Smith Verdict: Guilty Hours of August 1, 2018
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Podium finishes|Pair of SHS wrestlers finishPage season 1 The with Sundance medals: Times page 13 75¢ Thursday, February 28, 2019 Volume 134 • Issue No. 9 Thursday, February 28, 2019 Thewww.sundancetimes.com Sundance Times Smith verdict: Guilty hours of August 1, 2018. pushing her away, Black said, and then, when Smith fell to the ground, Marty Smith guilty as The video, as both sides noted several times, spoke for itself. Smith attempted to help her back up. At that point, said Black, she began accessory to involuntary was ultimately found guilty as an accessory to involuntary manslaugh- to attack him again while Johnson watched from across the store, ter and to aggravated assault and battery. “nonchalantly” drinking a milkshake. manslaughter and Jessie Johnson, the man accused of committing the crime to which Johnson then shoved Haar and the two “squared up”, she said. After Smith was an accessory, has yet to be tried and is set for a pre-trial Haar unsuccessfully attempted to throw a punch and Smith again fell, aggravated assault conference in March. Johnson took Haar to the floor and both parties held him down. BY SARAH PRIDGEON Johnson held Haar in a chokehold, said Black. On two occasions, On the surveillance video, two men and a Courtesy photo Moment of Death Haar can be seen pointing to his throat to signal his inability to breathe, woman are seen arguing inside the Sundance Travel Marty Smith Linda Black, Deputy County Attorney, led the prosecution, telling but Smith takes his hand and holds it down. Center. There’s pushing, shoving and slapping, tem- the jury she would be presenting evidence to support what could be In the video, said Black, it is possible to see the moment when Haar’s pers are boiling and the woman falls down several times before one of seen in the video footage. abdomen stops moving as he ceases to breathe. He was held down for the men throws the other to the ground in a type of chokehold. “You’re going to get to see what happened with your own eyes,” she several minutes. The second man never stands up again. told the jury, describing an “altercation” at the Sundance Travel Center Both the defense and prosecution agreed that the trial of the State involving three individuals: Smith, Johnson and Haar. Differing Perspective of Wyoming vs. Marty Smith last week was highly unusual because “This altercation resulted in the death of Doug Haar.” Steven Titus, defense attorney, told the jury he would be the 12 men and women of the jury were able to watch for themselves Black described the defendant’s actions that night, telling the jury exactly what happened when local man Doug Haar died in the early Smith was “pushing and shoving and slapping” Haar. He reacted by See Smith: page 6 Local names Cleaning up among state board appointments BY SARAH PRIDGEON Among the list of names submitted by Governor Mark Gordon to serve on the state’s many offices, boards and commissions in 2019 are four from Crook County who have been selected to serve again at the governor’s pleasure. Mike Easley, CEO of Powder River Energy, has been reap- pointed to the Wyoming Business Council. Steve Lenz has meanwhile been asked to serve again on the Environmental Quality Council. Kathy Lenz will continue to serve on the Parks and Cultural Resources Commission and James Miller has been reappointed to the Industrial Siting Council. The names of the governor’s nominees have been submitted to the Wyoming Senate for confirmation. Governor signs new laws BY SARAH PRIDGEON As the 2019 Legislative Session draws to a close, Governor Mark Gordon held three formal signing ceremonies on Tuesday to sign a long list of bills into law that will impact life across Wyoming. These bills include new felony offenses, funding for a local water project and the Medal of Honor highway. The Omnibus Water Bill (HEA-38) includes $370,000 for the Crook County Rural Water Supply Plan, the study that will inform the county commissioners as to how to proceed with water issues in the Carlile area and the possibility of creating a water district to hook onto Gillette’s Madison water system. Jeff Moberg photo This law becomes effective immediately. A full brigade of WYDOT snow removal equipment deployed to I-90 Tuesday morning to clean up some of the snow HEA-68 relates to Wyoming’s broadband development pro- that has accumulated in the median around Sundance. gram and amends the definition of “unserved” to refer to areas In spite of a growing discontent with this snow season’s bountiful offerings, the extended forecasts look poised to keep of the state in which the maximum fixed broadband speed for this area’s spring fever in check for the