Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 7, 1991 TAG: 9103070585
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
Anthony M. "Stinky" Wright of Martinsville had promised to testify against one of his two alleged accomplices in the Aug. 16 armed robbery of Stanley Jewelers in Rocky Mount.
Today, Franklin County Circuit Judge B.A. Davis III reminded Wright that three days ago he had signed a plea agreement in which he promised to cooperate with prosecutors.
Under the agreement, Wright was sentenced to 25 years in jail in return for pleading guilty to taking part in the robbery.
Wright said he had misunderstood the agreement and would not agree to testify against Gerald Gallant, whose trial had been scheduled for today.
A stern Davis warned Wright that if he did not live up to the agreement, he would do everything in his power to block Wright's early release from prison.
"I'm going to do my best to see that you live up to this one," Davis said. "If and when you make parole, it's going to be over my objection."
Wright still faces grand larceny and breaking-and-entering charges in Franklin County.
Earlier today, Davis dropped the armed robbery charges against Gallant, but gave Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood the right to reinstate charges at a later date.
Outside the courtroom, Hapgood said he had never had a defendant back out of a plea agreement in the way Wright had.
Hapgood said it may be too late to invalidate the plea agreement because Wright already had been sentenced.
Hapgood had said he plea bargained with Wright because a confession obtained by the town of Rocky Mount Police Department would have been inadmissible in court.
Authorities contend that Wright and another man, William A. Staples of Martinsville, held up the jewelry store in broad daylight and fled in a pickup driven by Gallant.
Gallant has told authorities that he was forced at gunpoint to drive the car.
The getaway truck crashed in a chase with a sheriff's deputy, scattering watches and rings across the highway and paralyzing Staples.
Hapgood later dropped charges against Staples because of his medical condition, which requires nursing home care.
by CNB