High court upholds man's death sentence
ATLANTA - The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously upheld the death sentence for a Macon County man convicted of stabbing to death a bank vice president after being turned down for a loan at the victim's bank.
Artemus "Rick" Walker hired Gary Lee Griffin to help him rob and kill Ray Lynward Gresham, the vice president of Columbus Bank & Trust Co. in Montezuma, according to court documents.
Mr. Walker and Mr. Griffin rode bicycles to the victim's house on May 12, 1999, rang the doorbell and soon drew Mr. Gresham outside. After Mr. Griffin refused to stab or shoot Mr. Gresham with a stun gun, Mr. Walker took a knife and stabbed Mr. Gresham 12 times in the chest and back, according to the records.
Pilot is found dead after four-day search
NEWTON - A pilot was found dead in his crashed single-engine aircraft after a four-day search in Alabama and Georgia.
The crash site was found Monday at Ichauway Plantation in rural Baker County in southwest Georgia.
The pilot, Kyle Boss, 22, died in the crash.
The Bellanca single-engine aircraft was reported missing Friday afternoon while on a flight from the Decatur County Industrial Airpark in Bainbridge to Weedon Field in Eufaula, Ala.
Attorney says suspect has mental disabilities
MILLEDGEVILLE - Prosecutors want the death penalty for a Baldwin County man accused of killing his wife and stepdaughter, but his attorneys say he is mentally retarded and should be allowed to live.
Brian Duane Brookins, 35, is charged in the October 2005 deaths of Suzanne McDade Brookins and her daughter, Samantha Giles, 15.
Defense attorney Dennis Francis said Monday that Mr. Brookins has mental disabilities. He said Mr. Brookins should spend the rest of his life behind bars with psychiatric treatment. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
Former deputy granted bond with restrictions
WINDER - A sheriff's deputy who was arrested on child pornography charges has been released on bond.
But Jason David Gaub faces a number of restrictions.
As a condition of his $50,000 bond, Mr. Gaub, 32, cannot possess a firearm or computer, is barred from being within 300 feet of a child or contacting any child and has agreed to let authorities search his home at any time.
Mr. Gaub was arrested at his home last week on 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a child. He was fired immediately from his job as a deputy, Barrow County sheriff's Capt. Murray Kogod said.
- Edited from wire reports
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