WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 02/29/96

08:25-01

7Hall

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=CUTIN
WRITER=spr
TAPE#96-5
GRAPHIC=HALL

A Floyd County jury has convicted a man of murder in the beating death of his teenaged girlfriend.
Scott Prince has more.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=It took a Floyd
SUPER=03-Floyd Co./Yesterday; :00
SUPER=03-Floyd Co./June 14, 1995; :18 (quick)
SUPER=01-Nancy Lintecum/Plocki's Mother; :26
SUPER=01-Cecil Brown/Witness; :48
SUPER=@Scott1; 1:07
RUNS=1:16
OUT Q=News 7
(( It took a Floyd County jury four hours to hand down its verdict. ((COUNTY CLERK: WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDANT GUILTY OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE AS CHARGED IN THE INDICTMENT.))
David Hall could spend the rest of his life behind bars for the beating death of his 18- year- old girlfriend, Ellen Plocki.
The teen's body was discovered June fourteenth in a garage near the town of Willis.
The jury's decision came as no surprise to Plocki's mother. ((NANCY LINTECUM/WE JUST HAD A FEELING ALL ALONG-- THE FAMILY MEMBERS DID- THAT HE WAS GOING TO HURT HER IN SOME WAY. ))
Commonwealth's Attorney Gino Williams called more than a dozen witnesses, including Cecil Brown who was with Hall the day he was arrested.
Brown told the court that Hall admitted to killing Plocki.. because he thought she was cheating on him.
He also testified that Hall showed him the body and then threatened to kill him if anyone found out. ((CECIL BROWN/WITNESS: HE KEPT TELLING ME- IF I TOLD ANYBODY WHAT HAPPENED, I WOULD LOOK LIKE HER TOO. ))
In contrast, defense attorney Robert Spessard called just two witnesses... while relying on the notion that police failed to obtain certain pieces of evidence-- like finger prints and hair samples.
But that argument was apparently not enough to sway jurors-- who still have yet to make a decision in the sentencing phase of the trial.
Scott Prince, News 7, Floyd County.))

7Harold-Jones

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPEedit of #96-7
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales

In a Pittsylvania County murder trial, the jury has recommended 40- years for Harold Jones Junior.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Chatham/January 30;

His case ended in a mistrial last month when a juror became sick.
The one- day trial was re-scheduled for yesterday.
Jones was convicted of shooting and killing Randy Stone, last August.
The jury deliberated for about two hours before reaching the guilty verdict.
(----------------)

7James-Burley

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPEedit of #96-18
GRAPHIC=murder investigation

Meantime, a big break for authorities investigating the murders of two Lynchburg women.
Their bodies were found in Amherst County last year.
Police now have a prime suspect, 44- year old James Burley.
The break in the case came earlier this week when
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Amherst/Yesterday;
police were giving a woman a ride to Lynchburg.
She reportedly told them she and Burley had seen one of the dead women the night before authorities found the body.
Robin Jeanette Burge was found shot to death in November. Jacqueline Dorsey Carter was discovered in late December.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

Police say tire tracks from Burley's car match tracks found at one of the murder scenes.
Ballistics experts also confirm a gun taken from Burley's home WAS the weapon used in both shootings.

7Brush-Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-22
GRAPHIC=Fire

A busy night for Danville firefighters.
They spent the night battling a brush fire that threatened nearby homes.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Danville/Last Night;

The blaze broke out at about eight in a wooded area, near Sweet Briar Drive.
The first crew to arrive called for backup because of the size.
Additional tankers, brush trucks and manpower were called in to assist.
The fire was in an area some distance from the main road-- which made fighting the blaze somewhat tricky for crews who had to find their way in the dark.
But firefighters say the wind actually worked in their favor.
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SOT
IN Q=As it
((STEVE DISHMAN/DANVILLE DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF: AS IT TURNED OUT THE WIND WAS BLOWING MORE TOWARD US WHICH WE HAD THE FIRE BREAK HERE WITH THE STREETS WHICH HELPS, BUT, IT MADE IT EASIER TO GET TO, AND WHAT FIRE WAS BURNING AWAY FROM THEM WAS BLOWING INTO THE WIND WHICH SLOWS IT DOWN, THAT WORKED IN OUR FAVOR. ))
SUPER=01-Steve Dishman/Danville Deputy Fire Chief; :00
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=worked in our favor.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Fire officials are looking into the cause.
The blaze consumed about two acres.
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7Weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Turning now to the forecast -
Mostly sunny skies today, but it's going to be windy and cold with highs only reaching the low 40s.
Tonight will be fair and cold with lows in the 20s.
For tomorrow, expect clouds with a 30 percent chance of snow later in the day.

