Across the area: Death penalty case draws local jurors

Web posted May 10, 2000

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From Staff and Wire Reports

Twenty-five Augusta residents have qualified so far this week to fill a pool of potential jurors for a death penalty sentencing trial.

This week, the judge and attorneys in the case of convicted killer William Kenney Stephens, 52, are individually questioning residents in Richmond County Superior Court. Because only Mr. Stephens' prior death sentence was reversed, a different jury must determine if he should be punished with death or life in prison. His conviction still stands.

Mr. Stephens' case has been in the appeals process since his 1980 conviction for the Jan. 24, 1979, murder of Richmond County Sheriff's Investigator Larry D. Stevens Sr., 38.

Mr. Stephens originally was convicted and sentenced to death in Richmond County Superior Court in 1980, but the sentence was thrown out by a federal appeals court eight years later. In 1989, another Superior Court jury sentenced Mr. Stephens to death again, but the Georgia Supreme Court reversed that death sentence in December 1998.

Questioning of individual jurors continues through the week with final jury selection scheduled to begin Monday morning.

AUGUSTA

Local recycling firm will be sold

Alternate Energy Resources Inc. is being sold to an Atlanta firm, co-owner John Metts said.

The company at 2730 Walden Drive has signed a letter of intent to sell to Commercial Waste Services, Mr. Metts said.

Meanwhile, the city cut off Alternate Energy's water Monday for failing to make an $11,000 payment on a $22,969 delinquent water bill. The company, which recycles industrial toxic waste, has been paying off the overdue account that totaled $161,225 in August.

Mr. Metts said he plans to pay the bill this week to restore water service.

Commercial Waste plans to invest several hundred thousand dollars in the company and expand the payroll by three or four people, Mr. Metts said.

``They're a pretty strong group,'' he said. ``They've been in business in Georgia for years now. They've got a very strong chemistry staff and engineering staff. They do a lot of field work. They do a lot of cleanup work. They do a lot of ground water remediation work. They manage a lot of waste for generators all over Georgia.''

AUGUSTA

Sewer collapse shuts down road

City traffic engineers closed Columbia Nitrogen Road at the railroad overpass to repair what appears after a sewer main collapsed at the intersection Tuesday. Officials said they expect to reopen the road to traffic late today or early Thursday after completion of the repairs.

Detoured traffic will be routed through the rail yard on East Boundary, Foster Road and Lovers Lane while construction crews work to repair the caved-in roadway. No tractor-trailers will be permitted through the area.

AUGUSTA

Hospital names top employee

University Hospital named Chris Waters, project manager in the projects department of the Support Facilities Division, its employee of the year Tuesday night.

Mr. Waters, who has worked for University for seven years, was named at an annual dinner for finalists and longtime employees at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta. Fellow employees who nominated Mr. Waters for the award cited his skill, leadership and caring. The award is voted on by employees.

Finalists for the award included radiologic technician John Hammer, registered nurses Peggy Redd and June Hart, respiratory therapist Sheila Kamath, and senior secretary Gracie Pitts.

AUGUSTA

Downtown street to be blocked off

Seventh Street between Greene and Telfair streets in downtown Augusta will close from 6 p.m to midnight Saturday for Historic Augusta's annual Cotton Ball membership party. The event is being held at the boyhood home of former President Wilson at 419 Seventh St. Motorists are advised to take alternate routes during the closing times.

LIBRARIES

Libraries to hold staff training

Libraries in Richmond, Columbia, Lincoln, Burke and Warren counties will be closed Friday for a staff training day. Richmond County drop boxes will be locked. All of the other county's drop boxes will remain open.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Thurmond checks into hospital

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., has checked himself in to Walter Reed Army Hospital after complaining of an upset stomach.

Mr. Thurmond, at age 97 the oldest living U.S. senator in history, went to the Capitol physician Tuesday afternoon and was diagnosed as being dehydrated. He remained at the Capitol until voting was completed, then went to the hospital.

A statement from Mr. Thurmond's office said the senator would stay overnight at the hospital.

Mr. Thurmond has been in and out of hospitals several times in recent years for a variety of problems. He had prostate surgery last year.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Students work on new engine

CLEMSON -- Engineering students at Clemson University have collaborated with students at two German universities to develop a prototype test engine for BMW.

The nine-student team -- three each from Clemson, Technical University of Munich and Technical University of Darmstadt, worked around the clock on the three-month project. Students worked eight-hour shifts, with one university team starting where another left off.

The students communicated via e-mail, keeping the project's costs down.

``This is a model for global collaboration,'' said Georges Fadel, associate professor of engineering at Clemson. ``These students are the engineers of the future. They know how to work in a collaborative environment.''

SOUTH CAROLINA

Internet chat leads to arrest

Police in Knoxville, Tenn., say a South Carolina man's Internet bragging about a sexual conquest led to his arrest on a charge of statutory rape.

William Frank Caldwell of Spartanburg waived extradition and was brought to the Knox County jail after he was arrested Friday night at his home. He was released on bond Monday.

A Spartanburg County Sheriff's Department detective said a Net surfer in Iowa saw chat room communication between a boy and Mr. Caldwell and became suspicious. The detective said the unidentified person began chatting with Mr. Caldwell.

Police said Mr. Caldwell eventually revealed that he had gone to Knoxville and had sex with the 15-year-old boy he had met on the Internet.

The person reported the conversation to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.