By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A Forrest City man facing first-degree murder charges surrounding the death of a woman last year will now face 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges this morning.
Justin Busby, 24, 5114 Hwy. 70 West, Forrest City, entered his plea of guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter this morning as part of a plea agreement. According to First Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chris Morledge, the charge against Busby was reduced based on the intent at the time the crime was permitted.
"We really had to look at the intent as it surrounds this case. The difference between manslaughter and murder is based on the intent of the crime. Manslaughter is causing the reckless death of a person while murder has intent to actually kill someone. In this case we felt that Mr. Busby's actions were reckless and felt that it would have been difficult to prove the intent to murder," Morledge said.
According to reports from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, on March 23, 2003, Tonya Baker and several family members allegedly drove to Scott Wright's residence on Highway 70, and began arguing with Wright.
St. Francis County Deputies reported that Busby and Wright got into Busby's 2003 Ford pickup and followed the van that Baker was a passenger in until the van stopped at the intersection of County Roads 204 and 221, which intersect just behind Casteel Cemetery on Highway 70 West near the Hamilton-Moses Steam Electric plant.
According to the report, when Busby drove past the van the group had exited the vehicle and allegedly began cursing and throwing rocks at Busby's pickup. Witnesses told police that Busby drove down the road for a short distance, stopped and watched as Scott Wright motioned with his hand for him to begin backing up. Deputies reported Busby was looking out the rear window of his pickup as he drove backward "very fast." The right rear side of Busby's pickup struck Baker's brother, Jason Taylor, who was also a passenger in the van on his legs before the truck hit Baker who was pinned between the truck and the van. Baker died at the Med Center in Memphis a short time later.
Wright was also charged with first-degree murder, first-degree battery and leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the incident. He is scheduled to be tried in November.
Charges of possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unlawful container, possession of a firearm by a certain person, aggravated assault, third-degree battery and criminal trespassing, along with a charge of first-degree battery against Busby were all nolle prosqui as part of the plea agreement.
According to Morledge, had Busby not accepted the plea agreement the case would have been continued to a November trial date where the state would have sought sentencing on all charges and could have faced 86 years in the ADC.
In a strange twist, Busby's attorney, Mike Easley, requested on Busby's behalf, that he not be sentenced to the state prison facility at Brickeys.
According to First Judicial District Circuit Judge L.T. Simes,
a notation to the docket would be added stating Easley's request
based on the fact that Baker's brother and a victim of the accident,
Jason Taylor, is currently incarcerated at that facility. Additional
security from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department was
requested for this morning's proceedings.
The Jim Jones family of Palestine, this year's St. Francis County's Farm Family of the Year, is one of eight District Farm Families which have been selected in the annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program.
The program is sponsored by Entergy Arkansas and the Arkansas Press Association in cooperation with the federal and state agricultural agencies, and Arkansas Farm Bureau.
The Jones family grows cotton, corn, soybeans, rice and wheat. Their district, the East Central District, includes Saline, Pulaski, Lonoke, White, Woodruff, Prairie, Monroe, Lee and St. Francis counties.
The family was recently featured in a special section by the Times-Herald. The family is made up of Jim and Kim Jones, their son Caleb and daughter Megan, and Caleb's wife, Emily.
Visiting teams representing the sponsoring organizations chose the district families from among the 75 county farm families.
A state team will visit the eight district families sometime this month to determine the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year. The state winner will be announced at an awards luncheon Dec. 10, at the Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale. The luncheon will honor all county and district farm families.
The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program, now in its 58th year and the only one of its kind in the country, highlights the importance of farm families and agriculture to the state. Selection at each level is based on farm practices, home management and community leadership.
The eight district farm families, their farming Senterprises and the counties in their district are:
Northwest District -- The Greg McCoy family of Carroll County operates a commercial hay and Cross-Bred Cattle farm. Their farm is located near Osage. Their District includes Benton, Boone, Carroll, Newton, Madison, Washington, Johnson, Franklin, Crawford and Sebastian counties.
