Darryl Heard—Guilty As Charged
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Three years
ago, on January 23, 2001, the body of Brenda Dunn was found in a vacant house
on Pearl Street, the victim of a brutal attack. Last Thursday, September 23,
2004 at 5:37 PM, the suspect arrested for her murder was found guilty as
charged by a jury of his peers. Darryl Heard, who was 29 at the time of the
murder, will be sentenced October 14. According to District Judge Jenifer Clason, he faces a
mandatory life sentence at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole,
or suspension of sentence.
Following three days of testimony, it took the jury about two
hours to agree on a verdict, guilty of second degree murder. Although not a unanimous
decision, ten of the twelve jurors believed Assistant District Attorney Danny
Newell had presented his case that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Heard
was guilty .
Witnesses for
the prosecution included forensic DNA specialist Michelle Collins, who
testified that drops of wet blood collected at the crime scene the night Dunn
was murdered was Darryl Heard's blood. She said DNA
results showed semen found in Brenda Dunn's body matched Darryl Heard's and that it had been placed there within 12 hours
of her murder. She testified that DNA found on a gin bottle in the house where Dunn's body was
found belonged to Darryl Heard and that traces of Brenda Dunn's blood was found
on the shirt Heard was wearing the night of January 23, 2001.
In a surprise
move, Defense Attorney Larry English called Darryl Heard to the stand. Heard
admitted he was a 4-time convicted felon, that he had
been convicted of distribution of cocaine, forgery, first degree robbery and
purse snatching, and was currently serving a life sentence.
Drug Raid Nets Three Arrests
An early
morning raid on a methamphetamine lab outside Haynesville on September 23 ended
in the arrest of three subjects, according to Sheriff Ken Bailey, and the
seizure of all necessary chemicals and apparatus for the manufacture of
methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance. Arrested were Levelle R. Hicks of 1289 Middle Road in Minden, Terry T.
Stewart of 2371 Waters Drive in Haynesville, and Lori Weaver of 1655 Airport
Loop in Homer.
The raid was
conducted by the Metro Narcotics Task Force, Louisiana State Police, U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office. Bailey
said agents entered a large metal shop building located in the 200 block of
Triplet Road at approximately 4 AM. They were confronted by the three suspects
in an office inside the building. Stewart fled the
area and was apprehended a short time later. Once all subjects were secured,
agents conducted the search of the building.
All three subjects
were charged with possession of over 12 grams ephedrine/pseudoephedrine,
possession of Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine),
creation/operation of a clandestine laboratory, manufacture of a Schedule II
controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine), and cruelty to a juvenile.
Sheriff Bailey
said the cruelty to a juvenile charged was based on the presence of a
3-year-old child within the lab site. The Louisiana Legislature recently
enacted a new law that makes exposing a child under the age of 17 to a
clandestine laboratory, a felony punishable by up to ten years at hard
labor. Weaver was booked into the
Claiborne Parish Jail women's facility on $100,000 bond. Stewart and Hicks were
booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center under $250,000 bond.
Bailey said,
"Meth labs are a growing concern for all law
enforcement across this nation and he is proud to see the cooperation between
agencies that allowed this to be a successful operation." Metro Narcotics is a coordinated effort of
the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office and Homer and Haynesville Police
Departments. Anyone with knowledge of illegal drug activity is encouraged to
contact the Sheriff's Office at 927-2011 or the Metro Narcotics Task Force at
927-9800.
Juveniles Arrested For Theft
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Last
Thursday, September 23, at approximately 4:42 PM, the Claiborne Parish
Sheriff's Office received an E-911 call from 171 Pet Lane in Homer to report
their home had been broken into and several items were missing. CPSO detectives
initiated an investigation which led to the arrest of three 16-year-old
juveniles from the Athens area. All three were arrested Friday, September 24
and charged with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. Sheriff Ken Bailey
said the majority of items stolen have been recovered.
