|
by
JoBeth Wampler
Staff Reporter
The
two Pike County high school students arrested and
charged in the January 25 shooting of eight horses
belonging to a Breaks Stable horse owner withdrew
their guilty pleas on Thursday last week, opting for a
trial in late September.
According
to Pike County Commonwealth's Attorney Rick Bartley,
Michael Ross Damron, 17, of Mouthcard, and Jacob
Leslie Ratliff, 18, of Belcher, entered into a
pretrial diversion plea agreement on Friday, May 11.
The
agreement required that Damron and Ratliff plead
guilty to all charges, serve 30 days in prison and two
years on probation, work 200 hours community service
and pay restitution for the deaths of three horses and
the medical expenses incurred by the five others that
were injured. After which, Bartley said, all charges
would be dismissed.
However,
on Friday last week, Pike County Circuit Judge Eddy
Coleman denied the motion for pretrial diversion.
At
a status conference last Thursday, Kentucky law
allowed Damron and Ratliff the opportunity to withdraw
their guilty pleas, which they entered into in
accordance with their plea agreements, and proceed to
trial or let their guilty pleas stand and accept
whatever punishment the court may impose.
Choosing
to withdraw their guilty pleas, Damron and Ratliff
will now go to trial in late September.
Bartley
suggested the late trial date may have to do with the
publicity the case has received since it began in late
February. Such publicity may make it difficult to find
a jury, he said.
In
late February, Damron and Ratliff were indicted by a
Pike County grand jury on three felony counts of
first-degree criminal mischief for the killing of
three horses, and five misdemeanor counts of
second-degree criminal mischief and cruelty to animals
for the torturing and injuring of five other horses.
If
convicted of the former, a class D felony which is
defined as the destroying or damaging of property
valued at $1,000 or more, they would face between one
and five years in prison.
For
more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer,
on sale at newsstands now. To subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today.
|
|
by
JoBeth Wampler
Staff Reporter
Area
citizens, groups or organizations wishing to rid unwanted trash and
garbage from Southwest Virginia's hillsides are invited to
participate in a Tri-County Cleanup set for Friday, June 1 in
Grundy.
Those
interested will meet near the recycling center at the Grundy Plaza
Building at 8 a.m., where event coordinators will be offering coffee
and doughnuts to start the day.
As a part
of the joint partnership Tri-County Illegal Dump Cleanup Project and
the Keep America Beautiful initiative, the event is a part of a
three-county cleanup program that extends throughout Buchanan County
and into Russell and Dickenson counties.
According
to Buchanan County Litter Control Officer Jerry Ward, the Buchanan
County cleanup will make its way along Slate Creek and the Levisa
River from the Grundy Plaza into downtown.
A
cookout will be held at 1 p.m. at the Grundy Plaza for all those
participating, with the cleanup winding down at around 2:30 p.m.
For
more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer,
on sale at newsstands now. To subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today.
|
