The Amarillo Globe-Times from Amarillo, Texas • Page 24

24 iy, March 8.1911 Powell Given Lite Sentence In Slaying of Man af Adrian By BILL COX Globe-News Staff Writer Convicted murderer Lewis Steven Powell will be returned to Dallas to face aiiother murder charge after he pleaded guilty in 69th District Court at Vega to killing an Adrian service station attendant and received a life prison sentence. The 23-year-old Powell, an ex-Navy radio operator from Grapevine, signed a judicial confession yesterday admitting he shot to death Larry Travis, 28, of Glenrio, N. M. on March 7, 1976, in the service station Travis operated one mile east of Adrian on interstate 40. Travis' body was found in a kneeling position slumped over a telephone seat beneath a pay phone, had been shot in the back of the head.

Originally, Powell was indicted for capital murder in the slaying, but he was reindicted yesterday for murder prior to his plea in order that the defendant could waive trial by jury. A jury cannot be waived in a capital murder offense, which is punishable by death. Oldham County Attorney Dick Brainerd, who handles felony cases in addition to misdemeanor offenses in that county, explained why Powell was not tried on the original capital murder have some problems with some evidentiary matters." he said. "I do not know whether some evidence would be legally admissable. I think it was better to go for the life sentence rather than try for the death penalty and face a great possibility of reversal." He said Date prosecutors faced a similar problem in the case there against Powell.

Attorney Bill Alexander of Dallas, in Vega yesterday to represent Powell, said he expected Powell to enter a guilty plea to the Dallas murder charge "in 10 It appeared the capital murder charge there would be reduced to murder, which is punishable by not less than live nor more than 99 years or life, in prison. Powell also faces three charges of assault with a deadly weapon in Las 'Aninias County, Colo, where he was Statistical captured March 8, 1976, after a Shootout with deputies In County. Powell is charged wills jhnuiiiu; to death Franklin Helton. 50. oi nn March 4.

1976--three days before the murder of Travis at the Adrian son ice station. On March P. Powell allegedly fired shots into a pickup truck near Raton, N.M.. after the vehicles passed back and forth sr-veral times. Powell was nabbed after the motorist notified authorities and they cornered him at a dam site south of Trinidad.

Colo. In th'! 25-niinnle proceeding in the district cour'. at Vega yesterday, Powell waived customary rights of trial by jury, confrontation and cross examination of witnesses, and his right to to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeal. Stipulated testimony of six state witnesses also was agreed upon by the defendant. Gist of the stipulated testimony was that Travis had been shot in the back of the head with a .38 caliber pistol bought by Powell in California and later taken from him upon his arrest in Colorado.

Powell's short admission of the Travis killing, also sub- mitted, read: "I judicially confess that on the 7th slay ot March, 19B, in Okihatn County, Texas, I did knowingly and intentionally cause the death of an individual, to-wii: Larry Vravis. by shooting him with a gun." During brief questioning by District Judge Mike Metcalt of Dumas, and Attorney Alexander. Powell said he was a hifih school graduate, served almost four years in the Navy, had no record of felony convictions and had never been treated in a mental instituion. Alexander toid the court both stale and defense forensic psychiatrists who examined Powell snid he was sane at the time of the offense and competent 10 stand trial. Powell was brought here Sa'vday from Dallas by Oldham County Sheriff Jack Walker and was in Vega only two hours yesterday for the proceedings there.

He was returned to Potter County jail, where Dallas sheriffs officers were expected to pick him up for return to Dallas today or tomorrow. Handcuffed and wearing white jail coveralls, Powell refused to talk to reporters yesterday. On Used Machinery HEV. MAH'TN KING t-aith Chapel To Mark First Anniversary Ily GENE WHITE Globe-News Staff Writer Kandal 1 County will advertise for bills on two pieces of road-building machinery it purchased lor MO.OOO. Commissioners voted last sveek to puichasr ,1 Ujed 25-ion pneumatic roller a used i 2-ton steel wheel roller for Both pieces of equipment were purchased from Consolidated Equipment Co of Amarillo.

The commissioners believed they were acting within the law because the equipment was used. There is provision in the law allowing counties to make of used equipment without seeking bids, but such purchases are limited lo $300 and under The staMile dealing with equipment purchases requires bids for purchases above Faith Chapel Church observe its rst anniversary with revival services Thursday through Sunday. Weekday services will be at 7:30 m. Sunday services will be at 9:45 a. in, and 0 Enrollment at TSTI Increases for Quarter Sludeni ranks for the third-quarter term at Mid-Continent Campus of TSTI have swelled above the 450 mark.

Tiiird quarter enrollment, which began last week and continues through March 21 at the MCC, shows more than 150 new registrants. Larry Jordan, electronics system technology program chairman at TSTI here, said his class roll more than doubled during the first three days of registration. He said the increase in students is probably due to the program's micro systems training, one of few such programs in the Southwest. Bill Cheshire, manager of instruction at TSTI. said he is pleased with the new enrollment figures--figures which are a step closer to the school's goal to In- crease its enrollment by 25 per cent this Ml, the beginning of 1977-78 four- quarter term.

