WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 03/06/96

08:25-01

7Chase

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=kmc
TAPE# 96-24
GRAPHIC=none

A high speed car chase last night in Bedford County ended dramatically in Roanoke.
It started at about 10 o'clock, as authorities from several jurisdictions drove in hot pursuit of an attempted murder suspect.
Kimberly McBroom was there.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The finale of the chase
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night; :00
SUPER=@Kimberly1; :37
SUPER=01-Sgt. Vern Jones/Va. State Police; 1:02
RUNS=1:33
OUT Q=McBroom, News 7
((
(/////SOT/////)
SOT NAT SOUND OF CHASE
(( ))
RUNS=:15

The finale of the chase played out like an action adventure movie-- with dozens of police cars surrounding the suspect and his armed female passenger.
Authorities say 22- year- old Sean Michael Love was wanted for attempted murder in Prince George County.
Then he apparently headed west for an extended crime spree.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT standup bridge 12:01:55
((KIMBERLY MCBROOM/NEWS 7: AUTHORITIES FIRST GOT ON LOVE'S TRAIL AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY ROBBED A COUPLE OF MOTELS IN LYNCHBURG AND AMHERST COUNTY. BEDFORD DEPUTIES SPOTTED LOVE'S CAR ON ROUTE 460 HEADING WEST-- THEN THE CHASE BEGAN. ))
RUNS=:13

Love led Bedford, Roanoke, and state authorities on a high speed chase until its dramatic finish at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Hollins Road.
Love struck another vehicle-- but the driver escaped with minor injuries.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 11:13:56
((SGT. VERN JONES/VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: HE SAW THE POLICE CARS COMING AND WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF EVERYBODY'S WAY. THE SUSPECT, DUE TO HIS ERRATIC DRIVING, TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM US-- HE CUT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CITIZEN AND STRUCK HIM IN THE SIDE. ))
RUNS=:15

When the ordeal was over, police took Love into custody, as well as the unidentified woman riding along with him.
In addition to the attempted murder charge in Prince George County-- Love also faces charges in Roanoke and surrounding counties.
Kimberly McBroom, News 7.))

7Brzonkala

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=KHu
TAPE#96-19
GRAPHIC=Christy Brzonkala

The Women who accuse two Virginia Tech football players of rape makes a court appearance today in Roanoke.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@file

Virginia Tech is trying to get her complaint thrown out court.
The University says it's not denying the alleged rape is a tragic event but points out that Brzonkala waited seven months before filing a complaint and holds the University responsible for failing to file an incident report with Tech Police.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=Christy Brzonkala

A lawyer for one of the athletes calls the alleged assault "a chance encounter which Brzonkala initiated by going to their dorm room in the early morning hours of September 22, 1994."

7Martin

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-20
GRAPHIC=Martin

A Pittsylvania County jury finds a man not guilty in a five year old murder case.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Chatham/Yesterday;

Thomas Martin was charged last fall with shooting and killing 41- year- old Paul Nathaniel DeShazo.
Five years ago, DeShazo's corvette was found burning.
His body was discovered nearby six days later.
Prosecutors did not have an eye witness.
But they did present testimony from a man who said Martin confessed.
In closing arguments, the defense argued the case was circumstantial.
They also presented witnesses who said they did not see a van next to the burning car resembling the one owned by Martin.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I think the
((BRIAN TURPIN/DEFENSE ATTORNEY:I THINK THE COMMONWEALTH WOULD FREELY ADMIT THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE VERY MUCH MORE EVIDENCE BACK IN 1991 THAN THEY HAD TODAY AND I THINK THAT THE JURY PERHAPS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE COMMONWEALTH'S WITNESSES ALL HAVE THEIR STATEMENTS PRESERVED FROM FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT THE DEFENSE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. ))
SUPER=01-Brian Turpin/Defense Attorney; :00
RUNS=:20
OUT Q=have anything.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Turpin said the only new evidence prosecutors had now that they did not have five years ago, was pictures of Martin's van.
(----------------)

7Weather

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

Taking a look now at the forecast -
A flood watch is in effect from the New River Valley, west.
Temperatures will be in the mid 60s.
Temperatures tonight will be in the upper 40s.

