Mistrial declared in Anniston murder trial

Terrence Lamot Allen

Calhoun County Circuit Judge Bud Turner declared a mistrial Friday morning in the case of an Anniston man charged with stabbing a co-worker to death in 2010, because a juror studied outside the courtroom.  38-year-old Terrence Lamont Allen is accused of stabbing 39 year old Dimir Ranz Burton, in the head after a Sept. 14, 2010, altercation at the Car Exchange on Quintard Avenue, where both men worked.  Allen claims he acted in self-defense while prosecutors say the Allen had the opportunity to walk away from the incident.  The jury had deliberated for more than eight hours stretched across three days. Turner said neither the prosecution nor the defense moved to declare a mistrial. The judge said he made the decision because he discovered one of the jurors did independent study outside the courtroom  which Turner instructed the jury not to do.  Several jurors outside the courtroom afterward said the independent study concerned the legal criteria for self defense and manslaughter. At the jury’s request, Turner on Thursday reiterated what constitutes the two terms.  Both the prosecution and Allen’s defense attorney, David Johnston, agreed with Turner’s decision.  Allen will remain free on bond until the case is tried again.

Calhoun county school board approves budget

The Calhoun County school board approved the budget for the upcoming school year Thursday, including $4 million for an addition to Ohatchee High School.  The projected cost of the Ohatchee High addition in the final budget was raised from $3 million to $4 million to accommodate the high-end estimate of $3.6 million.  The board will meet in the upcoming weeks to discuss plans for the addition, where they expect to add 12 classrooms and a science lab to the high school.

Re opening of highway 21 in Talladega delayed

A representative from the Alabama Department of Transportation says that Alabama  highway 21 in Talladega county will not re-open as anticipated because of unforeseen circumstances regarding emergency sinkhole repairs.  ALDOT bureau chief Tony Harris, said when the excavation of the second sinkhole began, workers discovered a much larger area than anticipated needed to be unearthed.  Workers from Newell Roadbuilders Inc. of Hope Hull started work on the $9.4 million project Aug. 14. 

The original terms of the contract with Newell Roadbuilders Inc. called for the road to be re-opened within 21 days of the project start date.

Anniston Golf Course re-opens

The Pine Hill Country Club in Anniston which had closed Monday has now been reopened. The course owner, 17-year owner Allan Goodson says the course had been leased by E&E Golf Management for the past three years but is now back under his management.  The course had been operated by E&E management which is currently involved in litigation between the companies owners and is about to file bankruptcy.   Pine Hill wasn’t the only course affected by this ordeal. The Talladega Municipal Golf Course, also operated by E&E Golf Management, closed Monday as well but has been re opened by the city of Talladega. 

Week 1 High School Football scores and schedule

Thursday night scores

Brooks 32, Sheffield 7

Central-Phenix City 34, Russell County 15

Central-Tuscaloosa 51, Sipsey Valley 18

Chelsea 62, John Carroll Catholic 14

Childersburg 38, B.B. Comer 0

Dadeville 28, Reeltown 0

Dora 50, Cordova 6

Excel 35, J.U. Blacksher 6

Gaylesville 40, Cedar Bluff 39

Good Hope 61, Holly Pond 14

Gordo 43, Aliceville 20

Guntersville 28, Boaz 0

Hamilton 42, Sulligent 0

Hazel Green 51, Grissom 7

Horseshoe Bend 24, Wadley 20

Jackson 37, Clarke County 6

Jemison 34, Chilton County 2 (2 OT)

Luverne 33, Brantley 19

Madison Academy 48, Tanner 6

Millry 42, Fruitdale 20

Moody 45, St. Clair County 18

Muscle Shoals 56, Rogers 0

Northview 42, Sidney Lanier 14

Pell City 14, Hueytown 7

Priceville 48, West Morgan 35

Section 27, Butler 12

Slocomb 26, Rehobeth 0

Southern Choctaw 32, Marengo 20

Southside-Gadsden 35, Hokes Bluff 14

Stanhope Elmore 48, Marbury 7

Susan Moore 44, West End 14

Tharptown 29, Phil Campbell 24

Vigor 27, Davidson 23

Winfield 19, Brilliant 0

Friday Schedule

Colllinsville at Coosa Christian

Jacksonville Christian at Woodville

Talladega Co. Central  at Talladega

Valley Head at Donoho

Fyffe at Geraldine

Randolph County at Gaston

Westbrook Christian at Glencoe

Woodland at Bowdon (GA)

New Hope at Locust Fork

Pennington, J.B. at Cleveland

Piedmont at Cherokee County

Pisgah at Sand Rock

Saks at Walter Wellborn

Sylvania at Sardis

Weaver at Cleburne County

White Plains at Ohatchee

Central of Clay County at Trinity Presbyterian

Crossville at Plainview

Douglas at DAR

Lincoln at Leeds

Munford at Corner

North Jackson at Fort Payne

Arab at  Albertville

Etowah  at Alexandria

Greenville at Anniston

Hayden at  Sylacauga

Pinson Valley at  Oneonta

Springville at  Ashville

Carrollton (GA)  at   Oxford

Florence at   Gadsden City    Broadcast on WTDR 99.3

Former Sylcauga officer pleads to sex crime

A former Sylacauga police officer has plead gulity to sodomy in the second degree involving a 14-year-old boy. 45 year old Herschel Bryan Morgan, a former Sylacauga police officer and Talladega County constable, will be sentenced by Circuit Judge Bo Hollingsworth Sept.11^th and faces two to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors say the charge that Morgan pleaded to involved incidents when he was involved with the Explorer’s Club in the mid-1990s. District attorney Steve Giddens said the crime was investigated at the time, but there was never any evidence. Giddens said The victim was 14 and 15 years old when the abuse was going on. He’s now a grown man, living in another state, and he came forward and confirmed the allegations. Morgan was indicted by a grand jury earlier this year, and announced through his attorney that he would be ready for trial at status call earlier this month.

Two teens charged in robbery where store owner was shot

Two Anniston teens have been arrested in connection with last weeks robbery of an Anniston convenience store in which the store owner was shot. 17 year old Angelo Smith, and 18 year old Teddrick Carr, are both charged with felony first-degree robbery and misdemeanor charges of carrying a firearm without a permit. Police say that Smith is charged as adults because he was a participant in a violent crime in which a weapon was involved. Police say that Carr, Smith and another man entered Black’s Grocery and More on West 15th Street, where One of the three suspects brandished a handgun and demanded money from the owner and a male witness. The witness was able to escape but the owner was shot in the chest after fighting with the suspects. The victim drove himself to his home two blocks away where he collapsed on the floor while his mother called Anniston EMS. The victim was taken to Regional Medical Center where he was in stable condition in the ICU Friday. The victim and the witness were able to pick Smith and Carr out of a lineup and officers obtained search warrants Police arrested Smith on Glen Addie Drive Tuesday after he tried to escape on foot and attempted to toss a 9 mm Smith & Wesson handgun as he fled. Officers arrested Carr Wednesday on the corner of 34th Street and Noble Street where he had been sitting in a green Ford Expedition. Carr was in possession of a .22-caliber handgun at the time of his arrest. Police say they have no leads on the third suspect as their investigation is continuing.