By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A Forrest City man was sentenced to 10 years in state prison Monday for the death of his father a year ago.
Robert Poland, 37, pled guilty in St. Francis County Circuit Court to second-degree murder in the August 2003 death of 82-year-old William Poland. Poland was found dead inside the home he shared with his son on County Road 355, near the county fairgrounds.
Court records show William Poland was killed on Aug. 19, 2003, but his body was not discovered until Aug. 25 after concerned neighbors reported to police they had not seen the elderly man in several days. Police investigating Poland's whereabouts found blood splattered on doors inside the home and Poland's body wrapped in clear plastic, a blanket and mattress cover that was tied together with rope.
Investigators say Poland died from blunt trauma to the head, and that suspicion was supported by statements Robert Poland made to police regarding the murder. Poland told investigators he and his father had been arguing over drugs and were fighting on the floor when he grabbed a metal tomato stake with a nail welded to the end and began striking his father in the head. Poland said he then fled the residence and drove to Forrest City.
Over the next few days, Poland and some friends removed several items from the home such as a safe, and sold such things as a dining room set, a bedroom suit, jewelry, a lawnmower and tractor. Poland also charged two computers and a television to his father's credit card.
Poland was originally charged with capital murder, a charge for which he could have been sentenced to life in prison or death.
First Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chris Morledge said evidence discovered during the murder investigation resulted in the lesser murder charge.
"We found some mitigating circumstances through our investigation, and the defense (in this case) was going to be that this was possibly self defense. Our investigation supported some of that," Morledge said. "That, taken into consideration along with a hold on him out of Texas, which they have refused to waive, is why the charge was reduced."
In addition to the murder charge, Poland also pled guilty to burglary and theft of property over $2,500 charges in connection with two May 2003 burglaries at Teak Imports on West Broadway in Forrest City where over $17,000 in property was stolen.
Court records show Poland confessed to the burglaries following his arrest for murder, and about $6,500 of the stolen merchandise was recovered on Aug. 27, 2003, from a vacant structure on C Street. On Aug. 29, police recovered an additional $3,000 in stolen merchandise from a residence on South Washington. The property was reportedly purchased from Poland.
After Poland completes his two 10-year consecutive ADC sentences, Texas authorities are expected to transfer him to the Texas correctional system where he is expected to serve six to eight more years on theft charges. Poland is a convicted felon, having already served time in the Texas prison system, Morledge said.
"He will serve the 10 years on the theft of property first, then he will begin his 10-year murder sentence," Morledge said.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A portion of the roof at the St. Francis County Jail will get a makeover sooner than was expected after St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco decided today to move forward with repairs.
According to Cisco, the section which is most in need of repair, the eastern portion of the building, cannot wait for a decision from the full quorum court and needs to be repaired soon.
"I decided this morning that this was something that had to be done now. I called a couple of the members of the building and improvement committee and had them come up here, and I took them onto the roof to show them the section that I was wanting to repair. The roof that needs the most work is directly over the dispatchers, and it is in bad shape. So, we're going to do something about it," Cisco said.
Earlier this year, justices voted to allow Cisco to contract with a local company to apply a foam roof over an older portion of the jail. While plans still call for that work to be done, the foam process would be cost prohibitive for application on the newer portion of the jail.
"The foam will work on the roof of the courthouse, and it will work on a part of the roof at the jail, but not the part that needs the most work. I talked with the contractor that is applying the foam and he told me that because the roof at the jail is more of a rubber-based roof, the foam would not adhere well to it. The contractor would then have to tear out everything done to the steel frame and work up from there, and the cost would just be too high," he said.
"The contractor (James Smith Construction) that is going to do this work is still going to have to go down to the frame, but he will come up from there with a new roof, and if we decide at a later time to go with the foam, we'll be able to apply it to the new roof," said Cisco.
According to Cisco, the cost for the additional roof work will be under the $15,000 spending limit he is allowed, so he will be able to move forward without approval from quorum court.