foreseeable future. residential customers is 25 mbs download and 3 mbs upload. This was previously set at 10 mbs download and 1 mbs upload. As Russ Elliott of the Wyoming Broadband Advisory Commit- tee told the county commissioners in February, the idea of this is to push providers to set standards rather than simply meet them. Weather-withered pronghorn HEA-72 allows the creation of joint powers boards to create and operate municipal natural gas facilities and systems. The Beer Freedom Act (HEA-41) will allow microbreweries in struggle to survive to purchase 24-hour malt beverage permits in order to sell their products. Snow conditions Effective immediately, HEA-51 authorizes the secretary of state to create a blockchain filing system and instructs him to force local endeavor to do create an “industry leading” system to which all required filings can be submitted before December 31, 2021. antelope herds SEA-41 will add a new felony to Wyoming’s list of crimes in the form of “aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police off traditional officers”. A person will be considered to have committed this grazing areas, crime if they have previously been convicted of fleeing or eluding or if, in the course of committing the violation, they cause or into town in intentionally cause bodily injury to another person or property damage greater than $10,000. search of food This crime will be considered a felony and will be punished by a fine up to $5000, imprisonment for up to five years or both. The recent severe winter HEA-50 will meanwhile limit the term of probation that a conditions in northeast Wyo- first time offender may be placed on to 36 months, except for ming are impacting area an- major crimes such as murder and sexual assault in the first telope herds and Moorcroft or second degree. Game Warden John Davis is asking for the public’s assis- Joint Resolution 3 will designate U.S. Highway 20 as the Grace Moore photo Medal of Honor Highway, recognizing the 17 recipients from tance in reducing disturbance Deep, crusty snow south of Moorcroft forced a pronghorn herd into town last Friday in Wyoming of the nation’s highest award for valor. to the animals. search of forage. Since 2016, school buses have been equipped by law with an “Due to weather stress and external video system capable of recording footage of motor- crusted snow, antelope are are congregating along some “Please give them plenty of and fall months to get through ists who pass a bus while it is stopped. SEA-42 clarifies that coming into town seeking for- area roadways. He encourages space and don’t allow pets the winter. such a recording or image is not a public record and should age,” said Davis. “It has just drivers to slow down and give to chase them. They are very However, when they are be destroyed within one year, but can be entered as prima been tough on them. We’ve the animals plenty of time to weak and it is important not disturbed enough to make an facie evidence for violations or discoverable for other criminal had snow cover since before move away if they encounter to stress them anymore than effort to get away from people actions. Christmas and at times, it has them, noting that in their they already are.” or pets, they can use up these SEA-51 gives medical professionals who have cause to be- warmed up a bit creating crust weakened condition they seem Now through late spring is a stored fat reserves. This may lieve a child is the victim of abuse or neglect – and believes on the snow and ice on bare to have little ability to respond critical time for wildlife. Food make it difficult for them to there are other children living in the same home – the right to ground.” quickly when trying to avoid is scarce and what is available survive until spring green up report their findings to law enforcement. Law enforcement will Davis notes that in addi- vehicles. is low quality. They are relying when they can begin to regain tion to coming into Moorcroft, “I’ve never had them in town on fat reserves they accumu- their body condition with qual- See New Laws: page 9 small numbers of antelope like they are,” Davis said. lated during the good summer ity forage. Area Weather SUNDANCE, WYOMING CONTINUING THE CROOK COUNTY NEWS SINCE 1884 The Sundance Times Page 2 Thursday, February 28, 2019 Obituaries Marlene Lorraine Popham Ruth Ella Neiman Dickmann Marlene Lorraine Popham, 86, former- Marlene and Buster hosted and at- school runs. Ruth Ella Neiman Dickmann, age ly of Sundance, Wyoming, died Monday, tended numerous bridge parties. Mar- She is survived by her children, Joe 100, died February 20, 2019 in February 25, 2019, at Sturgis Regional lene enjoyed making felt Christmas (Jill) Popham, Denison, Iowa, Deb Washington, Indiana.