Talladega criminal cases set for trial

Parties in several major criminal cases in Talladega County say they will be ready to proceed during the next criminal jury week,. The cases include a man charged with murder more than 8 years ago and a former Talladega College student who is accused of making terrorist threats against the school. 22 year old Corry Averett, is accused of killing Roscoe Desmond Anderson III on Nov. 10, 2004. Averett was not indicted for the crime until the summer of 2009, following a lengthy investigation by the Sylacauga Police Department. Averett was served with the indictment while serving time in federal prison on unrelated charges. If convicted, Averett faces 20 to 99 years or life in prison. 24 year old Douglas Frederick Powell, of Clay County was arrested by Talladega police in January after allegedly making terrorist threats against Talladega College students in November 2011. He was suspended and escorted off campus at that time, and was later expelled after a due process hearing in December. Powell supposedly made statements to at least two school administrators that he had issues with a specific group on campus, and could handle it either by “kill(ing) them all outright or killing them one at a time.” Jury selection in the cases is expected to begin Sept. 16.