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133 Years of Newspaper Service Dedicated to the People of Marengo County
Thursday
Octq ber 18
2012
,100
per copy
Volume One Hundred, Thirty-Three
Number Fifty-One
Two Sections -- Sixteen Pages
Published ill Linden, Alabama, USA
Bob Vance, left, is warmly greeted by Billy Coplin, Marengo County Democratic
Party Executive Director
Chris Petrey, left, with fellow Democrats Billy Coplin, center; and Bob Vance,
right at the reception for the candidate fi)r Chief Justice of the Alabama
Supreme Court
County Democrats gather to meet candidate for Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice
"People don't appreciate the courts in in August he found, "I couldn't take it atives in the crowd and one candidate for "like they are doing." Vance did say that his fund raising is chairman of the Marengo County
Alabama," quipped Robert Vance anymore." Marengo County Commission. Chris The courts in Alabama are suffering doinggood. Democratic Party. He hosted the event.
Thursday evening, Oct. 11. So he is running for chief justice of the Petrey was invited t~ ~ak after ;"~lmce. from lack of funding, he said. It is these Above the crowd on the balcony Toney
He was addressing a county Democratic Alabama Supreme Court. He vowed to work to bring in indusry and courts which defend your rights, he in his closing remarks. Vance said there Nixon provided his special blues and sax
rally for him in Demopolis. The Coplin building in Demopolis was jobs. declared, are a lot of g~xt Democrats on the ballot music for the mingling and enjoying hors
The Birmingham lawyer who has served filled with attorneys from all around West Vance had promised he would work to "I'm tired of the phony issues." He did this year from the president on down. d'oeuvres prepared and served by Gayle
as a trial judge for 10 years announced that Alabama. There were a few political oper- bring people together and not divide them not explain or specify. Demopolis Attorney Billy Coplin is Rayfield and Stacy Pearson.
When someone sends obscene material ed verdict of acquittal. Judge Hardaway
to a person he believes to be a child, then denied that and Drinkard moved for a mis-
he is guilty of violating the Code of trial, which Hardaway also denied.
Alabama Judge Eddie Hardaway charged In the afternoon, Chuck, as Grogan is
the jury Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 16. nicknamed, took the stand. He told
Within 15 minutes the jury returned Drinkard how he became involved in corn-
with a guilty verdict against Newman putersex.
Howard Grogan, Jr of Anniston. He said he went into a Yahoo chat room
District Attorney Greg Griggers prose- for adults and chatted with them. Next, he
cuted the case made by the Demopolis saw a female name and clicked on that.
Police Department. After helping trap a The conversation quickly turned to sex.
local man who was using the internet to Then he asked her how she was, and when
meet young girls, the department put up a she replied "14," he responded, "Whoa,
fake name in a chat room. Chastity May you're too young."
was the fake name.
Defense Attorney Daryl Drinkard of The computer conversation lasted for
Thomasville explained that the chat rooms more than two hours, he said.
require a person be 18 years of age or In cross examination, Griggers pressed
: older before logging on. He also noted that Grogan about the details and at several
the person who logs on takes an oath not to points, Grogan sobbed and cried, "1 made
impe~onate another person, a stupid mistake."
Griggers called Tim Williams and Tim Grogan apologized and Griggers shout-
Soronen who set up the cyber crime ed, "Why are you apologizing?"
department in Demopolis. They explained The DA hammered, "You were think-
how they set up the impersonation of ing about having sex with a 14 year old
Chastity May and on June 18, 2010, they girl."
got a hit from Grogan. He repeated the semen and urine evi-
Grogan was on a video camera attached dence again, and asked the sobbing defen-
to his computer and he was nude. The dant did it get him off talking dirty to a 14
Demopolis cops recorded the two hour and year old girl?
37 minute chat room encounter. In his closing argument, Drinkard said
As he prepared to call witnesses and his client did not perform a sexual act with
show the video, Griggers apologized to the anybody.
jury, especially the women because of the Griggers countered with the "transmit-
disgusting things they would see and hear. ting obscene material" charge, which was
Griggers then told how Grogan was the charge the jury decided to convict him
taped masturbating, ejaculating into a on.
glass, and then urinating into the glass. After the verdict from the jury, deputies
"Then he drank that mixture."led Grogan to jail.
After Williams described the recording His wife, who had been silent during the
of that video, Drinkard moved for a direct- trial, broke into tears.
State chief of staff explains difference between Democrats, Republicans
Harold Sachs summed it up, "The elec- elect the probate judge and circuit clerk in thing. He never stacked lumber like I did of weeks.
tion is between increasing the size of gov- every county because they are where most when I was young. All he did was live off It is the Democratic Party rule that its
ernment versus downsizing the govern- of the voters come together, the government and organize communities candidates be given all the money raised
ment.'" Sachs said there are no Democrats elect- in voting. He never learned to work." from qualifying fees if there is an opponent
The Double Springs man is the chief of ed to ,any office in Winston County where Romney, on tie other hand, worked for in the general election.
staff for the Alabama Republican Party and he lives, his money: At one point in the meeting, Goodloe
drivesthe 86 miles to Birmingham and Sachs told the Marengo County ~oup Sutton from Linden charged that the
back because he likes small town living. He declared that working for the that there will be 10 lawyers in the state Democrat running is a "Freddie Armstead
He was speaking to the Marengo County Republican P~u'ty is the greatest victory in headquarters from 6:30 a. m. election day Democrat." He told England to expect any
Chapter of the Republican Party Tuesday his life. until 10:130 p. m. If there are any irregulafi- kind of attack the Democrats can think of.
evening, Oct. 9. He opined that Romney beat Obama in ties, call and a lawyer will advise local peo- He said Armstead controls Demopolis and
Sachs said he won't stand up for any- the presidential debates, but he warned, pie how to handle it. most of the county.
body who won't appoint a Republican to a "Watch out, Obama will come back He advised to report irregularities to the He also advised England how to set up
vacant office. This came on the heels of strong." poll foreman, first, not just one of the poll poll watchers, telephone committees, trans-
Gov. Robert Bentley appointing a Sachs said the Republicans on the workers. Then call the headquarters, portatiou committees, and how to get
Democrat to fill a vacant office in Marengo national level look good, but "Take noth- He ~id the state will spend $70,000 this absentee votes.
County. ing lbr granted." election to fight voter fraud in 10 counties. Betty McCormick made a motion that
Sachs stated that America has a role in Marengo is one of those 10. the local Republican committee give $500
"The governor disappointed us with his protecting lsrael."We need everybody on Dan England of Demopolis is in a race to England's campaign. It passed unani-
appointments." board," in reference to the lack of foreign against a Democrat for District Two on the mously.
Several other county offices in the state policy failures in recent months. Marengo County Commission. HeEngland admitted he did not know all
were given to Democrats. He had comments about Barrackannounced that his opponent had been this went on in elections but that he was
Sachs said the Republic;m thrust is to Obama. "He never had a job doing any- given a check tbr $35(X) in the last couple krarning and he would go all out to win.
Harold Sachs
Dan England
Pierce Boyd putting together Romney-Ryan signs
parrinc@bellsouth.net
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