Birmingham Post-Herald from Birmingham, Alabama • 14

(Ehf Binnmflham SATURDAY JUNE 24 2000 News briefs Weather ISA ISA Fuller accepts welfare "Alabama has turned the comer and is headed in the right direction in providing responsibly for her children expertise concern and commitment to children will keep us headed in the right direction and ensure that the needs of Alabama's children are heard and addressed" Fuller told the board that the investment the state makes in its children and in services "touches everything" DHR does "Second only to kindergarten teachers we have a direct impact on the children of this state" Fuller said See Fuller Pap 15A by Gov Don Siegelman The governor in a letter delivered and read to the DHR Board by his appointments secretary Josh Hayes praised Petelos and urged this board to approve Fuller as his successor Siegelman said die welfare agency made "great progress" under leadership and he expects the progress to continue under Fuller "Bill has been a tireless advocate for the children of Alabama and I can think of no one who is more qualified to lead this agency which provides so many essential services to children" Siegelman said By STAN BAILEY News staff writer MONTGOMERY The state Board of Human Resources unanimously approved state Rep Bill Fuller D-LaFayette Friday as the new welfare commissioner succeeding Tony Petelos "We are partners in work I praise Him and I thank you" Fuller told board members after their vote "God has provided an opportunity to accept the torch from one of His finest children and Fuller said of Petelos who headed the state Department of Human Resources under former Gov Fob James and was held over in the cabinet post Bin Fuller Disco karaoke Bowen added to FBI Top 1 2 most wanted By CAROL ROBINSON News staff writer Federal authorities Friday named convicted murderer Jerry Lee Bowen to the Alabama FBI's most-wanted list The 52-year-old fugitive remains on the lam after he failed to show up in a Shelby County courtroom Tuesday to be sentenced for the 1997 murder of his ex-wife Brenda Bowen was convicted in April for the killing Bowen's placement on the Top 12 list adds to the profile of the disappearance authorities said "Overall it means that now we can assist Shelby County with a full-fledged effort" said FBI spokesman Craig Dahle "He could be anywhere and the' FBI has the resources to search for him anywhere" Family members last saw Bowen June 14 when he told his sister Peggy Vance that he was going camping at Wind Creek State Park Later both his vehicles were at his apartment as were all his belongings He left a note for his sister telling her that he was leaving and instructed her about property matters Brenda' Bowen disappeared from her rural home on Jan 29 1997 Her car was found that night about five miles away but it was two months before her body surfaced on a riverbank wrapped in rope wire and chains Prosecutors said Bowen murdered his ex-wife in a bitter rage triggered by his financial straits after their divorce See Bowen Page 15A Windom expects Trial apology By GARRY MITCHELL The Associated Press MOBILE While Garve Ivey's lawyers prepare to appeal his witness-tampering and defamation convictions Lt Gov Steve Windom said Friday he expects an apology from the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association for smear tactics aimed at his 1998 campaign Ivey was in line to become president of the lawyers group when an allegations against Windom broke A Mobile County jury Thursday convicted the Jasper attorney on the two misdemeanors but found him innocent-of the felony charge of bribing Melissa Myers Bush A bribery conviction could have brought 10 years in prison sordid allegations that Windom raped and sodomized her in 1991 were contained in a videotape At trial she recanted and claimed she was paid to make the statements The allegations gained widespread distribution after Bush related them to Birmingham businessman Scott Nordness who had immunity from prosecution Baldwin County Circuit Judge Charles Partin did not immediately set a sentencing date for Ivey 48 who could get six-month jail terms on each of the misdemeanor convictions license to practice law could also be suspended or revoked if the State Bar rules that his offenses fall into the category of "serious crimes" a bar spokesman said That decision probably come until the appeal is exhausted One of Ivey's attorneys Barry Ragsdale of Birmingham said the appeal cannot be filed until after sentencing attorneys made several attempts to have the case thrown out before jury deliberations "The charge of tampering with a witness requires some evidence that Mr Ivey was trying to induce Scott Nordness to tell a lie The tape recording of that conversation says want you to tell the Ragsdale said "At best the affidavit was ambiguous but I think the law and the facts both support Ragsdale added: anxious to have a hearing on this issue some place outside Mobile County He said Ivey has a "spotless record" and "ridiculous to even talk about jail time" Windom would not say if he wants Ivey to go to prison At the George Bush appearance in Tuscaloosa on Friday Windom said going to leave the penalty up to the judge But Windom a Republican from Theodore still expects an apology from the ATLA which backed John Amari his GOP primary opponent in 1998 then Dewayne Freeman the Democrat in the general elec-tioa Some ATLA officials viewed the Bush videotape according to testimony at trial Her See Windom Page ISA NEWS STAFFMCHAEL WILLIAM BANKS Above Kay Law left and Rhonda Moses both customer service agents with Southwest Airlines sing "Car Wash" at the Birmingham International Airport on Friday The airline brought disco karaoke to Concourse to celebrate Black Music Month At right Kevin Powe 10 blows up an inflatable airplane he won as a prize for his song Defendants plead innocent in deaths By CHANDA TEMPLE News staff writer A couple accused of killing a toddler last year and an ex-policeman accused of plotting to kill his wife in an unrelated case all pleaded not guilty Friday Now their cases head to trial In the first case 26-year-old Latonya Pullom is slated for a December capital murder trial in the 1999 death of her son Horace Pullom 2 died in October of a broken back and tom liver according to a report Ms Pullom told police at the time that the boy fell off the arm of a chair and hit his head at their Metropolitan Gardens apartment She said she consoled him put him to bed and noticed nothing wrong When she woke up the next morning die found the child unresponsive Her boyfriend at the time Derrick Sturdivant was at the apartment the night the child died Ms Pullom and Sturdivant each face conspiracy to commit capital murder capital murder of a child conspiracy to commit child abuse and rhild abuse according to indictments Ms defense lawyer Robert Sanford said his client did not abuse or kill Horace who has a twin sister NEWS STMTMCHAa WILLIAM BANKS Murder charged in shooting death Instead Sanford said Sturdivant is responsible for the injuries He said evidence will be presented at trial showing Sturdivant has mistreated children before "What this is is an example of when the state is not sure they charge everybody Sanford said A January 2001 trial date has been set for Sturdivant One of lawyers Bill Neumann said he is not privy to what defense is but his client kill the child Neumann a court-appointed lawyer asked Circuit Judge Mike McCormick for money to fond a private investigator because there are some witnesses he needs to talk to McCormick set the spending limit at $1000 See Trials Page 15A the corner of 66th Street South and Joppa Avenue at about 9:50 pm Wednesday Young said Witnesses led police to McElrath Young said Young could not comment Friday on a motive for the killing except to say the shooting may have been the result of a dispute earlier in the week Police looked for the murder Police have arrested a man in a Wednesday night shooting that took the life of a Birmingham teenager Jonus McElrath 19 of eastern Birmingham has been charged with murder in the death of Timothy Harrison 16 said Birmingham police Detective Steve Young Harrison of the 7200 block of Division Avenue was shot to death at weapon Friday afternoon in the water in East Lake Nothing was recovered Police had only general information as to where the weapon may have been Young said "It was more or less a shot in the Young said "We thought we could narrow it down" A Southside civilian who operates a diving business searched parts of the lake for the weapon Young could not say Friday what type of gun was used in the shooting Harrison was a student at Wood-lawn High until April 1999 said school Principal Allen Lewis Harrison was withdrawn in April for the Kennedy Alternative Program Lewis said Benjamin Niolet i.