EKB News

An arraignment was held this morning, for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman and young child. 39 year old Matthew C. Casey a.k.a. Matthew Cook, of Turkey Creek, was indicted on five charges - first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, kidnapping, first-degree robbery and being a persistent felony offender. Police say Casey abducted a woman from the parking lot of the South Williamson Wal-Mart early on Dec. 14 and took her to Aflex where he sexually assaulted her before reportedly fleeing to Mingo County. Casey is still facing charges in Mingo County and on the federal level in connection with the alleged kidnapping and assault of the 5 year old child found in the vehicle with him when he was arrested later that evening. Judge Coleman ordered Casey, who pleaded not guilty, to remain on a $1,000,000 full cash bond which was assigned to him the day he was arrested. A pre-trial conference for Casey was scheduled for March 23rd and a tentative trial date was set for April 23.

Lafe P. Ward jr. appeared in court this morning for a hearing in which the commonwealth requested that Ward be evaluated for criminal responsibility. Ward stands accused of killing 39 year old Benita Dixon of Varney back in January when he was allegedly involved in a vehicle collision with her while intoxicated. The commonwealth stated today that it would be to their benefit for Ward to be evaluated be his February 5th trial on a charge of Murder.

James Robinson, who stands accused of murder in relation to the death of his step daughter Holly Grace Lockard was ordered to be evaluated by the Kentucky Corrections Psychiatric Center in Lagrange. Robinson’s wife, Amber Nicole Robinson has already pleaded guilty to the murder charge stating that she had grabbed the close to two year old child “too hard” when she was misbehaving. Pending the results of the evaluation, James Robinson is set to stand trial on Febuary the 12th.

The Kentucky Supreme Court has cleared the way for DNA testing on evidence from a 1979 murder that could affect the fate of a Death Row inmate. The high court this week unanimously rejected an appeal by prosecutors, who sought to overturn a judge's order granting the first DNA tests for a Death Row inmate in Kentucky. 49 year old Brian Keith Moore was convicted of a 1979 kidnapping and murder of Virgil Harris in Louisville. Moore sought the tests on a pair of pants that prosecutors claim he wore during the crime. Assistant Attorney General David Smith said prosecutors will ask the Kentucky Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling because the evidence is more than two decades old and has been handled by a number of people. Similar tests have resulted in 188 people being freed from prison around the country - 14 from death row.

A high school basketball team scheduled to play the Allen Central Rebels is boycotting the game because the school waves the Confederate flag at sporting events. The team of eight players, including one black student, at the private David School in Floyd County made a unanimous decision this week to boycott the game according to Ned Pillersdorf, an attorney and the athletic director at David School. The players believe that Allen Central High School's displays of Confederate emblems are a form of taunting, which is forbidden by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association according to Pillersdorf. Floyd County Superintendent Paul Fanning said Allen Central and David had a contract scheduling them to play Jan. 19. He has forwarded the issue to the state athletic association.

A Father and Son have been arrested after an investigation by the states Attorney General’s office found they were illegally dumping raw sewage into the Big Sandy River. Attorney General Greg Stumbo said yesterday that 59 year old Dave Bowling of Hagerhill had been apprehended by agents of the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation (KBI) for illegally dumping raw untreated sewage into the Big Sandy River, less than one mile from the Paintsville public water intake. Bowling, owner of Dave’s Concrete Products and Septic Service, was caught in the act of dumping the sludge and solid waste Monday night after a 6-month joint investigation by the KBI, US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet (EPPC). Bowling’s son 29 year old Lance Bowling of East Point, who owns East Kentucky Waste was apprehended last night by agents with the KBI. Both are charged with numerous counts of violating state water pollution statutes (class D Felonies) and face 1-5 years on each count.

House Speaker Jodi Richards said today that a constitutional amendment limiting the governor's power to issue pardons might be considered in the upcoming legislative session. Richards said Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a Republican, abused his power when he issued blanket pardons in August 2005 for anyone except himself who could be charged in an investigation of state hiring practices. Although a grand jury issued 29 indictments in the probe - including one against Fletcher - no one was convicted. The charges against Fletcher were dropped in a deal with prosecutors. Fletcher, who has maintained the investigation was politically motivated, said those who want to re-examine gubernatorial pardon power "have to realize that these things are in place for reasons that may occur such as prosecutorial abuse."

A Kentucky State Police trooper stationed at post 9 in Pikeville was killed in the line of duty last night as his cruiser was struck by another vehicle. 28 year old Jonathan Leonard was pronounced dead on the scene by the Pike County Coroner's Office shortlyy after the crash which occurred around 6:20 yesterday evening. The crash occurred in the South bound lane of US 119 in the Sidney area and had traffic backed up for several hours as crews from several agencies worked to clear the road as well as provide moral support to those who lost one of their own.
The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash, 45 year old Eugene Sisco Jr. is currently receiving medical attention at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Jack Adams will be laying a wreath at the Fallen Trooper memorial in Frankfort this afternoon in remembrance of Trooper Leonard. The commissioner has also directed agency personnel to wear black morning bands honor of the first trooper killed in the line of duty in 18 years.

A Logan County man has been acquitted of a murder charge. Thirty-one-year-old Carl Goff of Man was found not guilty yesterday after a six-day trial in Logan County Circuit Court. Goff is one of three men charged in the death of 28-year-old Wendy Baisden, whose burned remains were found in a parked car near Logan in January of 2005. Matthew James White pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder charge last year. Evidence presented by the defense during the trial indicated that Goff was not on the scene when White allegedly set fire to Baisden’s vehicle after what he said was an apparent overdose.

A Pikeville man is behind bars after allegedly attempting to sell drugs in a restaurants parking lot. 46 year old Kenneth May of Jay Street pleaded not guilty yesterday to 2nd degree trafficking in a controlled substance, trafficking within 1,000 yards of a school and possession of marijuana after officers responded to a call stating that a man was in the Pikeville Subway’s parking lot attempting to sell drugs. Officers with the Pikeville Police department made contact with May at the parking garage at which time they conducted a search, allegedly uncovering a bottle of Hydrocodone tablets. According to the arrest citation, the prescription had just been filled and thirteen of the pills were allegedly missing from the bottle. May remains lodged at the Pike County Detention center on a $10,000 full cash bond and is scheduled to appear again in court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing.