her to make my advice.” “You don’t deal with it. You just try her holy, cleansing her by the to get a place where no one can find washing with water through the you and that’s your little sanctuary,” continued the “Believe” singer in an word. interview Tuesday. “I have a fabu- lous house that I love and it’s my — Ephesians 5:25-26 sanctuary.” Looking ever the rock star in leather and studs, Cher took the “ Lake City Reporter stage Tuesday for the season HOW TO REACH US finale of NBC’s “The Voice.” She per- Main number . .(386) 752-1293 BUSINESS formed “Woman’s World,” the first Fax number . .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon. .754-0419 Circulation . .755-5445 ([email protected]) single off her upcoming album of the Online . www.lakecityreporter.com same name — her 26th album since CIRCULATION JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of she began recording in the 1960s. Community Newspapers Inc., is pub- Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter lished Tuesday through Friday and should be completed by 6:30 a.m. Cher said reality singing competi- Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, Tuesday through Friday,” and by 7:30 tions are simply a modern incarna- Practice swings Fla. 32055. Periodical postage paid at a.m. on Sunday. Lake City, Fla. Member Audit Bureau of Please call 386-755-5445 to report any tion of classic star-makers like “The Nick Tuttle, 20, lines up his shot while practicing on the driving range at The Circulation and The Associated Press. Ed Sullivan Show” and “Arthur problems with your delivery service. Country Club at Lake City on Tuesday. All material herein is property of the Lake In Columbia County, customers should Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.” City Reporter. Reproduction in whole or call before 10:30 a.m. to report a ser- in part is forbidden without the permis- vice error for same day re-delivery. After sion of the publisher. U.S. Postal Service that pitched his records.