Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 24, 1995 TAG: 9506260149
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
NEWPORT NEWS - Maurice Boyd, who shot a police officer in the head three times during a traffic stop, was sentenced to life in prison Friday after a jury deadlocked on whether or not he deserves to be executed.
The jurors, who convicted Boyd of capital murder Tuesday, deliberated for six hours before telling Newport News Circuit Judge Robert Curran that they could not agree on a sentencing recommendation.
With the jury deadlocked, Curran sentenced Boyd to life.
Commonwealth's Attorney Howard Gwynn called the sentence very disturbing and very unsatisfying.'' He said Boyd would be eligible for parole in about 25 years.
Bland, 48, was killed May 13 as he sat in his police car.
- Associated Press
Ashe construction to start July 10
RICHMOND - Construction of a statue of tennis great Arthur Ashe will begin on his birthday, July 10, now that developers have agreed to place the monument outside a historic district honoring Confederate War heroes.
Virginia Heroes Inc. decided to put the 24-foot-tall statue on the western median of Monument Avenue at Roseneath Road. That puts it just outside the Monument Avenue historic district, which means it won't have to be reviewed by any more city commissions, boards or politicians.
The city Planning Commission on Monday gave the group permission to erect the monument somewhere at the intersection.
- Associated Press
Abduction, stabbing victim sues inmate
PRINCE GEORGE - A $2 billion lawsuit has been filed against a man who is serving a prison term for abducting and stabbing a woman in 1990.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of the victim seeks $1 billion in general damages and $1 billion in punitive damages from James G. Beasley, a former electrical engineer for General Electric Co. in Salem.
Beasley will have a parole hearing this fall. He has a mandatory release date of Dec. 9, 1996. He pleaded guilty to abduction, malicious wounding and two firearm charges and was sentenced to 33 years in prison, with all but 12 years suspended.
- Associated Press
Patient sues hospital for fire injuries
RICHMOND - A woman injured in a fatal New Year's Eve fire at Southside Regional Medical Center has filed a $4.35 million lawsuit against the hospital and the estate of a patient believed to have started the fire.
In the suit filed Thursday in Richmond Circuit Court, Geraldine V. Hawkins alleged hospital employees ``merely fled'' rather than trying to contain the fire, notify the fire department and evacuate patients.
The suit also names the state and the administrator of the estate of Dora E. Matthews as defendants. The fire started in Matthews' room. She died in the blaze. Three others died that night, and two others injured in the fire died later.
- Associated Press
Tiny baby grows, leaves hospital
FAIRFAX - Justin H. Illar, at 131/2 ounces and 101/4 inches the smallest baby ever born at Fairfax Hospital, has finally left the building.
Justin went home Thursday after more than five months in the neonatal intensive care unit. He's still on the small side at 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and he has got a lot of battling ahead of him. But he's home at last.
``I'm just so glad we're going to have him home,'' said his mother, Pamela Illar, at a news conference heralding his release. ``I can't believe this day is actually here.''
When Justin was born Jan. 12, he was so tiny his mother's wedding ring fit over his hand and all the way up his arm to his shoulder.
- Associated Press
by CNB