The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 11

STlir Anntetiin tar REGION Editor: Ben Cunningham, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Page IB Death row inmate who challenged protocol dies "He certainly hoped to die from the cancer before he was executed," said Esther Brown, executive secretary of Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty. "I think everybody asks not to be executed." Attorney General Troy King said the serial killer's death should "put an end to the years of legal shenanigans that have gone on." "It's a shame that he got what he wanted but the people who he brutally executed had no say in the matter at all and that's the injustice of this," Kingsaid. Siebert's death comes less than a week after the Supreme Court approved the most widely used method of lethal injection, prompting states to resume the practice and end a nearly seven-month halt in capital punishment. He was one of several death row inmates who were challenging Alabarna's method of execution, but his suit was unique in that he claimed the cancer medication would counteract with BY DESIREE HUNTER Associated Press MONTGOMERY An Alabama death row inmate who had terminal cancer and was challenging the state's method of conducting lethal injections died Tuesday, apparently from medical problems related to the disease, officials Prison system spokesman Brian Corbett said Daniel Siebert, 53, was pronounced dead at 1:35 p.m. at Holman prison, where he had been awaiting execution for more than 2 1 years for the deaths of four people, including a woman and her two young children in Talladega.

Siebert, a self-described serial killer with victims in other states, was also known for grim drawings that drew notice on Web sites. Corbett said Siebert's precise cause of death will be determined later but it appeared related to his terminal pancreatic cancer. the lethal injection drugs and inflict unnecessary pain. Siebert was sentenced to death for the Feb. 19, 1986, strangulation of his girlfriend, Sherri Weathers, 24, and her two sons, 5-year-old Chad and 4-year-old Joey.

He was also convicted of capital murder in the death of Linda Jarman, a resident of Weathers' Talladega apartment complex, who was killed on the same day. Siebert pleaded guilty and was sentenced separately, to life in prison, for killing Linda Faye Odum, 32, also of Talladega. King said members of his staff contacted the victims' families before Siebert's death was publicly announced. "My tonight are with the victims who have waited, and waited and waited," he said. "That they can find some peace of mind and some consolation in the fact that knowing that final justice has now been had." TTT 5 a AY t.

fj SI r-. Stephen GrossThe Anniston Star A small train takes Oxford Elementary students around Marshall Field at McClellan during an Earth Day celebration. Local schools celebrate Earth Day Anniston High School library to hold open house Two years after a fire decimated the Anniston High School library collection, the books are back, and there are so many people to thank. The high school library will hold an open house from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday, librarian Becky Brown said. The community donated 120,000 to replace most of the library's 9,000 books, she said. Brown said the open house is, "to say thank you for all of (the) contributions because without them we wouldn't have our library." Dan Whisenhunt Vehicle used in hit and run found, suspect interviewed Alabama State Troopers were interviewing a suspect Tuesday they believe was responsible for a hit and run on April 18 that claimed the life of a 48-year-old Anniston woman. Capt. John Henderson, Jackson-villeGadsden post commander, said traffic homicide investigators using descriptions from eye-witnesses and physical evidence recovered from the scene tracked down the truck they believe hit Bridget Craft, 48, on Eulaton Road about 2 miles west of Anniston.

"We've got the vehicle and there is a suspect that we are talking to but there have not been any charges filed at this time," said Henderson. Henderson said the vehicle was not exactly as it was described, but traffic homicide investigators working in conjunction with the Calhoun County District Attorney's office believe it is the one. He said investigators performed a thorough search of the vehicle today. According to reports, Craft was walking her dog around 8:30 p.m. when the dog got loose and was hit by a vehicle.

When she tried to tend to her dog, Craft was struck by another vehicle, a Dodge Ram truck, and the vehicle drove off, state troopers said. Craft died from blunt-force trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the incident, said Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown. 13-year-old reports rape by Anniston man in January A 13-year-old girl came forward to report that she had been raped in January by a 26-year-old Anniston man after setting up a meeting on a social networking site. The young woman said she met the 26-year-old on the Internet and coordinated a meeting on Jan. 15 around 6 p.m., at her home reported Anniston police.

