Local News
Fayette sheriff to probe Montgomery incident
Montgomery’s police chief said Monday that the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department has agreed to investigate allegations that a black man was beaten by a pair of Montgomery police officers Friday night.
“I’ve requested that it be investigated, according to the Policeman’s Bill of Rights,” explained Police Chief Pete Lopez, referring to statewide guidelines set down by the Legislature for such scenarios.
He said that Fayette County Sheriff Bill Laird told him that the matter was at the “top of his list” and that he would “get on it immediately.” Laird confirmed Monday that he had made a preliminary decision to tap Detective Lt. J.K. Sizemore for that assignment.
“Once they do that (investigate), they will bring the results of their investigation to me. What’s required (of the investigator) is that they be at least a higher rank than anyone involved in it,” Lopez observed.
Lopez expressed a desire to move the inquiry along post haste into his officers’ purported actions. “It’s not something we will wait on. We will move without delay,” he said.
Lopez declined to comment further on the situation for fear of “muddying up the start of someone else’s investigation. I don’t want to put the investigator in a box to where they would have to address something I’ve said.”
He confirmed that Patrolman Shawn Hutchinson’s employment was terminated Saturday, while Patrolman Matthew Leavitt was placed on paid administrative leave the same day. Ironically, Lopez added, Saturday marked the end of Hutchinson’s six-month probationary period with the department.
“Someone beyond that (probationary period) has additional rights, according to the Policeman’s Bill of Rights,” Lopez noted.
Twan Reynolds and his wife, Lauren, both of Beards Fork, accused Hutchinson and Leavitt of repeatedly hitting Twan Reynolds over the head with a blackjack, kicking him in the back and spraying his eyes with mace.
They also say Leavitt repeatedly used a racial epithet against Reynolds, and Lauren Reynolds claimed that Leavitt licked her neck during an interrogation and made derogatory comments. The officers and Lauren Reynolds are white.
Montgomery Mayor Jim Higgins said he fired Hutchinson Saturday for insubordination. Higgins said he would decide later about Leavitt, who also faces an insubordination charge. Leavitt denied that he did anything improper.
Twan Reynolds was charged with two counts of battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice, while Lauren Reynolds was cited with battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, obstruction of justice and having an open container, Lopez confirmed to The Charleston Gazette.
— E-mail:
mhill@register-herald.com
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Improvements under way to make Bluestone Dam safer
Improvements and repairs planned at Bluestone Dam over the next 10 years will make the structure safer, but new operating procedures could lead to increased flooding in some areas downstream from the dam, officials said Thursday at a public meeting in Hinton.
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DOH to relocate cemeteries for expressway
West Virginia Division of Highways officials will begin relocating cemeteries next week to make room for the next phase of the Coalfields Expressway.
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GVEDC board gets training
Jeff Finkle, president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), spent several hours with local development officials Thursday, giving pointers and leading a discussion on economic strategies.
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Mix-up leads to W.Va. couple on wrong ballot
Stan and Janet Norman are running for office whether they like it or not.
- Calendar — Friday, March 19, 2010
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SCHOOL CLOSINGS and DELAYS
Click HERE to go to the West Virginia Department of Education with up-to-date school closings and delays by county.
- Tentative agreement reached between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and the United Steelworkers of America A tentative collective bargaining agreement between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and the United Steelworkers of America was reached Wednesday for more than 2,300 ARH employees represented by the USW in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia.
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Greenbrier to host Fun Fest and Egg Hunt
The Greenbrier will host its first Community Children’s Easter Fun Fest and Egg Hunt for children ages 3-12 March 28.
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Bluestone Wildlife Area cleaning up from flood
Very little flooding was reported along the New River near Bluestone Dam Saturday, but in other locations the river overflowed its banks and caused considerable damage, including in the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, officials said.
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W.Va. gets $72 million in school construction bonds
West Virginia is getting more than $72 million in federal bonds for public schools.
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