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Che Summeruille News
[N
INN
Justice Scales
2
Aren’t Equal
I HAVE been following the
legal situation surrounding Ray
Lewis, the NFL's Baltimore
Ravens player accused in the
stabbing of two men during
Atlanta’s Super Bowl weekend.
It seems that even the pros
ecution is alleging that Lewis
didn’t actually stab the two vic
tims but miflht have thrown a
couple qunc es at them before
the fata knifin%s occurred, re
sulting in “guilt by association.”
He stfil has been charged with
murder.
Of course, Lewis’ camp is
saying that he is was a fellow “in
the wron& place at the wrong
time” and was only “a peace
maker” who has been falsely ac
cused. The truth might not be
told in that case.
LEWIS HAS money —
millions. He has high-profile at
torney Ed Garland, who has tried
other very visible cases. Most
people say he is a master in the
news me(%a courtroom as well as
at the trial itself.
The outcomes of actual
murder trials are not as predict
able in real courtrooms as they
are on television shows such as
“Dallas” in the “Who Shot J. R.?"
episode, or in the series, “Law
and Order.”
The one thing we all know
is that “money talks.” If this case
evolved around yours truly, or
many of you, we would likely still
be in a bleak jail cell in Atlanta
wondering wf])at might happen
to us next, instead of being out
on a sl-million bail bond.
IT’S OBVIOUS by looking
at the statistical population in
Georgia prisons that being poor
or black could be compared to
being an egg in a pan over an
open flame. The ogds are that
you will be cooked and served
well-done.
Many people in jail are
guilty. But many are innocent
and have been wrongly impris
oned because of flimsy circum
stantial evidence, corrupt law
enforcement and a lack of ad
equate, responsible legal repre
sentation.
If a lawyer can pull in
SIO,OOO or more on a case, why
would he or she want to make
only a few hundred dollars as a
public defender to represent a
poor person? Criminal cases take
man‘\; investigative hours and
much document preparation.
Law offices operate on budgets.
Lawyers have to and want to
make money.
IT’S TOO easy for we as the
smug public to sit back in our
seats and 2udge the guilt or in
nocence of anyone in jail.
A Los Angeles police detec
tive who had%)een on duty for
more than 10 years admitted in
1999 that if he didn’t have
enough “goods” to put folks in
jail legitimately, he planted in
criminating evidence on them or
lied to make his cases. Can you
possibly imagine the number of
people sitting in jail due to this
fellow’s lies?
Several states have sus
g:nded death row executions
cause DNA evidence is show
ing that many of those destined
to die at the hands of the state
are innocent!
Case in point: Rueben “Hur
ricane” Carter, a former black
welterweight world champion
boxer, was convicted of murder
ing three people. He served 22
years in prison. Carter was vin
dicated when new information
was introduced that indicated
police had tamgered with evi
dence to convict him and iFnored
crucial evidence that would have
cleared him.
I KNOW that everyone in
jail is not innocent, folks.
However, can {ou imagine
what it would be like to be ac
cused of a crime you did not com
mit? Would you have the money
to hire “a Bobby Lee Cook” to
defend you? I called his office
and asked his secretary how
many calls come in on a given
day wanting the venerable and
legendary attorney’s firm to rep
resent them in court?
What'’s your guess?
The answer was more than
100 calls a day or 36,500 calls a
f'ear. All were from people with
egal problems who need an at
torney they consider the best.
It would be great if the ad
age about being “innocent until
proven guilty” really was the way
Americans perceive accusations
against others. But it’s not that
way. When a person gets ar
rested, the attitude of tge com
munity most usually sways
against him or her, whether in
nocent or guilty.
- * »
WELL, RAY Lewis, you
are fortunate to be rich enough
to get representation from one of
the best attorneys in America. It
would be wonderful if the other
ethnic groups and the poor of
see LAAN'S INN, page 3-B
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JOSH BAKER OR JOSH “PRESLEY?”
Fifth Grader Popular As Elvis Impersonator
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Elvis Winners Say ‘lTreat Me Nice’
From left are winners of the “Elvis
Impersonator Show:” Josh Baker, fourth
place; Jesse Pulham, third place; P. J.
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No ‘Suspicious Minds’ For These Judges
From left are Elvis contest judges Bonida
Scott, a Chattooga High School teacher;
Christie Calhoun, a Summerville Middle
School (SMS) teacher; Erle Newton, WGTA
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‘Elvis’ Trivia Contest Winners
Winners of a schoolwide “Elvis Trivia
Contest” at Lyerly_Elementary School are
from left, Josh Baker, Jesse Pulham, Lorenzo
By D. J. LAAN
Staff Writer
If Elvis Aaron Presley hap
gened to be gazing down from
eaven at Li'erly Elementary
School recently, he got a real sur
rrise. He would have seen at
east 30 impersonators — all of
whom ap&eared very much like
Presley after extensive make-ug
sessions — gyrating to rock an
roll music.
Excessively long sideburns,
sneering lips, greased-back hair
and flowing bell-bottom pants
were in evidence.
A couple of impersonators
even came in jumpsuit attire.
