William Acree, who serves as Circuit Court Judge for the 27th Judicial District, gave his ruling in a high-profile murder case, during Thursday evening’s hearing in Weakley County Circuit Court. The case involves a motion for a retrial for former Weakley County Sheriff’s Deputy Claudell Carpenter, 32, of Greenfield, who had previously been convicted in connection with the June 16, 2004 shooting death of Joe Martin of Sharon.

    As court proceedings got underway, Attorney General Tommy Thomas recounted the history of the case stating that Carpenter’s original sentence of second-degree murder handed down on November 2, 2005, had been overturned in Weakley County Circuit Court, during a motion for hearing on May 25, 2006, and was altered to voluntary manslaughter. However, the voluntary manslaughter charge was then overturned in State Appeals Court on March 28, 2008 and sent back to the county for re-trial. 

    Thomas stated that his office and Public Defender Joe Atnip, who represented Carpenter, had both agreed on a motion to retrial (which was necessary in order to enter into a plea bargain agreement), and had also reached a plea bargain agreement in the case.

    “We’re here today on a motion for a new trial,” Thomas said. “The state and defense have reached an agreement that a new trial should be granted in this matter.” Thomas explained that the “motion for a new trial is the vehicle for us getting to a negotiated plea.”

Thomas said, “Upon a plea of guilty,” the state recommends the following agreement:

·        Under count one of the indictment of first-degree murder, the state recommends that the charge be reduced to second-degree murder and that the defendant serve a sentence of 20 years with the Tennessee Department of Corrections. As a violent offender, the statues require that Carpenter serve 100 percent of his sentence, minus up to 15 percent for good behavior, which would leave a mandatory sentence of 17 years. Also, the four years that Carpenter has already served in jail since his arrest and conviction would be deducted from the sentence as time served. This means that Carpenter could be released in 2021, after serving 13 years in addition to the time he has already served. The crime of second-degree murder also carries a possible fine of up to $50,000.

·        Under count two - the felony murder conviction - the state would dismiss this charge on pleading guilty to count one.

·        As for count three of especially aggravated burglary, which is a Class B felony, the state recommends that Carpenter be sentenced to 12 years as a range one standard offender, and that the sentence would be served concurrently with count one. This crime also carries a possible fine of up to $25,000.

·        Thomas stated that the state agrees to dismiss count four of aggravated assault, which is a Class C felony.

·        Concerning count five, which is a charge of evading arrest, the defendant has already pled guilty and served the sentence. 

(Read the rest of this story in the May 28th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    A two-vehicle accident on Friday resulted in seven individuals being transported from the scene for medical attention.

    According to Trooper Andy Forsythe of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the accident that took place at approximately 1:42 p.m. on Highway 54, roughly ½ mile inside of Weakley County near the Henry County line.

    Trooper Forsythe states that a 2005 Pontiac GTO driven by 21-year-old James “Mitchell” Davis of South Fulton was traveling east (toward Paris) on State Route 54 at a high rate of speed, when Davis’s vehicle crossed over the center line and struck an oncoming 1987 Chevrolet van driven by 60-year-old Rubener Teague of Puryear almost head-on.

    The Pontiac, spun around sideways in the middle of the road, while the Chevrolet van carrying six occupants left the roadway on the north side of the road and came to a halt in the ditch with the front of the vehicle facing the highway.

    The impact caused the van to catch fire. However, all of the occupants were removed from the vehicle before they were burned in the flames. The driver had to be freed from the tangled wreckage, but was also safely evacuated from the vehicle by emergency workers at the scene.

    Trooper Forsythe notes that he was not dispatched to the scene of the accident, but instead, happened to be passing by when he drove upon the crash, just as the vehicles were coming to final rest.

    “The rear window of the van was being kicked out from inside,” Trooper Forsythe said. “And the grass underneath the vehicle was catching on fire.” He added that about this time, Weakley County Sheriff’s Deputy Gary Eddings, who was off-duty at the time, pulled up and assisted in the rescue operation.

    “I used the baton to remove the front windshield of the van,” Trooper Forsythe said. He stated that he and Eddings pulled Mary M. Tharpe, 78, through the front windshield, and then, pulled the driver, Rubener Teague, through the driver’s side window area, as the vehicle was becoming inflamed.” Trooper Forsythe says that Patrick Teague, 13, was pulled through the rear of the vehicle by Leveris Keller, who was another of the van’s injured passengers. Davis, who was the sole occupant of his vehicle, was removed by members of the Weakley County Rescue Squad.

    Rubener Teague, who was listed as having suffered multiple very critical injuries, was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville on the first helicopter to arrive at the scene, while Davis, listed with multiple critical injuries, was flown to the same hospital by the second air ambulance to arrive. The five remaining accident victims were transported to the Henry County Medical Center in Paris, where two more were later airlifted to Vanderbilt. Those flown to Vanderbilt were Patrick Teague and Leveris Keller, who were both listed in critical condition. Those treated at Henry County Medical Center were Mary Tharpe, Joshua Teague, and Rashawn Bishop, who were all listed as being in stable condition. Joshua Teague underwent surgery while at the Henry County Medical Center.

    Trooper Forsythe says that the initial investigation and evidence from the roadway show that “very little, if any, braking or evasive action was involved. The crash is still under investigation. At this time, it is unknown whether or not it will be an alcohol or drug related crash. The Critical Incident Response Team of the Tennessee Highway Patrol has been called.”

(Read the rest of this story in the May 28th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    Greenfield’s principal, Jackie Vaughan, 52, who has served as a professional educator for 30-years, has announced his retirement at the school at the close of the 2007-2008 school year. During this time, he served as principal of Greenfield School (grades Pre-K through 12^th) for the past 19 years.

    However, Mr. Vaughan says that he will still work part-time for the Weakley County School System. He will soon undertake a part-time supervisory position in the superintendent’s office under a 120-day contract.

    Vaughan states that school officials decided last Monday that Greenfield Assistant Principal Mike Riggs would become the school’s new principal for the coming school year.

    Vaughan, whose teaching career began in 1978 in Gibson County, said, “I was in Gibson County 11 years.”  He added that during this time, he worked as a teacher and coach at Gibson County High School for eight years, followed by three years as assistant principal at Dyer. “We came to Greenfield in 1989, and this was my 19^th year here,” Vaughan said.

    In addition to his duties as principal, Vaughan coached the Greenfield High School Girls Basketball Team for three years (2000-2003).

    “I’m excited about a new opportunity to continue my educational career,” Vaughan said. “I have enjoyed thoroughly, the 19 years that I have been at Greenfield and wish the best for the school and community and continue to work with Weakley County Schools in a different capacity. I don’t feel like I’m leaving. I’m just changing hats.”

    “It’s all positive,” Vaughan said. “There hasn’t been anything negative about it. It’s strictly a personal decision. It’s just something that came up and I felt like I needed to do it.”

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