55Car-Chase

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=bmy
TAPE# edit of 96-24
GRAPHIC=none

A high speed pursuit through Bedford and Roanoke Counties had an ending straight out of the movies.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=nat sound of sirens
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;
RUNS=:05
(----------------)
VO-NAT

It started at about 10 o'clock in Bedford County and ended with a crash and two arrests in Roanoke.
Authorities first got on the trail of 22- year- old Sean Michael Love after he allegedly robbed a couple of motels in Lynchburg and Amherst County. The pursuit ended at Hollins Road and Orange Avenue.
Love hit another vehicle but the driver suffered only minor injuries.
Police arrested Love and his armed female passenger.
Love faces charges of attempted murder in Prince George County and other charges in Roanoke and the surrounding counties.
(----------------)

55Barranco

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=none

A Virginia orthopedic surgeon is among more than 200 clients of a New York accounting firm who evaded paying their full federal income tax.
Salvatore Barranco is a partner in Montgomery County Orthopedic Associates.

He was sentenced last month to 27 months in prison for cheating the federal government out of two-point-six million dollars over the past ten years.
The Internal Revenue Service says the accounting firm Abrams Associates is thought to have helped clients avoid paying as much as 24 million dollars in taxes.

55Reed-Kelly

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=rjo
TAPE#96-17
GRAPHIC=Kelly

Assault charges will NOT be handed down to Botetourt County Sheriff Reed Kelly.
A grand jury has made that decison.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./File Tape;

It was October that Kelly got a letter from an inmate describing in detail how he was going to kill the sheriff, and his family.
The prisoner said Kelly beat and choked him after reading the letter.
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./Yesterday;

Kelly accused his opponents of playing dirty politics during election time.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:19:18
IN Q=It's a small
((REED KELLY/BOTETOURT CO. SHERIFF: IT'S A SMALL GROUP. IT'S A GROUP THAT HAS SHOWN BY IT'S VERY NATURE TAT THEY'RE MEAN SPIRITED AND VICIOUS AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF HATRED IN THEIR HEART. AND I HOPE THAT'S THE END OF THIS ISSUE.))
SUPER=01-Reed Kelly/Botetourt Co. Sheriff;
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=end of this issue.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg;

The Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney who handled the case says he believes this will be the end of it.
(----------------)

55Wythe-Supers

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-7
GRAPHIC=NONE

Wythe County administrator Billy Branson says he may be forced to take legal action against the county board of supervisors.
Branson says inaction at last night's meeting is the reason.
Tracy Altizer has that story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Billy Branson is
SUPER=03-Wytheville/Last Night; :00
SUPER=01-Mark Munsey/Wythe Co. Supervisor; :32
SUPER=01-Billy Branson/Wythe Co. Administrator; 1:00
SUPER=@Tracy2; 1:11
RUNS=1:19
OUT Q=Altizer, News 7.

((Billy Branson is questioning the legality of a board meeting on January 15th.
It took place in former chairman Mark Munsey's office, rather than the regular board room. It was called a work session, but members admittedly discussed the county administrator and agreed then to ask for his resignation.
Branson has asked Munsey for the minutes of that meeting.
Chairman Charles Dix says none were taken, but Munsey told Branson he would raise the issue at this board meeting.
Munsey tried to convene an executive session for that purpose, to discuss the matter behind closed doors.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 21;28:17
((MARK MUNSEY/WYTHE CO. SUPERVISOR: IT HAS TO DO WITH PERSONNEL AND THE LEGALITY OF DEALING WITH THAT PERSONNEL. ))
RUNS=:10

But objections from the media raised concern over whether an executive session would be legal in this case.
The supervisors decided to be safe rather than sorry, so Munsey withdrew his motion and the board adjourned.
Branson then offered to meet with Dix and supervisor Bucky Sharitz to settle the matter peacefully, but he says Munsey put his foot down.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 21:36:00
IN Q=Mr. Munsey said no
((BILLY BRANSON/WYTHE CO. ADMINISTRATOR: MR. MUNSEY SAID "NO, I'VE GOT TO TALK TO AN ATTORNEY BEFORE YOU CAN SEE ANYTHING I'VE GOT." THEN I JUST WITHDREW IT BECAUSE IF HE'S GONNA TALK TO AN ATTORNEY THEY'RE FORCING ME INTO HIRING AN ATTORNEY. ))
RUNS=:10

Branson has been county administrator for 19 years. He has already accepted a retirement package, and will step down in September. Tracy Altizer, News 7.))