55Henry-Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-6
GRAPHIC=Fire Investigation

A Henry County woman has been charged with neglect following a house fire that killed her six-month old daughter.
Kimberly McBroom has the story.
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SOT
IN Q=Vivian Thomas was next door
SUPER=03-Henry Co./February 8; :00
SUPER=03-Martinsville/Yesterday; :10
SUPER=01-Lt. Kimmy Nester/Henry Co. Sheriff's Dept.; :19
SUPER=01-Bob Bushnell/Henry Co. Commonwealth's Atty; :36
SUPER=@Kimberly1; :51
RUNS=1:08
OUT Q=News 7, Henry County
fire file 95-111
(( Vivian Thomas was next door when a fire at her own home killed her infant daughter.
Her two other small children suffered smoke inhalation.
Authorities are now blaming 31- year- old Thomas for not being there when it happened-- and arrested her on ((LT. KIMMY NESTER/HENRY CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: I REALIZE AT THIS TIME THAT MS. THOMAS HAS GONE THROUGH A TRAGEDY HERE AND HAS LOST A CHILD. BUT THE FACTS BE THAT THIS CHARGE WAS ISSUED AND WE'LL HAVE A HEARING BEFORE THE COURT AND THE COURT WILL MAKE A RULING AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ANY WRONGDOING HERE OR NOT. ))
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth's attorney is keeping mum on exactly WHY Thomas was charged. ((BOB BUSHNELL/HENRY CO. COMMONWEALTH'S ATTNY: I WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING INTO SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS AT THIS POINT-- AGAIN, THE COURTROOM IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE EVIDENCE. )) But authorities ARE saying a social services investigation contributed to charges being filed. (( For the time being, social services will retain custody of Thomas' other children who were in the house fire. They've been placed with their paternal grandmother. As for Thomas, she's being held in the Henry County Jail on 25- hundred dollars bond. Kimberly Mcbroom, News 7, Henry County. )) ))

55Radford-Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=6am
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-15
GRAPHIC=Fire Investigation

Meantime, in another fire investigation,-- officials have determined the blaze that killed a 21 year- old Radford University student Saturday was an accident.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Radford/Saturday;

Christopher Thomas Mirch died from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning when the Delta (TAU- KIE) Tau Chi fraternity house caught fire.
Radford's Commonweath's Attorney says authorities speculate it started from cigarette butts tossed into a trash can which had contained polyurethane.
He says lab reports show no evidence that accelerants were used.
(----------------)

55Baffour

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=KHu
TAPE#None
GRAPHIC=Radford University

In other news from Radford University, -- a graduate student is suing the school over his suspension by a Judicial Review Panel.
Richard Baffour WAS charged with sexual misconduct, but the panel concluded that Baffour only had "PHYSICAL contact" with his accuser... not "SEXUAL contact."
Like the case of Christy Brzonkala at Virginia Tech, the suit challenges the effectiveness of internal review panels within the university system.
Radford President Douglas Covington ordered Baffour out of university housing yesterday, and a federal judge declined to block that order.
Baffour was due to get his degree in May.

55Habitat-House

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-4
GRAPHIC=housing

Volunteers are building a house for a family in Lynchburg in just one day.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Last Night

The Lynchburg chapter of Habitat for Humanity is trying to accomplish this task over the next twenty four hours.
The group started promptly at midnight and plans to work through the day to complete the home.
It's all being done with volunteer labor and donated materials.
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SOT 23:43:26
IN Q=Most of the
((KEVIN CAMPBELL/LYNCHBURG HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: MOST OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW AND THROUGH THE WHOLE PROJECT DO THIS KIND OF WORK EVERY DAY, BUT THEY'RE REAL EXCITED TO BE DOING IT, WITH OTHER COMPETITORS. PROBABLY AT THIS TIME OF DAY I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE JUST CRAZY OR WHAT, BUT THEY ALL SEEM TO BE REAL EXCITED ABOUT DOING IT.))
SUPER=01-Kevin Campbell/Lynchburg Habitat For Humanity; :00
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=about doing it.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Fontaine Howard and her three- year- old daughter will move into their new home later tonight.
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SOT 00:06:11
IN Q=I think it's
((FONTAINE HOWARD/PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNER: I THINK IT'S GOOD TO SEE GOOD PEOPLE TO COME OUT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU WONDER WHERE ARE ALL THE GOOD PEOPLE?))
SUPER=01-Fontaine Howard/Prospective Homeowner; :00
RUNS=:12
OUT Q=the good people.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

This will be the 109th house the Lynchburg Habitat chapter has built in its eight years of existence.
(----------------)

