[1-News-Head]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
There will be no additional hearings, no second trial.
The man accused of killing a Radford teenager cops a plea.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
And, two Virginia airports assessing security risks land on their own employees.
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on New 7 Sports - an update on Rick Mast, a DAZZLING local connection to the NBA finals.
The Williams' sisters advance in Paris.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Radford's Caroline Downs wins her second straight state championship.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]
Thunderstorms make up the weather story this evening. Severe Thunderstorm watches are in affect over much of the coverage area. I'll have your forecast coming up.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 3-Shot]
News 7 at Six is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 19:16:15]
[IN Q=it's in]
((MIKE BARBOUR/DEFENSE ATTORNEY; IT'S IN HIS BEST INTEREST TO ENTER INTO A PLEA AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY AND BE SURE HE WOULD NOT FACE THE DEATH PENALTY.))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=DEATH PENALTY.]
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
Jeffrey Allen Thomas chooses to live, but it will be behind bars.
The murder case of Tara Munsey is finally closed.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.
Keith is off tonight.
[Thomas]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-10 TC1:45:08]
[GRAPHIC=Thomas]
Thomas will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the murder of Radford teenager.
In Pulaski Circuit Court this morning, the 32-year-old pled no contest to three charges as part of a plea agreement.
The judge sentenced Thomas to life in prison plus 13-years.
The plea means the case is closed and that there will NOT be a second jury trial.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Rachel/Microwave;]
New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel Cannon joins us with more, Rachel?
Shannon, earlier this year the Virginia Supreme Court overturned Thomas conviction and death sentence from a his murder trial last March.
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
They said the case deserved a new trial because pre-trial publicity was grounds for a change of venue.
But instead...Thomas is choosing to plead, his defense says it's because he has a different perspective after spending 9-months on death row...
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski; :11]
[SUPER=01-Brian Scheid/Defense Attorney; :38]
[SUPER=01-Mike Barbour/Defense Attorney; 1:02]
[RUNS=1:14]
[OUT Q=OF THIS CASE.]
(( [cover with perp walk]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:16:04]
[IN Q=HE WAS]
((MIKE BARBOUR/DEFENSE ATTORNEY; HE WAS AWARDED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AND I THINK THAT HE CONSIDERED ALL OF THESE FACTORS VERY CAREFULLY))
[OUT Q=CAREFULLY.]
It may very well be Thomas's last trip to the courthouse.
With no contest pleas to capital murder, attempted rape and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the case of the Commonwealth versus Thomas is closed.
FULLSCREEN
Pulaski Commonwealth Attorney Mike Fleenor says "The finality which comes with a plea is perhaps the most important factor for Tara's family who will not have to concern themselves with another hearing, another trial, or another appeal. This case is now over."
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:15:25]
[IN Q=we think]
((BRIAN SCHEID/DEFENSE ATTORNEY; WE THINK IT'S ALSO PROBABLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMONWEALTH AS WELL AS THE VICTIMS FAMILY AND THE DEFENDANTS FAMILY. ))
[OUT Q=FAMILY.]
Missing in court today...Family and friends of both Thomas and Munsey.
The prosecution says the victim's parents had no objections to the plea...while the defense says the deal is in their client's best interest.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:16:34]
[IN Q=the essence]
((THE ESSENCE OF THE PLEA AGREEMENT WAS THAT HE OPTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE SUBJECTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE RETRIAL OF THIS CASE. ))
[OUT Q=of this case]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
Avoiding a retrial of this case is also saving the Commonwealth a significant amount of money.
So far officials say they've spent 250-thousand dollars.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Rachel /Microwave;]
But Shannon, they believe a new trial, which was set for a courtroom almost 300 miles away, would have brought that total to over one-million dollars
[Ealy]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=kar]
[TAPE#=02-14 TC1:25:53]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
Eleven years ago, Stephen Samuel Ealy was charged with murder....and found not guilty.
