Anniston man closest to facing execution in Alabama

Anthony Boyd

Former Anniston resident Anthony Boyd is a step closer to facing execution than any of the 186 people currently on Alabama’s death row.  A federal court rejected his most recent appeal three weeks ago.  Boyd, sentenced to death for the 1993 murder of Anniston resident Gregory Huguley, is one of several inmates for whom Alabama prosecutors sought execution dates last year.  Those executions didn’t happen. Boyd and six other inmates, challenged Alabama’s lethal injection methods in court. Alabama hasn’t executed an inmate since 2013, due to court challenges and shortages of drugs. Boycotts by drugmakers have made execution drugs harder for most states to get.

The tide seemed to turn against Alabama inmates' execution challenges in the summer, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the use of midazolam in Oklahoma. After the ruling, U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins asked the Alabama inmates to suggest alternatives to Alabama’s three-drug protocol that would be more humane.

Boyd asked to be executed by either hanging or the firing squad, neither of which is allowed by Alabama law.

Watkins earlier this month rejected Boyd’s request – and dismissed his case, leaving no clear legal barrier to his execution.

Court records show no new court challenge to Boyd’s execution has been filed since the case was dismissed.

Two arrested in Cherokee County Burglary

A Tucker's Chapel community resident called the Cherokee County sheriff's office when his security system indicated an intruder was in his home. After a foot chase, deputies apprehended two suspects.  The call came into 911 about midday Wednesday from a resident on County Road 47. Deputies and investigators found the home had been burglarized. They encountered two men and, after foot chase, the two were taken into custody.

50 year old William Darrin Blevins,  of Fort Payne, was charged with third-degree burglary, first-degree theft of property, resisting arrest and attempting to elude. 26 year old Christopher Daniel Jones, of Fyffe, was charged with third-degree burglary, first-degree theft of property, resisting arrest, attempting to elude, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and third-degree promoting prison contraband.

Both were booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center. Investigators recovered the property stolen from the victim's residence.

Talladega police investigating shootings

Talladega police are investigating a shooting incident Wednesday night on East Sloan Avenue.

Although one house and one vehicle were damaged by bullets, no one was injured.

According to police, the shots were fired sometime between 10 and 10:45 p.m. Investigators have spoken with a witness who heard the shots, but as of Thursday afternoon, there was no description of the shooter or shooters available.

Investigators are handling at least eight other incidents in town involving gunfire during the past month. The most recent incident was Oct. 13 and appeared to have targeted a house on the next block from the one hit Wednesday.

There was yet another shooting on East Sloan in late September. This incident resulted in damage to four cars, but no one was hit.

Investigators said they  could not say for certain if the Wednesday night incident was related to any or all of the other shooting incidents.

So far, only two people have actually been shot during all of these incidents, and neither of their injuries appeared life-threatening.

Anyone with information about any of these incidents should contact the Talladega Police Department at 256-362-4508 or call the city’s anonymous tip line at 256-299-0011.

Man killed in Gadsden Crash

A motorcyclist was killed in an accident wednesday afternoon in Gadsden.

Etowah County Coroner Michael Head said 47 year old  Charles Carroll,  of Leesburg, was killed following a collision that happened around 4 p.m. wednesday. The accident happened at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Albert Rains Boulevard.

Carroll, riding a Honda motorcycle, was heading south on Albert Rains when his motorcycle collided with a Honda Civic near the median. His motorcycle struck the vehicle on the driver's side.  Carroll was transported to Riverview Regional Medical Center, where he died shortly after.

New contract to benefit Depot

Defense contractor General Dynamics Land Systems, has announced they have received a  $358 million contract to upgrade and refurbish 150 M1A1 Abrams tanks with the work shared between workers at the Anniston Army depot and the Lima Army Tank Plant in Lima, Ohio. The contract means steady work for the Anniston depot, which has seen budget cuts and layoffs in recent years.

The newly contracted tanks are set to be sold to the Kingdom of Morocco. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in January 2017, with the project expected to be finished in February 2018. The work will be performed by existing employees at the depot and the Lima facility.

Under the program, the tanks will be upgraded to the M1A1 SA configuration, meaning they'll be completely disassembled and overhauled until they are in a like-new condition. The tanks will also receive armor upgrades and new technology to improve crew situational awareness.

Lawsuit against former Anniston Police Officer set to be heard in November

A former Anniston police officer is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 16 in a lawsuit stemming from an accident that severely injured an 84-year-old man in 2012.

William Curry was flown to UAB Hospital in February 2012 after Thomas Anthony Gassaway’s Ford Crown Victoria patrol car collided with Curry’s 2000 Chevrolet Malibu, .. Curry died two months later in a Jacksonville nursing home, according to his death certificate.

Curry was travelling westbound on Sixth Street when he crossed the northbound lanes of Quintard Avenue into the southbound lanes. Gassaway’s vehicle struck Curry’s on the passenger side in the southbound lanes of Quintard.

Curry suffered severe brain trauma, multiple broken ribs and bruises, according to a lawsuit filed 21 days after the crash by his wife, Louise Curry. Curry alleges Gassaway “negligently and wantonly operated” his vehicle. The suit also alleges Gassaway was travelling at a high speed in pursuit of another vehicle and failed to turn on his lights or his siren at the time of the wreck.

Gassaway resigned from the Police Department In July 2013.

When the original lawsuit was filed, Louise Curry asked for $10 million in damages from Gassaway and the city of Anniston. In March of 2012, an amended complaint was filed to include Alfa Insurance for failing to pay out the policy the Currys had on their car.