A Weakley County Grand Jury will hear the case of a 43-year-old trans-gendered Martin woman, charged with aggravated statutory rape of a juvenile female.

    According to an affidavit of complaint filed by Weakley County Sheriff’s Investigator Marty Plunk, the defendant, Alexander David Cross, also known as Elaine Ann Cross of Snyder Road in Martin, is a female who has been living as a male.

    After being advised of her Miranda rights, Cross, a convicted sex offender, allegedly admitted to Investigator Plunk during a November 9 interview, that she performed oral sex on a 16-year-old Martin girl between two and four separate times at the victim’s home.

    In March of this year, Cross received statewide media coverage after being housed in the men’s detention area of the Hamilton County Jail for 10 days before jailers discovered that “he” was really a “she.” Cross was reportedly able to pull off the deception as long as she did only because she did not take a shower during the time she was incarcerated.

    In March of 2007, Cross was convicted of having oral sex with a 15-year-old East Tennessee girl, who did not know at the time that Cross was a female. This resulted in Cross receiving a two-year suspended sentence and six year probation.

(Read the rest of this story in the December 5th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    A head-on collision between a van and a semi truck, which took place Monday afternoon on Morrow Street in Dresden, resulted in one fatality and another person being seriously injured.

    According to Dresden Police Chief Brent Perry, at approximately 1:31 p.m., Brenda Maxey, 65, of Palmersville was traveling south on Morrow Street (Hwy. 54) between Pikeview Street and Hwy. 22 when her 1992 Oldsmobile van crossed the center line and veered into the path of a northbound semi truck pulling a trailer, driven by Michael Flippin of Dresden.

    The front-left section of the van struck the front-right fender of the semi truck, resulting in the death of Maxey and serious injuries to Flippin. After being treated by Weakley County Ambulance Service emergency medical technicians at the scene, Flippin was airlifted by Air Evac Lifeteam to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

    Additionally, Chief Perry stated that one of the two dogs in Maxey’s van was killed, but he thinks the other animal survived the crash.

    Perry said that the wreck was complicated by leaking diesel fuel from the semi’s fuel tanks, which necessitated a response by members of the Dresden Fire Department and Martin Fire Department, who were on hand to control any fire that might erupt.

    Also, because the fuel spill is a potential environmental hazard, Weakley County Emergency Management Director Mark Seat came to the wreck site to evaluate the situation, and a hazardous waste disposal team from First Response of Jackson was called in to clean up the spill.

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

    The trial date for Dresden Attorney Harry Max Speight, who is charged with 12 counts of theft of property, has been set for Monday, January 28, at 9 a.m.

    Local court officials have recused themselves from being involved in the case, because of their longtime professional relationship with Speight. For this reason, the Administrative Office of Courts has appointed Senior Judge Allen Wallace of Waverly, Tennessee, to hear the case. Prior to being appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court as one of four senior judges on February 1, 2003, Judge Wallace formerly served as Circuit Court Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, which includes Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties.

    The Administrative Office of Courts appointed District Attorney Joseph Baugh of Franklin, Tennessee to serve as prosecutor.

    Speight, who has been practicing law in Weakley County for approximately 35 years, and has been considered a highly respected and trusted legal attorney in the banking and finance community, will be represented by Memphis Attorney Christopher Sullivan. The charges against Speight came as quite a shock to the local attorney’s peers and the many clients he has served over the years.

    Specifically, these charges involve the handling of his clients’ accounts dealing with what are known as 1031 exchanges. A 1031 Exchange refers to Section 1031 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, which allows investors to defer capital gains taxes on the exchange of like-kind properties. This is a way for owners of business and investment real estate to sell their property and buy other like kind property without paying the capital gains tax. These transactions are known as deferred exchanges, or 1031 exchanges and allow the investor to continue his investment in another property without losing investment equity to taxes. Essentially, he is accused of mishandling these accounts while under his control for personal use and benefit.

    The initial charges were filed following an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which involved the confiscation of a number of files found in Speight’s office.

(Read the rest of this story in the December 5th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)