But, he is no longer a free man.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tazewell/1991]
Ealy was found guilty by a federal jury in Abingdon today for murders he committed in 1989.
He was charged with seven homicide counts for the murders of Robert and Una (YOO-na) Davis and her son, Robert Hopewell.
Evidence at the trial this week showed Robert Davis was killed to prevent his testimony in the federal narcotics trial of former Pocahontas mayor Charles Gilmore.
A jury will decide Monday whether Ealy will face life in prison or the death penalty.
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[Sluder]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-04 TC1:07:43]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Roy Denver Sluder says he loved his estranged wife and would never have hurt her.. despite the fact that she was moving out and had reportedly been seeing other men.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford]
Sluder claims Loria Sluder killed herself after they'd been arguing about their marriage.. but prosecutors say the evidence doesn't match his story.
Experts said today Loria Sluder was shot while she was kneeling on or close to the floor.. Roy Sluder says she was standing up.
He also denies telling rescue squad workers he knew where the gun was after they had searched for it and found nothing.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:25:05 #1//2:09:24 #2]
[IN Q=I looked up]
((BOBBY CHUMBLEY/RESCUE SQUAD WORKER: I LOOKED UP AND ASKED HIM.. ..GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE.))
((ROY SLUDER/MURDER DEFENDANT: I WAS SHOOK UP .. .. WE WAS ALWAYS TOGETHER.))
[SUPER=01-Bobby Chumbley/Rescue Squad Worker; :00]
[SUPER=01-Roy Sluder/Murder Defendant; :22]
[RUNS=37]
[OUT Q=we was always together.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Sluder had trouble recalling specific facts about the night of his wife's shooting.
Several defense witnesses testified Sluder was a truthful, honest man who had had a loving relationship with his estranged wife.
The jury will hear closing arguments in the case tomorrow morning.
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[Airport-arrests]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-03 TC1:45:45]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Federal agents rounded up more than two dozen workers at two Virginia airports today in a terrorism-related crackdown.
Those arrested are accused of providing false information to their employers.
[***NEWS 7 @ 6 FS***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Meghan /Pulpit;]
Meghan Muldoon has more on the story.
Shannon, airport employees in Richmond and Norfolk got a big surprise when they arrived for work this morning.
[LIVE= Meghan /FULL Pulpit]
[SUPER=@Meghan1;]
Some found federal agents and handcuffs waiting for them.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=thirty-two current and former]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :02]
[SUPER=01-Paul McNulty/U. S. Attorney]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=and what they've done.]
(( 32 current and former workers were arrested today.
They are accused of gaining access to secure areas by lying on their employment applications.
Some lied about their criminal records.
Others failed to disclose their immigration status.
Some of those arrested are fugitives already wanted by law enforcement authorities.
The workers include those employed by the airports, airlines or other companies with access to airplanes, runways and cargo areas.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 17:06:10]
[IN Q=So by going through the whole group]
[RUNS:20]
[OUT Q=are safer places now.]
The local round-up is part of a national effort to tighten airport security since the September 11th terrorist attacks.
U-S Attorney Paul McNulty says the workers are NOT believed to be connected to any terrorist activity.
But McNulty says they are considered a safety threat because they falsified their applications.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 17:05:55]
[IN Q=so no one who]
[RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=and what they've done.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= MEghan /FULL Pulpit]
Twenty-one of the arrests made today were in Norfolk and eleven arrests were made in Richmond.
Since the airport security initiative was started in April of this year, 127 individuals have been arrested at Virginia airports.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Meghan /Pulpit;]
Shannon, Similar investigations have been conducted or are planned at other aiports throughout the country.
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[SS=NONE]
Is it hard times or hard ball?
Still ahead on News 7 at Six, Amtrak threatens to put the brakes on all service next month.
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[VO-NAT]
Plus marking the anniversary of D-Day and the National D-Day Memorial.
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[D-Day]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-09 TC2:02:53]
[GRAPHIC=D-Day Memorial]
The National D-Day Memorial marked the 58th anniversary of the Normandy landing with a simple ceremony today.
