Toles murder retrial

Kevin Adrea Towles

A retired state medical examiner testified Friday in the second day of testimony in the capital murder retrial of Andre Towles

that Geonte Glass died of complications from untreated blunt force trauma injuries, some caused by beatings with a belt and with a wooden stick,.

Emily Ward told jurors the 5-year-old’s injuries did not all occur at the same time, and open injuries to the boy’s backside and one leg occurred from repeated blows to the same part of his body that eventually knocked off the first layer of skin.

Some of the injuries caused significant blood loss deep within the tissues of the boy’s buttocks and leg, and internal examination Ward performed of the body found bleeding around the boy’s spinal cord. She testified that “Tremendous force” would have been needed to inflict those injuries.

Ward said the boy would have suffered “spinal shock” and been unable to walk after such an injury. With treatment, it was possible he could have recovered.  Under cross-examination by defense attorney Dani Bone, Ward said she could not determine exactly how long before the boy’s death the injuries occurred. She said some were in various stages of healing.  Ward told jurors that Geontae could have survived the injuries had they been treated. Bone repeatedly asked if Glass could have survived had “someone, let’s say, his mother,” provided nutrition and hydration and proper treatment.

Ward said medical attention would have been needed for the child to survive.  Toles retrial continues today.

Rehab escapee captured in Oxford

A Lincoln woman who fled from a court ordered drug rehabilitation program has been recaptured, according to Talladega police.

25 year old Cassie Marie Langston, was reportedly seen at the Motel 6 in Oxford by someone who called Talladega’s anonymous tip line.

Oxford Police were contacted, and they followed up and actually located her .

Langston was taken into custody in Oxford and sent back to the Talladega County Metro Jail.

Langston had been charged with escape in the third degree and is being held on a $10,000 bond. This is separate from the $100,000 bond for chemical endangerment of a child.

Langston allegedly gave birth to a child that tested positive for methamphetamine in April. She was arrested by Talladega police in July after leading police on a foot chase.

As a condition of her bond on the chemical endangerment charge, Langston was ordered to attend the Daybreak drug rehabilitation program in Munford. Investigators said she told the staff at Daybreak she was transferring to Seven Springs Ministries in Oxford, then fled from that facility as well.

Langston was not facing any additional charges other than the escape and chemical endangerment.

Talladega burglary arrest

A 32 year old Talladega man is being held on a $10,000 bond after being charged with a burglary that took place in August.

Bryan Adam Smith, was arrested by Talladega police and charged with one count of burglary in the third degree. The burglary Smith is accused of took place at a residence on the 100 block of Chilton Street on August 10.

the victim of the burglary had just lost her husband at the time of the crime. Smith is accused parking his car in front of the victim’s home and pretending to offer condolences, then claiming that he could not leave due to car trouble.

the victim eventually left and had a friend tell her the car was still there later that night. When she returned home, she found an open window and a missing television set.

Suit filed against gunmaker in death of Gaylesville boy

A shooting accident that claimed the life of a Gaylesville boy and injured both his parents has led to  a lawsuit against the handgun’s manufacturer — one of a number of cases alleging defects in the safety and trigger mechanisms of the guns.

D.J. Simms was fatally injured in February when a handgun his father was cleaning discharged. The bullet went through his father’s hand, passed through the 11-year-old’s body and struck his mother in the elbow, according to information from investigators at the time of the incident.

Lawsuits were filed this week against gun manufacturer Taurus International over Simms’ death. The suit, filed in Dade County, Florida, alleges faulty design in the pistol that directly led to the death of Simms and severe injuries to both his parents. Specifically, the suit focuses on a design flaw that makes certain types of Taurus pistols likely to discharge in two instances: when the pistol is subjected to an impact or is dropped, the trigger moves backward, which can lead to the gun firing, even with the safety is engaged; and when the manual safety lever appears to be in the safe position, the gun remains capable of being fired by a trigger pull.

Depot power project approved

A new military project at the Anniston Army Depot could light up some homes across the state.  On Tuesday the Alabama Public Service Commission approved Alabama Power's proposal to design and build solar panels at Fort Rucker and the Anniston Army Depot.  Each facility will be given panels that take in 10 mega-watts, which combined, is enough to power about 4,200 Alabama homes.

Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman said they  worked with the military to meet their needs. And these projects, the way they are formulated, will also be beneficial to the entire Alabama Power customer base because it secures long-term contracts to operate these facilities on the bases.

Organizers hope to break ground on these projects in 2016.

Talladega drug bust

A Talladega College student was arrested Tuesday night and is being held in the county jail on a $10,000 bond.

24 year old Deante Cooper, of 7th Avenue West in Birmingham has been formally charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana in the first degree, possession of drug paraphernalia and escape in the third degree.

The disorderly conduct and resisting charges were brought by the Talladega College Campus Police.

The drug task force was notified when Cooper was allegedly found with a quart jar containing what turned out to be buds from high quality marijuana plants..

Cooper allegedly tried to bolt when he was getting out of the police car but was recaptured following a brief foot chase.

The felony marijuana charge stems from both the quantity and quality of the marijuana Cooper allegedly had.