Newspaper Page Text
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Friday, November 15,2002
TURNER from 1A
that wrapped around her
waist. Her head was bowed.
Several rows of supporters
sat in the gallery. Observers
stood against every wall, and
television cameras lined the
back of the courtroom.
The prosecutors opposed
releasing the defendant, giving
several reasons why. They said
that Turner poses a flight risk,
that she may intimidate or
harass witnesses and that she
may commit another crime
since she’s allegedly’ in deep
debt.
Lead defense attorney
Jimmy Berry said his client
would not pose a flight risk,
however, because she’s been
under investigation since July
2001 and didn’t run when she
had the chance.
“She’s known for quite
some time that she’s been
under investigation,” he said.
“And when the indictment
came down, she voluntarily
turned herself in.”
Cobb County District
Attorney Patrick Head argued
that the flight risk increased
when the grand jury returned
the indictment.
“She has a much stronger
interest today than she did
three weeks ago,” he said.
“This is a capital case.”
Five witnesses took the
stand to testify on Turner’s
behalf, including her mother,
her aunt and several friends.
Helen Gregory, Turner’s
mother, told the court that if
released, her daughter would
stay with her at her Cumming
home. Turner’s children are
already staying there.
Another prosecutor from
the Cobb County District
Attorney’s Office, Russ
Parker, asked Gregory if she
knew of the accusations about
her daughter’s possible role in
Randy Thompson’s death.
Deaths
J.L Hicks
Mr. J.L. Hicks, 76, of
Canton died Tuesday, Nov. 12,
2002. Mr. Hicks was a member
of Harmony Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife
of 50 years, Doris Acree Hicks
of Canton; children, Sandra
and Herb Denny, James and
Faribell Hicks, all of Canton,
Linda and Henry Kincaid of
Dawsonville; 10 grandchil
dren; eight great-grandchil
dren; brother and sisters-in
law, Glen and Gloria Hicks of
Canton, Barbara Gordon of
Doraville. Alice Mae Hicks of
Canton; sisters and brother-in
law, Louie Wilkie of Waleska,
Gladys and Billy Mashburn of
Cumming; and a number of
nieces, nephews and other rela
tives also survive.
Funeral services were
Thursday, Nov. 14, at the
Ingram Funeral Home Chapel
with the Revs. Danny Orr and
Calvin Grogan officiating.
Interment followed in the
North Atlanta Memorial Park.
Ingram Funeral Home was
in charge of the arrangements.
Forsyth County News
November 15, 2002
Women’s
group
soliciting
nominations
The Georgia Women’s
History Month Committee of
the Georgia Commission on
Women celebrates women’s
groups, organizations and
women each year, and in
March 2003, Women Veterans
of Foreign Wars will be recog
nized.
A nomination process will
select the honorees, who
should be Georgia natives or
should have worked extensive
ly in the state. They should
currently be serving in the mil
itary or have served in the past
in a military conflict with
another country.
To nominate someone, get a
nomination form by calling
(404) 727-9639, or write
Georgia Women’s History
Month Committee, Box 79263,
Atlanta, GA 30357-7263.
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Photos/Jonathan Phillips
Above, Magistrate Court Judge Frank R. Cox listens to
closing arguments by both sides at Lynn Turner’s bond
hearing Wednesday. Right, Turner’s mother, Helen
Gregory, listens intently.
“I’ve read and I’ve heard it,
but I do not believe it,”
Gregory told the court.
The prosecutors continual
ly raised the issue of Turner’s
finances. GBI Special Agent
David King said judging from
the financial records he’s
obtained, Turner is $174,000
in debt.
He cautioned against let
ting her go free on bond, say
ing her financial situation may
cause her to commit a crime to
TAX from 1
S4O million in 2001.
The commissioners are
expecting the city’s response
to the county’s proposal by
Nov. 20, the day after the
council’s regularly scheduled
November meeting.
Gravitt said the council has
not set a particular amount for
any anticipated increase.
He said he had met previ
ously with County
Commission Chairman John
Kieffer, who made the suc
cessful motion at Tuesday’s
meeting.
“I met with the chairman
and we had some preliminary
discussions about the sales tax
and what our goals were,”
Gravitt said.
“I haven’t talked to the
council, but we’ll meet
SCAM from 1
The woman on Oct. 21
allegedly received a check for
$25,306.11 from her new
employer.
She took the check to the
bank to ba cashed and was
told by the teller that funds
would be held in her account
for five business days to make
sure the check cleared.
She also was allegedly told
by the teller that the money
would be available on Oct. 26
if there were no problems.
Upon her return on that
date, the woman was told that
the check had cleared. She
then withdrew $21,906 from
her account, leaving the
$3,400 in earnings.
She wired the withdrawn
cash via Western Union to
Oleg Kitkin, supposedly an
official at the university.
Cultural calendar
Burt’s Farm
... is offering hayrides. The
40-acre farm, located on
Hwy. 183 south of Amicalola
Falls State Park, features
home-grown pumpkins, pop
corn, Indian com and orna
mental gourds. For more
information, call (706) 265-
3701.
The Holly Children’s
Theatre Company
... presents “The Hobbit” in
the Holly downstairs theater,
featuring 16 young performers
in this classic story by JRR
Tolkien on Friday-Saturday,
get money.
The defense attorney asked
the agent about his concern
for Turner’s financial situa
tion.
“Would it be easier or
harder to run if you’ve got no
money?” Berry asked.
King responded; “I’ve
never run. I don’t know.”
