By David Fisher Staff Reporter

   

     Weakley countians were saddened this week by the passing of Judge Homer Bradberry, who died at his home in Dresden Monday at the ripe old age of 94.

     The retired judge leaves behind a legacy of being one of the top legal minds in the state, and was a much beloved citizen at many levels in both his professional and private life.

     General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore, who has been a friend of the Bradberry family for many years, said of Judge Bradberry’s passing, “Probably every (local) lawyer, who is 45 years of age or older, would say that Homer was one of the best lawyers to ever practice law in our area.

     “He was always a very approachable person, and would help assist young lawyers in learning the profession. He was a teacher in that sense, and just a fine person. He was ethical and moral and was one of those people we all admired and looked up to, and would have liked to be like. If you could emulate Homer Bradberry, you would be a good lawyer or judge.

     “When he became a Chancellor, I think he was always a fair and equitable judge, who brought with him a lot of experience and wisdom. Because of all that, he made a great chancellor judge for our district. The lawyers felt comfortable appearing before him because they knew they’d get a fair shake.

     “He was able to size-up any case and understand it, whether it was simple or complicated. He had a great legal mind. He was a great intellect, but yet a very down-to-earth person. He understood human personality and character and could see though those people who tried to fraud or lie to the court, and could also perceive truth.

     “I think he was really an incredible person.

     “He had a great memory.

     “He was a great storyteller.

     “Not only have we lost a great person, but, he (knew) a lot of our history and remembered a lot of things of local color that we will never be able to retrieve.

     “He was the chancellor judge at the time I became an attorney,” Judge Moore continued. “I thought it was pretty exciting when Tommy Thomas and I started practicing on the same day, and Homer Bradberry was the one who swore us in. He has a very special place in my life because of that.

     “But also, his son, Sammy, now Dr. Bradberry, was and is one of my best friends. Sammy Bradberry and (District Attorney General) Tommy Thomas and (State Senator) Roy Herron and I all kind of grew up around the same time. We spent a lot of time in the home of Homer and Patricia Bradberry.

     “Not only was he a great lawyer and judge, Sunday School teacher, and Christian person, he was also a great father. If you think about it, it takes a village to raise child. I think that he and Patricia helped raise a whole gang of boys here in this town for a couple of generations.

     “He lived next door to Mrs. Brooks’ Kindergarten. This was before there were public Kindergartens. So, after kindergarten, we’d go over to the Bradberry’s house after that. Almost from the time I can remember, they were a part of my life. So, I’m really sad, because I think we have lost a treasure.”

(Read the rest of this story in the April 4th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

     Members of the Martin Police Department arrested a 44-year-old Martin woman last week on alcohol related charges, following a single-vehicle accident.

     According to a police report, at approximately 2:02 p.m. on Friday, March 30, MPD Lt. Phillip W. Fuqua responded to the Dresden exit ramp off the Hwy. 45 Bypass in reference to a single-vehicle crash.

     When the officer arrived at the scene, he observed that the defendant, Ranee Jones, of 111 Jowers Road, Martin, was still behind the wheel of her 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier. Medical personnel also arrived at this time.

     While investigating the accident, it was discovered that the vehicle had left the roadway in clear daylight approximately 325 feet from the point where the vehicle came to rest. No braking indicators were apparent in relation to the crash. It was also determined that the vehicle overturned at least once during the crash.

     The defendant was observed to have slurred speech and her eyes were extremely constricted, even in the shade of the interior of the vehicle. It was also determined that the defendant’s Tennessee driver’s license was currently revoked for a prior DUI in Henry County on March 31, 2005  (notice of revocation sent April 5, 2005).

     The defendant admitted to officers and emergency personnel that she had taken hydrocodone, xanex and phenobarbital this date. The defendant also consented to a blood test while at the emergency room. The blood sample has been forwarded to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for testing at this time.

     Approximately. $1000 worth of damage was done to a state-owned guardrail during the crash.

     Verbal statements from the two listed witnesses and the complainant were obtained at the scene. These individuals all stated that they had been following the defendant’s vehicle on the 45 Bypass for about two miles, and during this time, she had been swerving all over the road. They also said that the defendant repeatedly turned her turn signal on and off, but never turned. They stated that they became concerned that she was going to hit someone, slowed down to call 911, and the vehicle disappeared. When they traveled a little farther down the road, they observed the vehicle at final rest off the east side of the road.

     Jones was transported to Volunteer Community Hospital in Martin for treatment. While still at the hospital, the defendant was served with criminal summons for DUI, driving on a revoked driver’s license and vandalism.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

     A total of 15 defendants facing drug-related charges appeared in Weakley County General Sessions Court Friday for their preliminary hearing.

     These individuals, who were arrested during a drug sting operation in mid-February of 2007, are charged with a variety of drug charges involving the possession and/or promotion of methamphetamine manufacture.

     According to Sheriff’s Investigator Randall McGowan, the charges are based on the purchase of items that contain ingredients used to make methamphetamine. He states that in all of these cases, that item was ephedrine or pseudoephedrine in the form of sinus medicine.

     Investigator McGowan also notes that the Meth-Free Tennessee Act of 2005 limits the amount of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine a person can purchase or possess without a prescription; and it prohibits the purchase or delivery of any chemical, drug, ingredient or apparatus knowing it will be used to produce methamphetamine.

     Investigators Marty Plunk, Eric Smith and Candace Winstead, were assisted in making the arrests by: Chief Deputy Mark Black; sergeants David Andrews and Art Cason; deputies Josh Rogers, John Curtis, Bryan Chandler, Steve Matheny; and members of the Greenfield Police Department.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the April 4th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)