Veterans and other visitors toured the site, while members of the Foundation board gathered to consider the memorial's financial problems.
Joe Dashiell has more tonight from Bedford.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Visitors streamed]
[SUPER=03-Bedford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bill McIntosh/Foundation President; :13]
[SUPER=01-Tom Murray/Board Treasurer; :43 quick]
[SUPER=01-Peter Thomas/Board Member; :50]
[SUPER=@Joe2; 1:07]
[RUNS=1:16]
[OUT Q=JD News 7 Bedford]
((Visitors streamed across the National D-Day Memorial, as foundation officials placed a wreath in the English Garden and reflected on the heroism of D-Day veterans.
[SOT]
[IN Q=and it is]
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=what they accomplished.]
Members of the foundation board participated in the simple ceremony, then sat down to chart their course.
Despite a difficult year, that included mounting debts, board resignations, an investigation of foundation finances and a lawsuit filed by the builder, board members say they are working hard to put those problems behind them.
[SOT]
[IN Q=Given the discussions]
((TOM MURRAY/BOARD TREASURER: GIVEN THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE BOARD, I FEEL VERY POSITIVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY IN THE LONG RUN.))
((PETER THOMAS/BOARD MEMBER: OUR MOTTO IN THE FIRST DIVISION WAS NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT, NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT, DUTY FIRST. AND I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A MISSION THAT CAN'T FAIL. IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO BEDFORD, TO THE VETERANS, TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.))
[RUNS= :22]
[OUT Q=the United States of America.]
More specifics of that battle plan will have to wait for another day, but given time board members say they will overcome the financial challenges that have clouded the Memoral's first year.
Joe Dashiell News 7 Bedford))
[Tunnel-Bomb]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
State Police detonated a pipe bomb found inside the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel today.
A State Police spokesman says a maintenance worker found the pipe bomb in a V-DOT building at the north end of the tunnel just after eight this morning .
Troopers took the bomb off site and detonated it. No one was injured.
A spokesman says the tunnel was NOT at risk and that, while the pipe bomb was NOT powerful enough to damage the tunnel, it could have hurt an individual.
State Police have inspected other tunnels in the region to make sure they are safe.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A downgrade for the chip sector took a toll on stocks today.
[TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/172.16/9624.654/y/40.38/1554.88;]
The DOW dropped 172 points.
NASDAQ fell 40.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-i/0.55/57.40/i/0.58/40.32/i/3.46/69.75/i/0.46/18.50/i/0.64/6.35;]
[SUPER=272-i/1.71/61.79/i/0.87/54.63/i/0.85/29.30/i/0.50/20.85/i/0.76/48.24;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.72/21.60/i/0.04/21.01/i/0.07/0.50/i/1.16/56.20/i/0.34/13.63;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.95/66.57/i/1.12/104.70/i/1.15/41.00/i/0.78/37.45/i/0.86/54.10;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Amtrak]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The new president of Amtrak says the railroad needs money, or the trains may stop rolling.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :30+]
[SUPER=03-Clifton Forge/File Tape;]
Amtrak's president warns that the railroad will shut down all service next month -- unless it gets a 2-hundred million dollar loan within the next few weeks.
The railroad's governing board is meeting in Washington today, and could review management shake-ups and combining Amtrak's three railroad operating divisions.
In February, the railroad threatened to shut down 18 long distance routes, including two that run through our area.
Amtrak lost more than one billion dollars last year, and is more than 3-billion dollars in debt.
(------------)
[Stadium]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=02-23 TC19:34]
[GRAPHIC=NOne]
Roanoke's new stadium will be the topic of discussion at the Roanoke Civic Center tonight.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The public is invited to have a look at plans for the new Stadium and Amphitheater.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]
There won't be a formal presentation, but plans will be set up around the room with drawings and other information.
City officials will be available to answer questions.
The briefing began at six and runs until 9.
We'll have a look at the plans tonight on News 7 at 11.
