Jury to Decide Thomas' Life Or Death Friday
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.POEBZT "NFSJDBO1SPêMF r/ZFQJUDIFTOPIJUUFSJO1BDLWJDUPSZPWFS4$)4 GFBUVSFTi"$FOUVSZ r3BNTUPTRVBSFPĒXJUI-FOPJSJOêSTUSPVOEPG PG4QFFEѮF*OEZ 3FHJPOUPVSOFZr(BUPSUSBDLUFBNTTFUTJHIUT $FMFCSBUFTB3BD PO.JEFBTU3FHJPOBMNFFUr-BEZ8BSSJPSTXJO Next ISSUE JOH.JMFTUPOFu Sports 4&*$TPDDFSUJUMF4FFQBHF# ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Tursday, May 12, 2011 Jury to decide Tomas’ life or death Friday nFinal arguments by prosecution, defense with an injection. have a father, was born to an unwed teen, “suffered” Volume 114, Number 88 to take all of today’s court session. There are 102 mitigating factors, submitted by the from an “unstable” home situation, his grandmother Whiteville, North Carolina defense, for the crimes, and the state has presented 19 raised him, the Red Cross furnished clothing, cheese By BOB HIGH aggravating circumstances. The jury must decide if and milk were obtained from a “welfare line,” that Staff Writer the aggravating factors outweigh those prepared by he went to school in New York and here, he has two 50 Cents the defense for them to decide on the death penalty. children, and he was “raped” at age five or six. Danny Lamont Thomas’ life will be in the hands Not heinous, cruel ‘Anger, toughness’ of a seven-woman, five-man jury Friday when they Aggravating factors include that Thomas had Others include that Thomas was unable to get Inside Today are charged by Superior Court Judge Thomas Lock, previously been convicted of first-degree murder, over the sex act, that he responded to the act with and sent to begin deliberations for the man convicted the murders here were committed for monetary “anger and toughness,” he provoked fights to find tar- 4-A last week of committing four cold-bloodied murders gain, while engaged in burglary, kidnapping or at- gets of his anger, he prevented family females from r5BCPS$JUZPēDFST here in 2005. tempted armed robbery, and were a “violent course becoming involved in crime, although several males XJGFJTBSSFTUFE The entire court session today (Thursday) will of conduct against another person.” became criminals, that he doesn’t form a threat to 5-A contain final arguments by Thomas’ two defense Judge Lock did not allow the state to use the ag- prison inmates, and that he can control his anger is attorneys, and two prosecutors as to why the 38-year- gravator that the murders were “especially heinous, a “secure and safe setting” such as a prison. r1SJTPOGPSLJMMJOH old former Chadbourn resident should spend the NBOXJUIQJDLVQ atrocious and cruel.” Only one of the 12 jurors has to answer “yes” to rest of his life in prison, or die by being put to sleep Mitigating factors include that Thomas didn’t See Jury, page 4-A DIDYOB? Did you observe ... Charter Hill one of fve Brady Ivey, 10, hit- ting his frst homerun schools are Democrats to in the Tabor City Rec large worry League? ... Ronda support GOP Walker welcoming for boards customers with free House budget nBoth boards of educa- food at Wednesday’s tion, county commis- By NICOLE CARTRETTE P.D. Quix grand open- sioners concerned about Staff Writer ing – afer reminding impact of more charter schools. Rep. Dewey Hill, a Lake Waccamaw Demo- Janice Young of the crat, said his vote of support for the House’s $19.3 billion spending plan proposal was the By BOB HIGH chamber of commerce right decision. that, “We don’t keep Staff Writer Hill is one of five Democrats who supported the bill that is now in the Senate. It includes mufns in the back Several members of the cuts to certain aspects of education, health Whiteville and Columbus for emergencies.”... and human services, Clean Water Manage- County boards of education, ment Trust Funds and public libraries, among Plans being made for along with some commission- others. ers, expressed worry on the im- a massive “garden” Hill insists his vote was based on several pact of more charter schools, of small American amendments that are beneficial to his dis- and pending legislation con- trict and public education. The House plan fags to be planted cerning established units. Sunday around the The groups met together last See Hill, page 8-A week for the first time since the Lower Cape Fear Whiteville City Schools was Hospice & LifeCare- See Charter, page 13-A Center in Whiteville Meth lab to honor veterans? ... Te disgust of county Rule changes cleanup may residents who had fall to counties cleaned up their yards spark debate By NICOLE CARTRETTE nButts claims Council over the weekend only Staff Writer to fnd large numbers doesn’t own campground. Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist of leaves and limbs It has been many years since Columbus By JEFFERSON WEAVER Finishing touches County law enforcement officers have had scattered from Tues- Staff Writer Whiteville Police Offcer Eric Jenkins directs traffc at the corner of to deal with the cleanup of a meth lab, but day night’s widespread South Madison Street and Leslie Newsome Avenue Wednesday after- Sheriff Chris Batten warned that it is a costly A controversy that started noon as a crew applies lines and directional arrows to the pavement. endeavor. hailstorm? ... Brenda after Sheriff Chris Batten “It’s something the county is going to Freeman changing moved an oversized camper have to pick up,” Batten told commissioners from her banker’s from one campground to an- recently. “When we’ve had a meth incident, it other boiled over at Lake Wac- Local drives campaign has taken a lot of manpower, hours and it was clothes to a more “re- camaw Tuesday. very expensive to clean up.” tiring” outft afer 40 Commissioners approved a The federal government cut off funding for new set of rules and definitions for biker awareness cleanup of the highly dangerous and volatile years with UCB and for campers at the meeting. decade to motorcycle rider advocacy sites in February. At that time, Attorney Gen- They were scheduled to hold a nAwareness ride is May 21. BB&T? ... County At- and awareness. In 1999 he formed eral Roy Cooper and the SBI adopted a stopgap public hearing on the proposed torney Mike Stephens the Columbus County chapter of measure to pick up the tab as a temporary new rules, which govern size By NICOLE CARTRETTE the Concerned Bikers Association/ solution. and his “major” meat and features in additions to Staff Writer American Bikers Aimed Toward The SBI has spent more than $130,000 to- campers. Instead, an ongoing loaf sandwich? ... Education (CBA/ABATE). He has ward cleanup costs since then and is request- feud between a campground As Columbus County commis- served as the state president of the ing access to emergency funds, but warns the owner from just outside of sioners declared May Biker Safety organization since 2006. cost will soon fall to local law enforcement town and the sheriff domi- Awareness Month, Randy Norris Norris said he first become in- if something is not done soon on the state or nated the discussion. was on hand to accept the resolution. County Deaths volved in a pursuit for giving riders federal level. Batten had reportedly origi- The Chadbourn resident has dedi- “Should our request for State Contingency Tabor City cated much of his free time in the last See Bikers, page 9-A See Debate, page 15-A See Meth lab, page 3-A Ethel Lee Johnson James Kenneth Baldwin Chadbourn Leavy Vereer Helms Nature Preserve progressing By JEFFERSON WEAVER the local facility. Staff Writer “These things take time,” he said. “It isn’t Index something that happens overnight, but we’re Tucked away on a forgotten farm in White- pleased with the progress we’ve made in the &EJUPSJBMT" ville’s Sunset Terrace, a local outdoors orga- last three years.” 0CJUVBSJFT" nization is helping children stay connected A camping area with bathrooms, chapel, with nature. boat shed, and some learning stations have 4QPSUT# Wildlife Action began work on the Helms already been constructed. The centerpiece for $SJNF" Nature Preserve in 2008. The property was the Whiteville camp is the walkway across a -JWJOH$ donated by Earl and Dot Helms, according to cypress swamp. The walkway was funded by Chase Hooks. The family recognized the need donations and the assistance of the national for a place where children can learn about hunt- Wildlife Action organization. ing, fishing and the outdoors in a structured On a recent afternoon, small fish could be environment. The preserve will someday be seen in the tannin-brown water, as well as frogs a smaller version of its sister Wildlife Action and other aquatic animals. A slick spot on the camp in South Carolina. bank showed where an otter slid into the water, Wildlife Action has been hosting summer and a half-dozen different kinds of birds could camps and other activities at Fork Retch, near be heard calling in the cool swamp. Signs will eventually identify trees in the Mullins, S.C., for 20 years, Hooks said. The lo- Chase Hooks shows where Canada geese, ducks, and preserve, providing mini-interpretive stations cal Wildlife Action chapter hopes to integrate other waterfowl visit at the Helms Nature Preserve near some of the South Carolina camp’s features in See Preserve, page 2-A Whiteville. 2-A – The News Reporter, Thursday, May 12, 2011 North Carolina Senate Update By Sen. Bill Rabon Budget deliberations are for a life in the military as a now underway in the Senate. member of the Junior Reserve Last week, the House passed Officers’ Training Corps. its version of the budget, and She completed her basic on Thursday we spent the en- training at Fort Leonard Wood tire day working through their in Missouri after joining the proposals in detail.