Under cross-examination,
Special Prosecutor Jack
Mallard countered Berry’s
contention by saying, “If you
Tuesday and discuss it.
Hopefully, we can be able to
make a decision Tuesday
night.”
Shoppers in Forsyth
County pay seven cents in
sales taxes on every dollar
spent. Four cents are collected
for the state, two cents are col
lected for county/city LOST
and Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Taxes, and one
cent is for the school system’s
SPLOST.
The LOST and SPLOST
revenues both are divided
between the county and city
governments at the same
85:15 ratio. However, the state
distributes LOST revenues
directly to Cumming, while
the county distributes the
SPLOST funds.
However, on Oct. 30, the
Cumming woman got a call
from Regions Bank telling her
that the check was either a
fraud or counterfeit.
She was also told that a
hold had been placed on her
account. However, no charges
have been filed.
The Internet-based
Nigerian Advanced Fee Fraud
that victimized the local man
works in a similar manner.
A Nigerian man asking for
help cashing checks from
American political backers
recruited the local resident to
cash what turned out to be
counterfeit checks and to wire
the money to Africa.
The GBI receives several
e-mails each week from peo
ple who have been approached
by various scam artists on the
Nov. 22-23, at 7 p.m. and
Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available at the
door. $7 for adults, $5 for chil
dren. For more information,
call (706) 864-3759.
“An Appalachian
Thanksgiving”
... a day of family fun
activities and a delicious menu
will be at the Amicalola Falls
State Lodge Park on Nov. 25
from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The
cost is $14.95 per person.
Contact the Maple Restaurant
for reservation and menu at
(770) 344-1521. Lodge rooms,
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don’t have any money to run,
wouldn’t that be a reason to
steal?”
Mallard also asked King
whether Turner might be a
danger to herself or to the
community. The agent said he
believes she would be.
“Her frame of mind might
not be what it should be,” he
said. “She might harm the
children or herself.”
Mallard also asked if
Turner might try to intimidate
witnesses..
King told him that he has
been contacted by witnesses
who say she has called them
to ask about the case.
Berry asked for the names
of those witnesses, but King
would not say.
Berry reiterated that point
in his closing argument to the
judge.
“Not one witness has come
forward to say ‘Lynn Turner
During 2001, LOST rev
enues totaled sl7 million for
the county and $3.2 million
for the city. The state took 1
percent of the LOST revenue
for distribution purposes.
SPLOST revenues, which
are gathered for specific proj
ects, totaled $3 million in the
city and sl7 million for the
county. Projects funded in the
city by the recent SPLOST tax
include the arena at the fair
grounds, the Dobbs Creek
Recreation Center and the
widening of Tribble Gap
Road.
The board next month is
expected to approve a special
election for March 2003 to ask
voters to approve extending
the local governments’
SPLOST collections.
Internet. The ones originating
from other nations get for
warded to the U.S. Secret
Service.
Steve Edwards, special
agent in charge of the GBl’s
financial investigations unit,
said Wednesday that computer
users must exercise caution on
the Internet.
Check with the Better
Business Bureau to ensure a
company is reputable, he said.
“There’s all sorts of
schemes going on out there on
the Internet, because you don’t
know who’s on the other end,”
he said.
“Consumers need to use
good common sense.”
To contact the Better
Business Bureau of
Metropolitan Atlanta, call
(404) 688-4910.
cottages and camping facilities
are available by calling
Central Reservations at (770)
398-7275, outside Atlanta at
(800) 864-7275. For event
information, contact the pro
gramming department at (706)
265-4703.
“The Magic Toyshop”
... opens Saturday, Nov. 30,
at the Kudzu Children’s
Playhouse. The play runs from
Nov. 30-Dec. 28. All seats are
$7.
For reservations and infor
mation, call (770) 594-1020,
from noon to 6 p.m.
had harassed or intimidated
me,”’ Berry said.
He also noted Turner’s
numerous supporters in the
courtroom, the fact that she
does not have a prior criminal
record and her numerous ties
to the community in Forsyth
County. Berry asked the’
judge to grant a SIOO,OOO
bond.
“The criteria has been met
for bond for Lynn Turner,” he
said.
The Cumming woman will
undergo a mental evaluation
through the Rome-based
Georgia Mental Health
Institute within the next few
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Forsyth County News
J four" Hometown Paper" Since 1908 J
USPS 205-540
Veterans Memorial Blvd., Cumming, Georgia 30040
Phone: 770-887-3126 Fax: 770-889-6017
Internet Address: www.forsythnews.com
e Publisher DENNIS STOCKTON
General Manager NORMAN BAGGS
Editor SUSAN NORMAN
Advertising Director HARRIS BLACKWOOD
Circulation Director PHIL JONES
MEMBER
Published Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday by the Forsyth County News
Company, Veterans Memorial Blvd., Cumming, Ga. Second Class Postage paid at
Cumming, Ga. and additional offices. Subscription rate for Forsyth County, $49
per year; other Georgia and out of state subscriptions are SBS per year. Any
unused portion of a subscription balance will be gladly refunded. However, all
refunds due the subscriber are subject to a processing fee, which will be automati
cally deducted from the subscription balance refund. Advertising rates and
deadlines available,upon request. Postmaster: Send address change to Forsyth
County News/P.O. Box 210, Cumming, Ga. 30028.
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«
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weeks.
The judge said he will
make his decision when he
receives the results of that
examination.
FIRST CALL
FORJHELP
770-781-HELP
(4357)
Emergency help line for
Forsyth County.
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