Gold jewelry decked-neck
laces and jewel-studded rings
worn by some of the students
might even put “Mr. T’s” jewelry
ensembles to shame.
It was a tribute to Elvis, the
“King of Rock n’ Roll,” who was
born in tiny Tupelo, Miss. more
than 60 years ago.
IDEA
Rhonda Kizer, Chattooga
High School music teacher is also
Lyerly Elementary School’s
(LES) music instructor four days
weekly.
“I have to admit that cel
ebrating Elvis’ contribution to
music is my idea,” she said. She
explained that in planning the
curriculum for the various
schools, she uses a mixture of
music from classical to pop rock.
“Strains of our American
heritage can easily be traced
throug%\ folk music and popular
music as well,” she explained.
She said from the founding
of America to the War Between
the States and from joining the
railroads connecting the East to
the West coasts, music has been
a form of entertainment and a
Simpson, first glace; and Justin Patterson,
second place. (Staff Photo by D. J. Laan).
owner and manager; and Martha Templeton,
a SMS teacher. They judged the “Elvis
Impersonator Show” at Lyerly Elementary
School. (Staff Photo By D. J. Laan).
Foster and Joey Browning,. (Staff Photo By
D. J. Laan).
Thursday, February 24, 2000
record of bygone times and
events.
CENTURY
Ms. Kizer said Elvis was
named ‘The Entertainer of the
Centu?',” in several polls at the
turn of the year 2000. She said
he had 18 number-one hits that
stayed on the music charts for 80
to 90 days each, plus 190-al
bums. He was one of the first
people named as a marketable
music icon by Music Entertain
ment Inc.
“Twenty-three years after
his death, Elvis is still considered
the ‘kin§ ofrock and roll’ all over
the world,” she said.
She said some people look at
Elvis in a negative manner from
the manner of his death.
“Many people do not know
that he was a great humanitar
ian who gave millions of dollars
to charities,” she said, “and that
he had a lifetime philosophy of
never turning away anyone in fi
nancial need.”
TIME-LINE
Ms. Kizer and the faculty at
LES glanned several activities,
including writing classroom re
ports about Elvis’s life and cre
ating an “Elvis Time-Line” that
was posted in the school’s hall
way. It displayed Ehotos and in
formation about the famous star
from birth to death.
The lunch menus fitted into
the celebration of his life. Entrees
served each day were named for
his songs. The lunchroom on a
Monday served “Love Me Ten
der” barbecue rib sandwiches
with “Loving You” coleslaw. and
on Wednesdgay, It served “Roust
about” chicken noodle soup with
“King Creole” grilled cheese on a
Wednesday.
An Elvis Trivia Contest was
held schoolwide.
“MY WAY”
The Elvis Impersonator
Show highli(f,hted the event when
several students in every grade
donned Elvis-t):;)e attire, took a
microphone and performed his
celebrated music in a school
wide assembly.
Featured were tall Elvises,
small Elvises, girl Elvises and
even a few older, more mature
appearing Elvises who also got in
on the act.
Girls in the audience did
their share of screaming and coo
ing as the impersonators “did
their thing.”
One of the more realistic
impersonators was not in the
show. He was standiniat the end
of the auditorium rock ‘n’ rollin’
in his own world. He was Doug
Suits, school principal.
With the music roaring
through the gym as the contes
tants competed, Suits lip-synced
the words to Elvis’s songs, danc
ing to the beat and snapping his
fingers.
CONTESTANTS
Students entering the com
petition were Josh Baker, Jake
Pledger, Cody Fulmer, Wes
Allen, Sally Strawn, Ethan
Harrison, Jonathan Chadwick,
Denise Anderson, James
Abernathy, Sara Beth Allen,
Aaron Bryant, Hollf' Chadwick,
Kevin Carroll, Tyler Blalock,
Jesse Pulham, P. J. Simpson,
Justin Patterson, J. J. McCarf',
Ethan Barnes, Cody Boggs, Lilly
Wilbanks, Cass Petitt and Cody
Elrod.
The winning contestants in
the fifth through eighth grades
were Jake Plesger, first place;
Wes Allen, second place and J.
J. McCary, third place.
see ELVIS LIVES, page 2-B
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JAKE PLEDGER OR Jz.\lm “PRESLEY?”
Youngster Admires His Favorite Singer
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Ashley Rutledge, right foreground of g(icture
and Jessica Brewster, center back, use
Vaseline to style three contestants with “Elvis
hair” at a Lyerly Elementary School “Elvis”
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A Couple Of ‘Hounddog Men’ Perform
These two Elvis impersonators wowed the
audience with their performances of the
“King’s” music. Justin Patterson, left, and P.
Contestants Get Star Treatment
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P. J. Simpson Sings Elvis Song
event. Getting the star treatment are from
left, contestants P. J. Simpson, Jesse Pulham
and Justin Patterson. (Staff Photo By D. J.
Laan).
J. Simpson later won the “Elvis Imfi)ersonator
Contest” at Lyerly Elementary School. (Staff
Photo By D. J. Laan).