The man then allegedly had intercourse with her, said investigators. young woman suffered no additional injuries according to reports. No suspects related to the case were in custody Tuesday afternoon. Anniston man robbed near Blue Mountain Road An Annision man told police he was jumped by three or four men and robbed near Blue Mountain Road and Walnut Avenue on Monday night. The 43-year-old man was walking on the street around 8:45 p.m.

when the men came out from behind some bushes and one demanded money, said Anniston police reports. When the 43 year-old yelled for help, the men began punching him, said police. The men then tied the scene empty-handed, according to police reports. The man was taken by EMS to Regional Medical Center for treatment. I le was unable to give police a clear description of his attackers, said investigators.

No suspects related to the case were in custody Tuesday. Anniston police arrest man for robbery of Roanoke resident Anniston police arrested a 23-year-old man Monday, less than an hour after he allegedly robbed a 21 -year-old Roanoke man near the 100 block of Old Gadsden Highway in Anniston. Harley Dale Wimmer, 24, was taken into custody near 1 1 1 Old Gadsden Road around 5 p.m., reported Anniston police. Police said a 43-year-old Roanoke man was walking west on the 1 00 block of Old Gadsden Highway when he was approached by Wimmer whom he knew and was robbed. Police reports said Wimmer had a hand in his pocket, acting as if he held a pistol.

I Ie searched the man's pockets and left the scene empty-handed. No gun was found on Wimmer. Anniston EMS examined the 43-year-old on the scene, but there were no indications of serious injuries, police said. h'ickCenegy i i V' i 1 -i V- BY TODD SOUTH tsouthannistonstar.com. A is for air.

is for ground water. Pis for pollution. Wis for waste. Vis for voice. Use your voice to speak up against pollution.

From A to 190 Oxford Elementary School third graders have spent this week learning about the environment and the 38th annual Earth Day. Col. Chuck Keith said the National Guard has been involved with Earth Day since its inception. The local training center took over the community outreach when the Army closed Fort McClellan in 1999. Tuesday morning children lined up on Marshall Field at the Fort McClellan National Guard Training Center in their second day of environmental learning and a little bit of fun.

After Keith presented three trees to Oxford Elementary principal Debora Nelson and the children paraded through the alphabet, it was time to play. One each of a Japanese maple, flowering crabapple and redbud trees will be planted at Oxford Elementary to mark the school's visit during the 2008 Earth Day event. Taking full advantage of sunny skies the children scaled a climbing wall, tossed a plastic frog, pummeled each other in an American Gladiator-style game with padded sticks, rode a miniature train across the field and vaulted across the inflatable moon bounce. Nelson, a 19-year veteran in education, said students' awareness of the environment has grown noticeably over the years. She said students better understand the importance of recycling and 'taking care of the planet through a hands-on approach to teaching that uses the classroom, visiting presenters and field trips.

They also have a much larger environmental vocabulary than in years past. Fort McClellan biologist Jim Ratcliffe lectured the Please see EARTH DAY I Page 3B Bill WilsonThe Anniston Star Students Curtis Stephens and Kiana Huguley find the South Pole on a globe during Saks Elementary School's Earth Day activities. Oxford council Firing rumors false Thrower and Reaves both said after the meeting that the working relationship between the mayor and council had suffered and was worse off than when the term began in 2004. Thrower is running for mayor in the August municipal election. Reaves is running for re-election to her council seat.

Reaves referred to Smith's creation of the public safety director position and his filling the position with former police chief Stanley Merrill without council approval. The contract Reaves referred to was Smith's $9,000 payment with Dean Tyler and Burns Architecture firm for renovations on the Oxford Civic Center and the purchase and installation of a $20,000 veteran's monument, both done without council approval. In other business the council: Awarded a $10,000 bid to I Transfer and Storage for moving the library materials from the old library to the new Oxford Public Library. Please see OXFORD I Page 3B BY TODD SOUTH tsouthannistonstar.com OXFORD Some Oxford council members took the opportunity Tuesday night to clear the air. Councilwoman June Reaves read a prepared statement near the end of the Tuesday night council meeting.

She called rumors that the council discussed firing city staff untrue. i She also mentioned a growing list of problems such as new positions created and contracts signed without council approval and her worry that city employees may not have an "open channel of communication without fear of reprisal." Councilman Greg Thrower said comments about the council firing city employees never came from the council. "I know where they come from and you know where they come from," Thrower told the audience. He would not elaborate. Mayor Leon Smith had no comment for any questions posed by The Star.

George Smith Senior Editor George Smith's column will return soon. i.