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

DATE: SATURDAY, January 22, 1994                   TAG: 9401220291
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Short

CONTRACTOR FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER

Garnet Price, a Pulaski County contractor, was found guilty Friday of killing a friend because the man had supplied tainted marijuana to Price's workers.

Price, who had pleaded not guilty and told a jury that it was the prosecution's chief witness who shot Lester Dale Harris in December 1992, will be sentenced later in Pulaski County Circuit Court.

The jury deliberated three hours before finding Price guilty, fixing his punishment at 35 years in prison for first-degree murder, with an additional two years for using a gun to commit the murder.

Alfred "Marty" Albert, an employee of Price's, testified he saw Price shoot Harris with a .44-caliber Magnum as Albert and Price were supposedly taking Harris back to his Fairlawn home. Albert said Price made him help put Harris in the New River.

Albert testified Price acted out of anger after Albert and other employees complained that marijuana Price had bought for them from Harris had an ammonia-like odor.

The marijuana had been sprayed with Fresca to make the marijuana appear sticky, which is an indication of potency. And seeds had been added to increase the marijuana's weight, according to testimony.

by CNB