Bays death still under investigation
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The investigation into the death of a Claiborne Parish
Police Juror is still underway.
According to Assistant District Attorney Danny Newell, authorities
are still investigating the death of Brian “Butch” Bays, who was shot and
killed on December 16, 2010. According to authorities, he was shot at his
store, Bays Country Store and Bait Shop in Summerfield early that morning.
Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey said they believe the
motive may have been robbery because during their initial investigation, a
money bag from under the counter inside his store was missing. Nothing else had
been disturbed, he said.
“Right now, were still waiting on the results on some
forensic evidence from the crime lab, and it just takes a while,” the sheriff
said.
The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with
the Louisiana State Police are conducting the investigation.
Two 19-year-old boys are accused of his murder. Donte
Fielding and Hardy Taylor, both age 19, are charged with first-degree murder
and are still incarcerated at the Claiborne Parish Detention Center at this
time.
Newell said no court date had been set for arraignment
because it’s still in the hands of the investigators. Both suspects were
appointed attorneys from the Indigent Defender Board when Fielding and Taylor,
according to records, appeared before Second Judicial District Judge Jenifer
Clason for their 72-hour hearings.
According to law, authorities and prosecutors only have a
certain amount of time to charge someone with a crime. However, there is a
difference between felony cases and capital (homicide) cases.
“In capital cases, you have 120 days to charge them,”
Newell said. “Most felony cases are 60 days.”
If they are still incarcerated, then they have 120 days
to charge for capital cases, but only 60 days for felony cases. If the person
arrested bonds out, then there is no set limit on how long it takes to charge
them, he said.
No bond was set for Fielding and Hardy.
Bays, 72 at the time of his death, was considered an icon
in Summerfield. He served as Claiborne Parish Police Juror for District 1 for
approximately 16 years and was very involved in his community.
He was also very well loved. He was considred the
unofficial “mayor” of Summerfield because he worked so tirelessly for the
community and was considered a very generous man.
He, and his brothers, were also very instrumental in the
dream become reality of the new Summerfield Fire Station. He and his brothers
graciously donated the property to Claiborne Parish Fire District #6.
He is still greatly missed by his family, friends and his
community.
Multiagency pursuit ends in arrests
A police pursuit ended in the arrests of two Haynesville
men last week.
According to a news release, on Thursday, January 27,
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputies J.T. Williams, Roger Ellerbe, Aaron
Christian, Steve Harbour and Marc Herring, along with the Haynesville Police
Department, assisted the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Agents in
the arrests to two men.
Lewis W. Williams Jr., 34, and Landon T. Childress, 21,
were arrested after a crash following a pursuit.
Williams was charged with aggravated flight from an
officer, reckless operation of a vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia,
failure to obey stop/yield signs, DWI third offense, improper lane usage and
speeding. Bonds were to be set.
Childress was charged with resisting an officer with bond
set at $500 and possession of drug paraphernalia with bond set at $500. Both
men were transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center and booked on he
above charges.
A white female was also a passenger in the vehicle, but
no charges were pressed against her.
In other crime news, the following day, Friday, January
28, Harbour was observing traffic on Highway 9 north and observing a vehicle
pass him and cross the center line of he roadway. The driver of the vehicle was
driving erratically, speeding up and then slowing down.
Upon initiating a traffic stop with the vehicle, Harbour
noted that there were several occupants in the vehicle.
The driver was found to be ashton Molsbee, 21, of El
Dorado, Ark. Harbour detected the odor of marijuana coming from he suspect
vehicle and conducted an investigation. Harbour contacted Christian and his K-9
partner to come to the location and scan the vehicle.
The K-9 officer alerted as to the presence of illegal
drugs on the driver’s side of the suspect vehicle. Further search revealed a
marijuana seed in the rear passenger seat.
The rear passenger, Justin Rodriguez, 27, of El Dorado,
Ark., told deputies that there was a bag of marijuana in the pocket of the seat
where he was seated. Rodriguez stated that the marijuana was his. A plastic
baggie containing marijuana was located in the pocket of the seat and a package
containing a cigar was also located.
Rodriguez was placed under arrest.
