Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4A
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, May 26, 1996
Sen. Coverdell visits Forsyth, via satellite at Forsyth Central High
By Thomas W. Krause
Staff Writer
U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell (R-Ga.) visited Cumming
and several Georgia communities Tuesday via satel
lite. Constituents were given the chance to question
the Senator on closed-circuit television.
Coverdell opened the meeting with a brief speech
where he pointed to taxes as a key issue. Coverdell
said if Georgia families paid taxes up-front, they
would not get to keep a single paycheck from the
beginning of the year until May 7.
Thomas Jefferson would roll over in his grave,”
he said. "We have simply pushed our citizens to the
wall.”
Ironically, Coverdell mentioned Thomas Jefferson
to an audience dense with Libertarians. Over half of
the small audience of about 10 people were repre
senting the Forsyth County Libertarian Party
Greg Ricketts remains in custody on charges of murdering his wife
Appeal for bond in murder case denied by Court
By Jennifer Eskew
Staff Writer
Greg Ricketts, charged with the
murder of his wife, will have to
wait a a few more days to see if
he will be released on bond
through a technicality of Georgia
state law.
Ricketts, 33, was denied bond in
March by Superior Court Judge
Richard Gault due to the possibili
ty of witness intimidation and the
possibility of suicide.
However, Ricketts was not
indicted by the Forsyth County
Grand Jury until April. According
to Georgia State Law, “in the
event no grand jury considers the
charges against the accused per
son within the 90 day period of
confinement, the accused shall
Deaths
James Glenn Harbin
Mr. James Glenn Harbin, 72, of
Alpharetta died Wednesday, May
22, 1996.
Survivors include his wife Mrs.
Dorothy Harbin; sons and daugh
ter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy
(Wanda) Harbin of Cumming,
Mr. John Harbin of Alpharetta;
daughter, Mrs. Shirley Mullinax
of Gainesville; brothers, Mr. and
Mrs. Sam (Myrtle) Harbin of
Ball Ground, Mr. and Mrs.
Clarence (Evelyn) Harbin of
Brunswick, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin
(Angela) Harbin of Nashville;
sisters, Mr. and Mrs. Louise
Wilcox of Hazelhurst, Mr. and
Mrs. Wil (Nellie) Erickson of
Nashville, Ga., Mr. and Mrs.
John (Betty) Erickson of
Nashville, Ga., Mrs. Ruby
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which supports the Jeffersonian ideals of removing
the central government from the daily lives of the
people.
Beth Morgan, chair of the Forsyth County party,
asked the Senator about the war on drugs. She
likened illegalized drugs to prohibition of alcohol in
the 1930 s and asked why the government continues
to spend money on a losing battle.
“You’ve drawn the wrong conclusion,” Coverdell
told her.
Coverdell said the war on drugs is being won.
When the focus was put on rehabilitation rather than
prevention, drug use increased. The children learned
that drug use was acceptable, he said.
Coverdell also said a panel of Washington experts
has repeatedly said drugs should not be legalized.
After Coverdell responded, Morgan said she was
not satisfied with his answer.
“He always goes back to kids,” she said. “We are
not talking about kids, we are talking about adults.”
have a bail set upon application to
the court.”
The indictment was presented to
the grand jury on the 94th day of
Rickett’s confinement.
Gault denied the motion to
release Ricketts, presented by
defense attorney, David Canon.
Gault based his decision on anoth
er case which says the defendant
is not entitled to bond if the
indictment is proceeded with
immediately.
Canon filed for an interlocutory
appeal with the State Supreme
Court to hear the matter of
whether to release Ricketts. On
Tuesday, the Supreme Court
decided not to hear the case.
Canon said he will file a motion
to reconsider the case saying,
“They have left this issue unclear
and ambiguous.”
Flowers of Nashville, Ga.; grand
children, Mr. and Mrs. Timmy
(Linda) Armstrong, Mr. and Mrs.