Homer Mayor Recall Stopped....
Supreme Court Fails To Overturn Lower
Court Ruling
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Louisiana
Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal filed by Attorneys Larry English
and Carlos Prudhomme on behalf of Lurry D. Crew on
Wednesday October 22. The Court's decision ended any chance to get the recall
election placed on the ballot. Crew served as Chairman of the Citizens for
Human Rights Committee which initiated a recall of Homer Mayor Huey Dean within
the first two months after he took office in January 2003.
The Citizens
for Human Rights Committee will now have to start the entire process over if
they wish to recall the mayor. Both Crew and Wilson have indicated that is what
they plan to do.
I-69 "Alternative 4" Top
Choice
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
According to
the report recently released by the URS Project Team, the I-69 Alternate 4
corridor was the overwhelming favorite by those who submitted comments at
several public meetings held this summer. More than 600 individuals or couples
attended the public meetings held the week of June 27. At that time, URS Team
members presented four alternate routes for I-69 between El Dorado, Arkansas
and Haughton.
By the extended deadline, July 16, 2004, the Project Team had received 1,396
comments. The majority of those comments favored Alternative 4. In Webster
Parish, 52% selected Alternative 4 and 39% preferred Alternative 1.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Claiborne Parish respondents picked Alternative
4, with only 8% selecting Alternative One.
According to
Christi Wilson, there will be some further adjustments to the favored alternatives based on
the comments received by the public. These new alternatives will be presented
sometime later this fall. The final environmental impact statement and record
of decision is expected sometime in the Spring of
2005.
Haynesville Council Hires Police
Officers
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Haynesville
Town Council met September 16 and approved Police Chief Jim Garner's
request to hire three new police officers. Garner said he was not sure if the
Council was aware they had three new openings in the police department. One
officer was let go for failure to pass a drug test, another for failing to pass
the physical fitness test at the basic training academy, and a third officer
resigned for personal reasons.
Garner said he
had given tests to several applicants and recommended hiring three young men.
James Edward Bolton was a former police officer for the Town for three years,
but left for more pay. He is 33 years old and has 4 children. Lee Birdsong, 25,
of Haynesville is married with two children. He has experience with
corrections, worked at David Wade Correctional but left due to family problems.
Ryan Bordelon lives in Arcadia but said he would move
to Haynesville within six months. He is 24 years old, married and has two
children. The Council approved the request by a vote of 3-0, with Joyce Majors
abstaining.
No Property Tax Increase For Homer This Year
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Town of
Homer met in Special Session at noon on Tuesday, September 21 to adopt
Ordinance No. 859 to set the ad valorem tax millages for the 2004. The issue had been tabled at the
previous meeting.
Homer Council
members voted to leave the tax millage at the same
rate as in 2003, at 8.94 mills. According to Tax Assessor Clyde Hightower, the
total tax the Town is expected to collect this year will be $106,065,
whick is down from $106,540 last year, for an annual
reduction of about $475.
Board May Vote On Homer School Project
Next Meeting
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Claiborne Parish
School Superintendent James Scriber and Board members A. D. Williams, Blake
Hemphill, Stanley Edwards, Tommy Davidson, Almeter
Willis, and Stewart Griffin met Monday, September 27 with Oversight Committee
Co-Chairmen David Aubrey and Bill Owens to discuss the two plans presented by
Scriber on the Homer School Project.
Architect Hugh
Parker said he had prepared an additional layout from discussion at the last
meeting. This layout was a two-story building located where the present shop is
now. The only problem was the price which he estimated at $3.849 million. To
put the track around the football field would take another $674,000, opposed to
$300,000 to build a separate track on the elementary grounds. Davidson said he
didn't know where they would get another $600,000. Scriber said the hill was
too steep on the north side of the shop next to the practice field where the
trees are to put the
building there.