55Weather

8David-Hall

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=bmy
TAPE#96-5
GRAPHIC=HALL

24- year- old David Hall is convicted of killing his live- in girlfriend.
A jury deliberated for four hours before returning the verdict.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Floyd Co./Yesterday;

Hall could spend the rest of his life behind bars for the beating death of his 18- year- old girlfriend, Ellen Plocki.
The teen's body was discovered June 14th in a garage near the town of Willis.
The jury's decision came as no surprise to Plocki's mother.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 17:47:30 tape 11
IN Q=We just had
((NANCY LINTECUM/WE JUST HAD A FEELING ALL ALONG-- THE FAMILY MEMBERS DID- THAT HE WAS GOING TO HURT HER IN SOME WAY. ))
SUPER=01-Nancy Lintecum/Victim's Mother;
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=in some way.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Cecil Brown, who was with Hall the day he was arrested, testified against him.
Brown told the court that Hall admitted to killing Plocki.. because he thought she was cheating on him.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 7
IN Q=He kept telling
((CECIL BROWN/WITNESS: HE KEPT TELLING ME- IF I TOLD ANYBODY WHAT HAPPENED, I WOULD LOOK LIKE HER TOO. ))
SUPER=01-Cecil Brown/Witness;
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=look like her too.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Jurors must now recommend sentencing for Hall.
(----------------)

8Jones

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-7
GRAPHIC=none

A Pittsylvania County jury has recommended 40- years in prison for a man convicted of first degree murder.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Chatham/January 30;

Last month, the case against Harold Jones, Junior ended in a mistrial when a juror became sick.
The one- day trial was re-scheduled for yesterday.
Jones was convicted of shooting and killing Randy Stone, last August.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The witnesses
((WAYNE WITHERS, JR./ASSISTANT COMMONWEALTH'S ATTY.: THE WITNESSES, OF COURSE, WERE VERY IMPORTANT IN COURT, THERE WERE FIVE WITNESSES FOR THE, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE, AND BASICALLY ALL FIVE OF THEM SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT THE VICTIM, MISTER RANDY STONE WALKING AWAY, AND HAROLD JONES FOLLOWING HIM AND COMING UP ON HIM AGAIN. MR. STONE PUT HIS HANDS UP AND HE FIRED AND KILLED HIM. MARY HARKINS/DEFENSE ATTORNEY:CERTAINLY YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE JURY'S VERDICT, THE JURY HAD A VERY VERY DIFFICULT JOB TO DO, THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE ASKED TO DO. WE JUST HOPE THE APPELLATE COURT SEE THE CASE DIFFERENTLY. ))
SUPER=01-Wayne Withers, Jr./Assistant Commonwealth's Atty.; :00
SUPER=01-Mary Harkins/Defense Attorney; :23
RUNS=:35
OUT Q=see the case differently.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The jury deliberated for about two hours before reaching the guilty verdict.
(----------------)

8Amherst-Murder

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-18
GRAPHIC=murder investigation

The Amherst County sheriff's department has arrested a man for the murder of two Lynchburg women. Their bodies were found dumped in the county last year.
44- year old James Henry Burley of Madison Heights was taken into custody yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Amherst/Yesterday;

Police were giving a woman a ride to Lynchburg Tuesday night.
She reportedly told them she and Burley had seen one of the dead women the night before police found the body.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 17:08:19
IN Q=The witness
((JIMMY AYERS/AMHERST CO. SHERIFF: THE WITNESS OR THE LADY INTERVIEWED SAID THAT THE BODY WAS THERE AT THE TIME, IT WAS LATE, ABOUT DUSK THE EVENING PRIOR TO THE BODY BEING DISCOVERED AND THE BODY WAS THERE AT THE TIME THEY DROVE BY IT. AND THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO WAS THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPORT IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T NEED TO GET INVOLVED.))
SUPER=01-Jimmy Ayers/Amherst Co. Sheriff; :00
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=need to get involved.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Robin Jeanette Burge was found shot to death in November. Jacqueline Dorsey Carter was discovered in late December.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

Police say their evidence includes matching tire tracks and a gun taken from Burley's home.

8Bootleg

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tbr
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=NONE

Two Rocky Mount brothers are in trouble again for allegedly hauling moonshine through Northern Virginia.
Last week 25- year- old Scott Stanley and his 22- year- old brother Jason were arrested near Winchester for possesion of 446 gallons of untaxed liquor.
Tuesday night the same two men were arrested a second time after police received a tip the pair was carrying white lightning again.
Police say the Stanleys were arrested in Woodstock for possesion of 453 gallons of moonshine.
Authorities are trying to locate the still the liquor was made in.