Wayne (Wanda) Brooks. Mr. and
Mrs. Jody (Amber) Harbin,
Travis and the late Tammy
Harbin. Shane and Dustin; great
grandchildren, Heather Brook
Harbin and Ashley Lauren
Brooks.
Funeral services were held
Friday. May 24, 1996 at 2 p.m. in
the funeral home chapel.
The Rev. Herschcll Randall
officated. Interment was in the
Harrol Grove Baptist Church
cemetery.
Arrangements were made by
Louie E. Jones Funeral Home of
Alpharetta.
The Forsyth County News
May 26, 1996
66
Canon said he will
file a motion to
reconsider the
case.
99
He said there arc three circuit
courts in Georgia interpreting the
law in two different ways. This
allows some defendants in the
state out on bond and keeps others
in jail.
“This needs to be resolved and
cleared-up,” said Canon, adding.
"Their (Supreme Court) purpose
is to give continuity and consis
tency to all the courts.”
District Attorney Garry Moss
said “I agreed with the ruling of
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66
The liberal slant to the media
hurts the party (Republican
Party).
-Sen. Paul Coverdell
99
Morgan said children arc not allowed to have ciga
rettes or alcohol and, likewise, should not be allowed
to have drugs. Adults however, should be allowed to
do what they want in their own home, she said.
People should not be jailed for non-violent drug
crimes, she said.
Coverdell answered a separate question on drugs
earlier in the evening. A caller from Barnesville
asked if tighter boarders will help stop drugs.
the Supreme Court. Our position
was clear from the beginning.
Judge Gault correctly interpreted
the law.”
Ricketts is charged in the
January 4 murder of his wife,
Sharia, who was shot five times
with a .380 caliber semi-automat
ic handgun.
Ricketts was indicted for murder
and intercepting a communication
which invades the privacy of
another. The second charge is
related to alleged tape recordings
Ricketts made of his wife, includ
ing a tape allegedly made at the
time of Sharia’s death.
Moss said, “We plan to take
Ricketts to trial as soon as possi
ble.”
Coverdell said several factors will help curb drug
use including a more unified military effort, alliance
with other countries in the hemisphere, education
and tightening borders.
Cumming resident Janice Griffin asked the Senator
if party officials need to take a more emotional
approach to help people understand the republican
ideals.
“I believe in this program, but a lot of people aren’t
getting it,” Griffin said.
Coverdell said a lack of emotion is not the main
problem with the Republican Party. The legislative
branch of government is not as orderly as the judicial
and executive branches but it is the only branch the
republicans control, he said.
Coverdell also said 90 percent of the journalists in
Washington voted for Bill Clinton in the last presi
dential election. The liberal slant to the media hurts
the party, he said.
Driver charged with vehicular
homicide in May 11 accident
By Jennifer Eskew
Staff Writer
A 51-year-old Cumming man
was charged with vehicular homi
cide Wednesday following a two
car accident on State Hwy. 20
near Ga. 400 on May 11.
B.J. Minnix, 63, was in the pas
senger seat of a 1994 Ford
Taurus, driven by his son, Craig,
33. The two were in the driveway
leading to Pappy Red’s Barbecue
waiting to pull onto State Hwy.
20.
Memorial Day closings : •
Due to the Memorial Day holi
day, many offices and business
will be closed Monday.
This includes all Forsyth County
offices and the City of Cumming
offices. The U.S. Post Office will
not be delivering mail Monday
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Tony Payne, of Daves Creek
Road, driving a 1989 Plymouth.
Voyager was traveling east on
Slate Hwy. 20 when he struck a
curb, then a concrete island and
finally the Taurus.
Minnix was thrown from the car
and pronounced dead at the scene.
Payne was charged with vehicu
lar homicide, driving in the emer
gency lane and reckless driving.
He was released on a $15,600
bond and will appear in Superior
Court June 12.
*
and their office will be closed as
well. ,
Most banks in Forsyth County
will be closed but Nationsßank
branches located at Lakeland
Plaza and Johns Creek will follow
their normal office hours through
out the holiday weekend.