Scriber said
all the Board has right now is $2.8 million in bond funds and $600,000 in
District 13 maintenance funds. This will give them $3.4 million for
construction of the junior high building. They are looking at about $1 million
in QZAB funds for renovation and they will need $300,000 to renovate the old
gym, which is something that must be done.
Scriber said,
"I've made my recommendations...recommendations that would fit the money.
I like the two-story building because it takes less space. I like the one-story
building because you have a little money left over. You've got to decide which
is the most valuable to you. That is the decision the board has to make."
Parker said it
would take about 5-6 months to get plans ready and complete the bid
process. Davidson said the Board needs
to have something ready to vote on at the next meeting. Scriber said he would
have to study to see if they could have it ready in time.
Loan Program Available For Small
Businesses
Diana Simek, manager of the Metro Regional Business Incubator
owned by Coordinating and Development Corporation (CDC), was at the Claiborne
Chamber of Commerce office in Homer on Tuesday, September 21 to assist local
individuals in filling out an application for a loan for their small business.
To qualify, businesses must have 15 employees or less and their proceeds must
by less than $1 million annually. The maximum amount of a loan is $15,000. The
9 page application is extremely simple. Businesses do not have to provide a
business plan or financial information. This program is something new, brought
to NW Louisiana by Eugene Cornelius, district manager of the SBA in Louisiana,
in August. Simek said Congress has already extended
the program until 2007. An unnamed California bank is lending the money and
they will make the decision on what loans are approved. They do look at the
credit, however. Sixty percent is based on credit information and 40 percent on
character. Persons cannot apply if they have a criminal record; if they are
behind on taxes, SBA loans, or child payments; or if they are in default on a
student loan. Loan funds can be used for
operating capital, but cannot be used for construction. She cannot guarantee
who will get a loan. To apply, persons
must provide a current driver's license, verification of social security
number, and a $475 processing fee written on a company check. The check will be
returned if the loan is not approved. If approved, the fee will be deducted
from the loan amount.
For more
information, you can contact Simek at (318) 671-1050.
St. Jude Car & Bike Show
Saturday, October 2, 2004 ∙ 8 AM -
2 PM
The St. Jude
Car And Bike Show will be held Saturday, October 2,
2004 at Lake Claiborne State Park from 8 AM - 2 PM. Entry fees for cars and
bikes is $20. There will be a silent auction, musical entertainment,
lunch plates and games. All funds raised will go to the St. Jude's Children's
Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in memory of Christian and Joseph Manzanares. All donations can be mailed to Rickey Bearden,
223 Beardsley, Homer, LA 71040. For more information,
call Bearden at 927-9740. Last year, they had 78 cars, 14 bikes, and raised
$11,769.
D.A.R.T. To Hold Vigil
Thursday, October 7 ∙ 6:30 PM
∙ First Baptist
D.A.R.T., the
Domestic Abuse Resistance Team, will hold a Vigil at First Baptist
Church in Homer on Thursday, October 7 at 6:30 PM to remember the women and
children in our area who were victims of domestic violence. October has been
designated Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. Domestic abuse programs throughout
our state and nation will be remembering thousands of women and children who
have been murdered by a loved one. To date, in the five parishes D.A.R.T.
serves, 17 women and 4 children have been killed, an
increase of 3 women since last October. During the week of October 4-8,
life-size silhouettes will be displayed on the lawn of the Claiborne Parish
Courthouse to remind us of these tragedies. Mary Ellen Gamble would like to
encourage everyone to take time to attend this very important event. For more
information, Gamble can be reached at 927-2818.
NO LEFT TURN!! Yes, that's right—NO LEFT TURN!! The "No Left Turn" sign was
recently replaced on the northwest corner of the Courthouse Square due to safety concerns and traffic
congestion. The old sign was pulled down with the traffic lights several years
ago by an 18-wheeler. Homer Police Chief Rodney Hollenshead
advises motorists traveling east on North Main to take heed of the sign and
make sure they turn right when entering the Square from North Main. Homer officers will issue citations to
offenders.
