
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 13, 1993                   TAG: 9307130121
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

JUDGE DISMISSES CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED EXTORTION

An attempted extortion charge against a Blacksburg man accused of sending a threatening letter to Radford lawyer Max Jenkins has been dismissed.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Kenneth Devore dismissed the charge Monday because Jenkins received the letter at his office in Radford, meaning Montgomery County does not have jurisdiction.

Douglas Carroll Price, 57, was indicted in April on two counts of attempted extortion. The indictments alleged that Price attempted to extort property from Jenkins and then-Christiansburg lawyer Keith Neely.

Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith said the indictment for the Jenkins letter was dismissed without prejudice, meaning Radford authorities still may pursue charges.

Price is accused of sending threatening letters to the two lawyers last July and August. Neely and Jenkins have represented Price's ex-wife in divorce and child support proceedings. They gave the letters to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and asked for an investigation.

Price's attorney, Jeff Rudd of Roanoke, made the motion to dismiss both indictments.

Rudd told Devore there "continues to be no evidence [that] any of this alleged extortion occurred in Montgomery County or Blacksburg."

Rudd characterized the charges as "a very unusual case to say the least . . . having to do with some alleged events in Giles County in the 1980s."

Keith agreed that Montgomery County lacked jurisdiction in the Jenkins case, but said the charge of attempting to extort from Neely was properly filed. Neely received his letter at his Christiansburg office, Keith said.

In the letters, Price demanded return of a Giles County farm he lost in court after his divorce, according to an investigation report filed by the Sheriff's Office. He also made threats against Jenkins and Neely, according to the report.

Jenkins and Neely say Price lost his property in judgments obtained against him for failing to pay child support and that they had no way of returning the property.

by CNB