Another plastic baggie containing marijuana was located
in a purse in the front driver’s seat. The driver, Molsbee, stated that the
purse belonged to her and the marijuana in the purse was also hers.
Molsbee was placed under arrest.
Rodriguez and Molsbee were transported to the jail
facilities in Claiborne Parish and both suspects were charged with simple
possession of marijuana.
Ruling pending in attorney case
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Former Homer Mayor David Newell is still awaiting a
decision from the Louisiana Supreme Court as to whether he will keep his law
license or not.
On Wednesday, January 19, Newell went before the justices
where they heard arguments from both sides as to whether he violated the
Attorney’s Rules of Professional Conduct. According to Charles Plattsmier,
chief disciplinary counsel for the Louisiana Attorney Discipline Board, it
usually takes a while before a decision is rendered.
“It was argued in front of the justices of the Louisiana
Supreme Court last week,” he said. “Typically a matter will stay before them
about six weeks before they will hand down a decision.”
That means from the time arguments are heard to the date
the decision is actually published, it usually takes about six weeks.
According to records, Newell faces several charges of
violations of the Attorney’s Rules of Professional Conduct, and the Office of
Disciplinary Council has recommended he be suspended for one year and one day.
“The evidence in this matter clearly and convincingly
demonstrates that Respondent (Newell) engaged in conduct that violated multiple
provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct,” according to the
recommendation to the Louisiana Supreme Court. “Based upon the cases cited
herein, the ABA Standards, and the facts of this matter, the Board recommends
that Respondent be suspended for one-year-and-one-day. The Board further
recommends that Respondent make appropriate restitution to Emily Jones (Count
I), Merry Wallace (Count IV), and Wilma Holcomb (Count VII). Finally, the Board
recommends that Respondent be cast with all expenses and costs associated with
this disciplinary hearing.”
Over the last several years, some of Newell’s clients had
filed grievances (or complaints) against the attorney for violations of
professional conduct. According to the complaints, he took money from clients,
but allegedly did not perform the work. Or if he did perform the work, the
Office of Disciplinary Council also alleged that Newell “improperly co-mingled
personal, client and third party funds.”
Newell has denied engaging in any misconduct, the
recommendation stated.
In all, there were seven charges, and the council is
recommending reprimand for at least three of those counts for violations of
several rules.
The 77-page report lists all counts against Newell, and
in its conclusion stated, “In accordance with instructions received from the
court, when an attorney is suspended for a period in excess of one year, any
conditions or reinstatements should be addressed when, and if, the attorney
applies for reinstatement.”
The World of Technology
Homer Lions Club gets lesson in
computers
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Technology -- the wave of the future -- at least that’s
what they said 20 years ago.
Today, technology is the wave of the present, and many
businesses and individuals live by it. With computers, Ipads, Ipods, laptops,
and much more, people are using these machines to communicate every day. Janet
Holland, technology supervisor for the Claiborne Parish School Board, spoke to
the Homer Lions Club on Thursday. She discussed computers and how easy it is to
communicate with each other now.
“Technology really changes on a day to day basis,” she said.
“There are some tried and true technology and some new programs that will help
you communicate both personally and in business. Communication is getting
easier and easier.”
One of the earliest forms of electronic communication is
email. Although email was a great thing to behold and use, it was still slow in
terms of communication.
Instant messaging became the next best thing because it
was automatic and much faster.
She and Hope Triplet, also with the school board,
demonstrated the ease and speed to use instant messaging.
“When you instant message, even overseas, it comes back
that fast,” she said.
Another program she demonstrated is Skype, which is a
program where people can communicate face to face with a camera.
Other demonstrations included the Ipad, the Ipod, the
Droid phone and even an easy way to pay bills.
She said that most banks now offer bill pay on line, but
one of the older versions of bill pay is mycheckfree.com.
In fact, she said, some banks use the website to pay
bills for people who sign up for bill pay.
Technology is changing every day, and it’s connecting
people worldwide that just a few short decades ago could not communicate other
than regular mail or a telephone call. With phone calls costing so much today,
it’s easier to use these programs demonstrated because many of them are free,
she said. Using the internet connections, these programs don’t cost as much, if
at all, to connect a person to the world.