(------------)
[Sports Tease]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on the Big 7 -
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And the Roanoke Dazzle is linked to this year's NBA finals.
He's not yet Earl the Pearl, but Danny knows Jason. No Kidding.
(------------)
[S-Spring]
[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-122 11:53]
[GRAPHIC=Group A Tennis]
Perhaps no other high school tennis player in the last four years has made such an impact on the Virginia High School League Spring Jubilee Group A tennis tournament than Radford's Caroline Downs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford; 00]
Today, the Radford senior, who is gunning for a third doubles state championship and a fourth team state title, won her second straight Group A state singles championship, beating Laurel Thompson of West Point 6-1, 6-OH.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="i guess]
[SUPER=01-Caroline Downs/Group A Singles State Tennis Champ; :00(QUICK)]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=......match"]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
Radford University is the host site for this years A and 2A tournaments. Caroline's father Ron is the Dedmon Center Director and she will become a freshman Highlander next year, so finishing her high school career there was fitting.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Ron Downs/Group A & AA Tournament Coordinator; :00]
[SUPER=01-Betty Branch/Group A Girl's Tennis Tournament Director; :22]
[RUNS=:34]
[OUT Q=2 bussels of heart"]
(---------------)
[S-French]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-120 14408TC]
[GRAPHIC=FRENCH OPEN]
Andre Agassi was upset today at the French Open semi-finals, but the tournament's "Sister Act" plays on.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Paris, France/ESPN; :00]
In the women's final four - Serena Williams knocked out the defending champ Jennifer Capriati 3-6, 7-6 and 6-2. The win also moves Serena into the number two spot in the world.
Venus needed just 56 minutes to trounce Clarisa Fernandez in straight sets.
This will be the second time in 9 months the two have met for a Grand Slam title.
(------------)
[S-Dazzle]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-118 13918TC]
[GRAPHIC=DAZZLE]
The Roanoke Dazzle has a direct connection to this year's NBA finals.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Season; :00]
Dazzle Point guard Danny Earl, a New Jersey native, spent the preseason with the New Jersey Nets as Jason Kidd's backup. He was released just 8 days before the start of the season and ended up in Roanoke. He's obviously pulling for the Kidd.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=BITE]
[SUPER=01-Danny Earl/Dazzle Guard who was in Nets Camp; :00]
[SUPER=03-Los Angeles, CA/NBC; :14]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=...THAT WOULD HELP."]
(------------)
[TALENT=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD DAZZLE]
Earl has been invited back to the Nets tryout camp later this summer and he'll play in the NBA's summer league, as well.
(------------)
[S-Mast]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-123 848tc]
[GRAPHIC=NASCAR]
The Winston Cup stars are on their way to Long Pond, Pennsylvania for this weekend's Pocono 500.
Rick Mast will not be driving again this week - as he will miss his third straight race due to health problems.
His son Ricky, who just finished up a year at Hampden-Sydney told us that his dad has more tests, but that doctors still can't pin point what is making him so tired and fatigued.
For that reason Mast says he has no clue when he might attempt to drive again.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=EVER SINCE...]
[SUPER=01-Rick Mast/Still Undergoing Medical Tests; :00]
[RUNS=:35]
[OUT Q=...GOING ON."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT con't]
Mast says the one thing that has given him some comfort has been the concern shown by his fellow competitors.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="The first guy...]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=...I appreciate that."]
(--------------)
[S-NHL]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-113 15830tc]
[GRAPHIC=NHL]
On the NHL front, the Rangers hired six-time Stanley Cup champ and former rival Brian Trottier to be the team new head coach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Detroit, MI; :00]
Tonight the Red Wings hope to get back in the hunt for this year's Cup as they host unheralded Carolina in game two of the best of seven series.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=BITE]
[SUPER=01-Brendan Shanahan/Red Wings Forward; :02]
[RUNS=:07]
(------------)
[OUT Q=...FROM OURSELVES."]
by SS