North Central District -- The Randy Birrer family of Marion County raises turkeys and run a commercial cattle operation on their farm near Yellville. Their District includes Fulton, Baxter, Marion, Izard, Independence, Sharp, Stone, Cleburne, Searcy and Van Buren counties.
Northeast District -- The Larry Reddmann family represents Poinsett County. They farm rice, soybeans, wheat, and grow shade and ornamental trees near Harrisburg. Their District includes Craighead, Randolph, Clay, Greene, Lawrence, Jackson, Poinsett, Cross, Mississippi and Crittenden counties.
Western District -- The Bart, Barry and Robert Stobaugh families from the Morrilton area in Conway County raises soybeans, rice, wheat and milo. Their District includes Conway, Faulkner, Pope, Perry, Yell, Logan, Scott, Polk and Montgomery counties.
West Central District -- The Tony Harrison family of Sevier County raises commercial cattle and broilers. They are located near Central in the southern part of Sevier County. Their District includes Howard, Pike, Garland, Clark, Hot Spring, Dallas, Cleveland, Sevier, and Grant counties.
Southwest District -- The Lile Kitchens family of Lewisville in Lafayette County raises broilers, commercial and purebred cattle. Their District includes Columbia, Little River, Miller, Hempstead, Lafayette, Nevada, Ouachita, Calhoun, Bradley and Union counties.
Southeast District -- The Gary Morgan family of Portland in
Ashley County grows rice and catfish on their farm. Their District
includes Arkansas, Jefferson, Lincoln, Drew, Ashley, Chicot, Desha
and Phillips counties.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The School Night for Scouting will offer boys between the ages of seven and 10 a chance to join the Cub Scouts of America on this Thursday night at 7 p.m.
The event is an annual statewide registration effort by the Scouts to recruit Cubs. Boys in the second through fifth grades are eligible. The scouting program will be explained and parental leadership will also be recruited at the programs. Gary Bryant, Cubmaster of Pack 224 in Forrest City, said scouting provides many benefits to both the participants and their parents.
"Cub Scouts helps parents get involved with their children, it brings them together," said Bryant. "Parents are required to attend the meetings. There are usually two meetings per month. We want parents and children to get into a regular routine of spending more time together."
And what about activities? "The Cub Scouts provide Arrowheads, which are belt loops, in many activities," added Bryant. "The Scouts offer Arrowheads in archery, BB gun safety, hiking, fishing and several other achievements. The dens (which are smaller groups of boys divided by age) meet as a pack and we have events during the year where the Scouts can earn several Arrowheads at one time.
"We also have an event for each month in the year. Most people think of the pinewood derby, which is held in January each year, but in October, we have a family camp out. This event also helps parents become more involved with their child. Other events include the skate on your can drive, when we collect canned goods for the needy and our annual banquet."
While the official sign up will be Thursday, children will come home with an information packet and something that Bryant says should catch parents' attention.
"We will send them home from the school rallies with bright orange bracelets on," said Bryant. "First, I want everyone to know that these children are not in trouble," he added, laughing. "The bracelets are there to catch the parents' attention. The date and time of the School Night for Scouting will be on the bracelet."
Volunteers will be at Forrest Hills, Caldwell, Central and Stewart elementary schools on Thursday at 7 p.m. According to Bryant, parents only need to bring their child and their checkbook when they sign up.
"The fee is less than $10," stated Bryant. "Those people who will be giving the presentations have been involved with Scouting for some time, and they will be available to answer any questions that parents may have about the program.
"I would like for any parents that are interested in having
their son in the Scouts to come by one of the presentations on
Thursday," concluded Bryant. "It is a great opportunity
for parents and children to grow closer together and instill good
core values in the children."
A group of young adults from the Pine Bluff area who had videotaped themselves hiding illegal drugs inside their vehicle were fined Tuesday.
The six individuals, who were arrested during a routine traffic stop earlier this year, were fined $250 each during circuit court proceedings at the St. Francis County Courthouse after all of their original charges were either reduced or nolle prosequi.
James Balmaz, 18, was driving the Ford Expedition that was stopped on I-40 near the Forrest City exit on April 30. Balmaz, who registered .039 on a breathalyzer test, told Arkansas State Police troopers that the entire group was under 21, and they were headed to Memphis in May for the weekend.
