DALE COUNTY: Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum and members of Dale County Sheriff Department, Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza and members of Houston County Sheriff Department are working together searching for a missing person.
WASP ( Wiregrass Aviation Support Program ) is in the air assisting.
COWARTS: Houston County 911 dispatched Houston County Sheriff Deputies and Ashford Police to Cowarts City Hall to disorderly subjects, reported to be armed.
The information was Cowarts Mayor Elect, Greg Odom, had a locksmith at the City Hall having the locks changed on the building. Ashford Police was first on the scene and called for backup units, which were already enroute.
There was a locksmith truck at the city hall on arrival of law enforcement.
The Mayor election for Cowarts was very heated. The current mayor of 15 or so years, Randy Rowland, was defeated by fellow councilmember Greg Odom for Mayor. However, Randy Rowland is still Mayor until the official changing of guards on Monday. And Cowarts City Hall is open for business on Thursday and Friday. And until 12 AM on Monday Rowland is still the Mayor.
Law Enforcement told the current Mayor there were no criminal charges which could be lodged against Odom. Which the locksmith, according to Mayor Randy Rowland, told him that Odom called him to change the locks.
Finally the original locks were changed back, Mayor Rowland took possession of city hall back, the Deputies were back in service, and no one went to jail.
According to articles that RSN has read in the Alabama League of Municipalities, a councilman has ZERO authority, except in an official meeting when the majority of the council votes in favor of a motion. Other than that a single councilman or even a majority of the council present, but not in an official meeting where a motion passed, has no authority.
Odom is a current councilman but there was no meeting tonight so there was no way an official vote could be taken. And even though Mayor Elect, Odom has no official power until the changing of the guards on Monday. Therefore if Odom called the locksmith and directed to change the locks he has no legal authority to do so.
The current Mayor was told the District Attorney probably would not presecute the matter. But failure to do so is willful neglect of duty on the part of the District Attorney if the current Mayor decided to press charges.
Because it is no different then a District Attorney Elect thinking he can go prosecute a case before he officially takes office. The courts would laugh him out of the courthouse.
The final outcome tonight, the locks restored to the original locks. the current Mayor Randy Rowland has gone inside City Hall to see if anything was tampered with, all others have left, no one went to jail, and everyone gone.
BARBOUR – BULLOCK COUNTY: For decades the “only”Circuit Court Judge in Barbour and Bullock County, Bert Smithhart, has protected bondsman James Thomas.
The only Circuit Judge, Bert Smithhart, has denied any other bondsman from operating in Barbour County but James Thomas Bonding. He has sit on any paperwork filed by someone else or bogus reasons why no other bondsman could open in Barbour County.
And then orders for bonds would be written “professional surety required”. This meant you had to use and pay James Thomas whatever he charged. Citizens were not allowed property bonds with orders written “professional surety required”.
A person is considered innocent until proven guilty and under most charges are allowed a reasonable bond. But Circuit Court Judge Bert Smithhart has allowed basic extortion of people that you paid what James Thomas charged or you remained in jail.
Today Eufaula Police Department arrested, around noon, that bondsman, James Thomas. The charges, as RSN understands, were for domestic violence and possession of cocaine.
Actions observed over the years of the only Circuit Court Judge in Barbour and Bullock County, RSN believes Bert Smithhart is not clean and honest. That is my opinion in what we have observed and been told.
Sources have said they will be filing judicial ethics complaints against Circuit Court Judge Bert Smithhart in the immediate future. In review of court filings over the last several years the records do not show honesty.
DOTHAN: At 11:23 AM Dothan 911 dispatched a critical injury motor vehilce accident on Honeysuckle Road and Wellington Road. At the time of dispatch the reports to Dothan 911 were critical injuries.
Dothan Police, Dothan Fire and Pilcher Ambulance responded.
RSN received reports of a vehicle traveling on the wrong side of the road prior to the accident. RSN can not say it was the same vehicle but the TEXT RICKEY reports appear it was the same vehicle.
Patients were transported by ambulance to a local hospital. It is unknown the extent of the injuries. RSN was to far away to obtain scene pictures.
Anyone with scene pictures or information TEXT RICKEY 334-790-1729.
HOUSTON COUNTY: This week Cierra Goodson has been on trial for Capital Murder. Thsi offense carries the death penalty or life without a chance at parole.
The trial began Monday with Dothan Attorney’s Derek Yarbrough and Shaun McGhee as court appointed legal counsel. To represent someone in a Captial Murder case the attorney’s are required to have been practicing attorney’s for ten years.
Today Goodson withdrew her not guilty plea and entered a guilty plea to felony murder. For her plea she was sentenced immediately after her plea to a term of 40 years in the Alabama State Prison.
Goodson was one of 5 defendants charged in the murder death of Harvey Gray in 2021. One defendant had already entered a guilty plea under former 20th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Pat Jones and received a 15 tear sentence.
There is one more adult to stand trial and two juveniles also charged in Gray’s murder.
The case was investigated by Houston County Sheriff Department.
DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – Midway through her trial, Cierra Goodson pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and received a 40-year sentence immediately.
Her Felony Murder plea came as prosecutors continued to present their case during what attorneys projected would be a whole week of testimony and deliberations. The trial began on Monday.
Goodson, 38, had been charged with Capital Murder and would have received life without parole if convicted.
Goodson is among five defendants—some juveniles who state law doesn’t permit to be publicly identified- charged with the 2021 murder of Hardy Gray, killed at his Cottonwood area home, and his body discovered on the Monday after Thanksgiving.