55Weather

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

Lookig at the forecast -
A flood watch is in effect from the New River Valley, west.
Temperatures today will be in the mid 60s.

8Roanoke-Chase

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=kmc
TAPE# 96-24
GRAPHIC= none

A late night police chase that began in Bedford County ends in Roanoke with the arrest of an attempted murder suspect.
Kimberly McBroom has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The finale of the chase
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night; :00
SUPER=@Kimberly1; :37
SUPER=01-Sgt. Vern Jones/Virginia State Police; 1:02
RUNS=1:33
OUT Q=McBroom, News 7
((
The finale of the chase played out like an action adventure movie-- with dozens of police cars surrounding the suspect and his armed female passenger.
Authorities say 22- year- old Sean Michael Love was wanted for attempted murder in Prince George County.
Then he apparently headed west for an extended crime spree. ((KIMBERLY MCBROOM/NEWS 7: AUTHORITIES FIRST GOT ON LOVE'S TRAIL AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY ROBBED A COUPLE OF MOTELS IN LYNCHBURG AND AMHERST COUNTY. BEDFORD DEPUTIES SPOTTED LOVE'S CAR ON ROUTE 460 HEADING WEST-- THEN THE CHASE BEGAN. ))
Love led Bedford, Roanoke, and state authorities on a high speed chase until its dramatic finish at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Hollins Road.
Love struck another vehicle-- but the driver escaped with minor injuries. ((SGT. VERN JONES/VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: HE SAW THE POLICE CARS COMING AND WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF EVERYBODY'S WAY. THE SUSPECT, DUE TO HIS ERRATIC DRIVING, TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM US-- HE CUT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CITIZEN AND STRUCK HIM IN THE SIDE. ))
When the ordeal was over, police took Love into custody, as well as the unidentified woman riding along with him.
In addition to the attempted murder charge in Prince George County-- Love also faces charges in Roanoke and surrounding counties.
Kimberly McBroom, News 7.))

8Brzonkala

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=KHu
TAPE#96-19
GRAPHIC=Christy Brzonkala

The woman who accused two Virginia Tech football players of rape will be in court today in Roanoke.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@file

Virginia Tech is trying to get her complaint thrown out court.
The University says it's not denying the alleged rape is a tragic event but points out that Brzonkala waited seven months before filing a complaint and holds the University responsible for failing to file an incident report with Tech Police.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=Christy Brzonkala

A lawyer for one of the athletes calls the alleged assault "a chance encounter which Brzonkala initiated by going to their dorm room in the early morning hours of September 22, 1994."

8L'burg-Schools

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-25
GRAPHIC=NONE

Many Lynchburg parents and teachers packed a school board budget hearing last night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Last Night;

Educators say the city could cut its local school funding by as much as four percent next year, a decrease of more than 840- thousand dollars.
Without that money, school officials say they might have to cut or eliminate items like the middle school DARE program and the pre- kindergarten program.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 19:32:45//19:42:10
IN Q=In the drive
((HARRY HAMMITT/PARENT: IN THE DRIVE TO SAVE INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS TEN TO TWENTY DOLLARS A YEAR IN REAL ESTATE TAXES, WE SEEM POISED TO BEGIN A DEVASTATING DISMANTLING OF WHAT TRULY MAKES US A DISTINGUISHED AND OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY.)) ((BARRY WILHELM/PARENT: SHOULD CITY COUNCIL BE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO BALANCE THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET, COUNCIL SHOULD BE PREPARED TO EXPLAIN TO THE VOTERS OF THIS CITY WHY THE FUNDING'S NOT AVAILABLE.))
SUPER=01-Harry Hammitt/Parent; :00
SUPER=01-Barry Wilhelm/Parent; :13
RUNS=:23
OUT Q=funding's not available.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Educators say the recently- implemented Standards of Learning are forcing them to spend more money on textbooks and related materials.
City council has said it wants to see local standardized test scores go up before more money is spent on education.
(----------------)