When troopers opened the vehicle's front passenger door to question another subject, Geoffrey Martin, 20, an open beer reportedly fell to the ground. Troopers found Martin in possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.
The lone female passenger, Anna Jeffcoat, 19, was observed by troopers as she attempted to hide prescription pills, and when questioned about the pills, which included hydrocodone and 16 Xanax, she told troopers they "were everybodys."
While searching the vehicle, troopers also discovered several unopened and empty beer cans and some partially handrolled cigarettes, but the most interesting discovery in the search was a videocamera that had been used to record a bag of marijuana being hidden inside a hollow area near a doorpost. After reviewing the videotape, troopers opened the area and found the three-ounce bag of marijuana.
Balmaz, Martin and Jeffcoat, along with Donald Robinson, 18, Luke Clements 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile were all arrested on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, a Class C felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, minor in possession of alcohol, drinking on the highway and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. In addition, Balmaz was charged with DWI and speeding.
Balmaz suffered the largest fine, $800, after his DWI charge was reduced to driving under the influence. He was also ordered to serve seven days in jail, but six of those were suspended.
On the five other subjects, the felony charge of possession
was reduced to a misdemeanor possession charge, which resulted
in the $250 fines. The remaining charges against each defendant
were nolle prosequi.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
It may not be cotton harvesting time, but Cotton Pickin time is right around the corner as officials in Caldwell have released the schedule for the fourth annual Cotton Pickin' Festival.
This year's event, which will be held Thursday, Sept. 23, through Saturday, Sept. 25, will feature old standbys along with new events that Caldwell Mayor Gary Hughes hopes will make the event a larger success.
"We're really looking forward to this year's festival. This is our fourth one and each year they've gotten bigger and better and we're hoping to do the same thing this year," Hughes said.
This year's festival will kick-off at the Caldwell City Park, for the first time on a Thursday with gospel singing from 6 to 10 p.m. Bingo will be played at 7 p.m. and a cake walk will take place at 8 p.m.
On Friday, music will also be featured with bluegrass at 5 p.m. followed by Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers at 8 p.m. At 7 p.m. girls ages 3 to 12 will be featured during the annual Cotton Pickin Queen Pageant. A spacewalk and giant slide will open to the children at 6 p.m.
Activities will take place all day on Saturday with the second annual pet show starting things off at 9 a.m. At the same time, car enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the second annual Auto Show which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Music will make its way back to center stage with an afternoon of variety singing from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. the Naval Band from Millington, Tenn., will entertain festival goers followed by the Elvis Presley Main Event at 8 p.m.
"This will be the fourth year that we've had the Elvis impersonator in and people really enjoy him. That will be the highlight of the festival," Hughes said.
Saturday will also feature the annual cotton pickin' contest at 11 a.m. There will be games for children and Bingo will be played from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. A new event for this year's festival will be the Cotton Pickin' Costume or Impersonator Contest. According to Hughes the competition will reward the best costume or performance during the event.
"We're looking for the best costume and acts that we can
get. We want people to come out and do impersonations and acts
and maybe even karaoke," Hughes said.
Want to know more about the upcoming high school football season at Forrest City, Hughes and Palestine-Wheatley? Looking for information about the SEC, Sun Belt or Conference USA? How about the best college football games to watch this season, do you know which ones to choose?
Find out the answers to those questions and more in the "Football 2004" supplement inside today's Times-Herald.
The annual preseason special section looks at prep football in the area, as well as the Arkansas Razorbacks, Arkansas State Indians, University of Memphis and a complete NFL season schedule.
The ballots for the school board elections scheduled for Sept. 21 have arrived at the St. Francis County Clerk's office.
County Clerk Elizabeth Smith confirmed this morning that the ballots have been in since Friday, and were delivered to her office on Monday morning. Smith also stated that absentee ballots have been mailed.
The school board elections in the county will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Early voting for this election will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 7, and will continue through Monday, Sept. 20. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, in the county clerk's office in the St. Francis County Courthouse.