A breakdown of the school's 17 programs and their total enrollments includes: electronics, 58 students; auto body repair, 27; aircraft maintenance. 33; boot and shoe operations, 19; commercial art and advertising, 30; construction technology'. 12, cosmetology. 14: drafting and design technology, 31; livestock and ranch operations, two; meat processing and marketing, 11; professional trucking operations. 27; printing technology.

16; saddle and tack making. 28; technical office training. 26; welding and fabrication. 39; interior design technology. 25: and auto and diesel mechanics, 54.

The Rev. Marvin King will be the guest evangelist. Faith Chapel Church is at 14th and S. Lincoln. The Rev.

R. D. Owens is pastor. Man Charged in Breok-in Held in $5, 000 Bond Rodney D. Walker, 18.

of 2520 N. Wilson, was in Potter County jail today in lieu of $5,000 bond on a charge of burglary in the weekend break-in of a North Amarillo car wash. Potter County Justice of the Peace Roy E. Byrd set bond yesterday for Walker. Grover Stanfield, owner of the North Mirror Car a sh, 2406 N.

Mirror. reported a break-in In police about 8 p.m. Sunday. Polite checked and found a man in the structure, officers said. During 1975.

15.001) oil tankers called at U.S ports, says the U.S. Coast Guard. Eighty-five ran aground and six of the accidents caused oil County Road Supt. Herb Hilliard spent several days contacting equipment suppliers and inspecting machinery and reported to the commissioners on the best equipment for price. But after consulting with Randall County Criminal District Attorney Handy Sherrod yesterday, the commissioners learned they had not strictly followed tile law.

Th; commissioners voted to request bills on the equipment. Commissioners also approved a con- t. act between the directors of the Randall County N'oxious Weed Control District and the county tax assessor- collector's office regarding the method of collecting taxes for the weed control district. The county tax office will collect the taxes for the district and retain 5 per cent of Uie funds collected. The law allows three cents per acre for administration of the weed control district, and the president of the board of directors for Randall County's dis- Irict told commissioners they would collect three cents per acre or three cents for lots less than an acre.

A budget amendment will be ureparod fo: approval next week which will allow the county fo pay S610 toward purchase of radio equipment for the Department of Civil Defense. "The money tor this project will have to be transl erred from Randall County's projected surplus." said Bill Tirey. county auditor. Water meters in use Light meters in use Gas meters in use Bank Deposits Building permitslFeb.) Public school enrollment Birth certificates urn a a i rallicaccidcn! MUNICPALCOORT Number in iali incite Number in a i in Coldly BUILPING PERMITS: CuiroH TrucMng 316 Jackicn, lojndfi'ion, reiidence. 144,000 a a HoTci.

7JOO Elm residence, H6.000. AmarHIo Guilders, 5135 Met a residence, ta.soo MA SEMINAR HAPPINESS Drt. Chat. Albrccht, Colman Albrocht David Albracht and Rod Albrocht announce Ihiir Saturday office houn 9 to 12 noon by appointment only. Albrachl Clinic, 4070 W.

SOlh, Ph. 353-9151. AmarBlo. BALFOUR OPTICAL in Sunisat Confer Will be elating Saturdays beginning April 2nd WEEKDAYS 8:30 TO 5:30 NEED A SECRETARY? Can't justify a fuiltimar? only for the work I do for you. Give me a call.

372-9031 CHRISTINE'S SECRETARIAL SERVICE Prescott H. Haralson, Announces the termination of private practice of medicine on March 31, 1977 SUICIDE PREVENTION CRISIS INTERVENTION 376-4251 A Uniteri Woy Agency The commissioners also agreed to retain Ihe of Southwest Insurance Associates of Austin to act as consult a for the county on insurance matters for the remainder of the year if the firm will take the jOli for 51,500. Two resolutions were adopted. One expressed continued of fhe 25- county Panhandle Regional Emergency Medical Sen-ices System, and other expressed continued support for Centralized Comprehensive Alcoholic Drug Abuse Treatment Center for the 25 county Panhandle area Members of the Randall County Commissioners Cour; are County Judge Woort) Pond and Commissioners Jim Fletcher, John Fulgcnzi, Bob Henry and Dee Griffin. All wcte present.

Mind Control Convention Scheduled This Weekend An estimated 500 persons will be in The convention commemorates the 10th anniversary of the first Silva Mind Control class, which graduated in Amarillo in March 1967. Since mat first class, over (300,000 persons have graduated from the course In all 50 states and 30 countries. Over 300 graduates of the program from Texas, Oklahoma, New Moxico. Colorado. Arkansas.

Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama have preregistered for the convention which begins at 1 p.m. Friday. Jose Silva. founder of the program, will present a four-hour workshop. Other workshops and programs will be presented throughout the three-day convention.

An art exhibit in honor of Silva, Amarillo artist Dord Fitz and members of Ihe first Mind Control class will be at the Dord Fl'j. Art Center. The works of Charles Bunnell will be featured. I UHITra OIKS PARIS A i Marcel Uuhamel, founder vi "BlarK Series." popular murder-mysterv bonks numbering more than 1.700 died at his villa in southern France on Sunday. Editions Gallimard announced Monday.

He was 76. Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined Thai Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous loYcur Health. ma Mount ay. cms-cue. ETC Hencrt.