"We're going to have to do this the same way that we replaced the air conditioning. It would be nice to go through the full court, but this is something that needs to be done, and it needs to be done now," he said.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Area law enforcement agencies say an arrest Monday may help them put an end to the circulation of counterfeit bills that have plagued the Forrest City and St. Francis County areas of late.
A rash of counterfeit $20 and $100 bills have been passed at several businesses and to many residents in recent months, with the Forrest City Police Department and other area law enforcement agencies following the funny money trail for just as long.
FCPD Criminal Investigation Division Sergeant John Riggins said today that Charles Kennedy III, 20, 74 SFC 316, Forrest City, was arrested at his home Monday night on three counts of first-degree forgery, a class B felony. Riggins said Kennedy allegedly tried to pass two counterfeit bills at Broadway Grocery on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Later that same day, it is alleged that Kennedy once again tried to pass another counterfeit bill, this time at the Forrest City Superstop on Holiday Drive.
"We are actively investigating all of the counterfeit bills that have been passed in the area," said Riggins. "There have been bills passed in the county and in Wynne that have the same serial numbers on them."
Riggins added that since several of the counterfeit cases in all three areas have been similar, the agencies have joined forces to find the source of the bills.
"The Forrest City Police Department is working closely with the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, the Wynne Police Department and the (United States) Secret Service. All four agencies are investigating the bills and are sharing information. The bills seem to be coming from the same source, and we are working on the case from that angle."
Anyone with information about counterfeit bills or any other crime, may call Crime Stoppers at 870-261-1499.
Three men were sentenced to time in the Arkansas Department of Corrections Monday on a variety of charges while several other defendants in St. Francis County Circuit Court were given suspended sentences.
Kendrick Coleman, 24, of Forrest City was sentenced to eight years in prison on six criminal cases presented before Judge L.T. Simes.
Coleman's cases stemmed from arrests dating back to July 2001, and ranging from drug possession and distribution to vehicle theft, aggravated assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, engaging in violent criminal group activity, burglary and intimidating a witness.
For each of the six cases, Coleman was given eight years in prison, but those sentences are to run concurrently.
Larry White, 44, of Forrest City, was sentenced to three years in prison for a parole violation. White was arrested in January this year for breaking and entering and theft over $500.
Larry Cadwell, 52, of Caldwell, pled guilty to possession of a firearm by certain persons and possession of burglary tools along with a parole violation and was sentenced to three years in the ADC.
Many of the suspended imposition of sentences given Monday were for defendants who are currently serving time in the ADC, and those sentences will begin upon each defendant's release from prison.
Life Strategies of Arkansas LLC recently opened a new behavioral health clinic on North Division in Forrest City.
Ellen Rice, the chief administrative officer of LSA recently discussed the company and its service in the area. "Life Strategies of Arkansas has been serving the area since 2001," stated Rice. "We currently have 45 employees and service 350 patients in Eastern Arkansas. Other than Forrest City, we have several offices in the area including outpatient facilities in West Memphis and Newport."
According to information provided by Life Strategies, there are four employees at the Forrest City office. The company offers comprehensive outpatient services including school-based programs, group therapy, medication maintenance, case management services, psychiatric consultation, psychotherapy, individual and family counseling, nursing home consultation and acute and residential placement assistance. They also specialize in treating a broad range of needs including, but not limited to, depression, behavioral problems, psychotic symptoms, conduct disorders, hyperactivity, anxiety-peer pressure and adjustment problems.
To receive a confidential assessment, contact Teresa Martin, administrative assistant, at 870-494-3355, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is located at 1315 North Division.
East Arkansas Community College will be the site for a blood drive sponsored by the American Red Cross on Wednesday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The blood drive will be held in the EACC Student Center. Donors will receive refreshments and a complimentary t-shirt (while supplies last).
Participants are asked to bring a blood donor card or a picture I.D. for registration and screening.