Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 8, 1995 TAG: 9502080053
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
MW President Mike Harman said the men were involved in a Jan. 13 incident in which an electronic dog collar was placed around the leg of the co-worker, who then was shocked when he didn't give correct answers to a "lie detector test" they had concocted.
Rocky Mount Police Chief Butch Jenkins said warrants were filed Tuesday against Charles English, 22; Scott Smith, 22, and Ricky Moore, 41, all of Rocky Mount.
The warrants had not been served Tuesday afternoon, but Jenkins said he expected that the men would be asked to sign the summons-type forms and would be released to await their arraignments.
The Rocky Mount Police Department decided to investigate the matter upon a request from the victim's family.
Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood, after reading the findings of the investigation last week, decided to bring assault charges against the men. Hapgood said Tuesday that he plans to ask that the three be tried simultaneously.
The assault charges are misdemeanors, carrying a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $2,500 fine, Hapgood said.
Initially, MW suspended the men for three days without pay and put them on probation for a year.
The employees resigned a week after the incident, while the company and police continued to investigate.
More than 200 of MW's 1,200 workers signed a petition asking that two of three men involved - as well as a plant supervisor - be fired, Harman said.
He did not say who was named on the petition.
The supervisor named has not been charged in connection with the incident.
The affected employee - who, according to his father, suffered brain damage resulting from a bout with pneumonia when he was a baby - has worked for MW more than 10 years.
by CNB