Man convicted of poker shooting

Freddie Edwards gets 30 years for killing
man after card-game argument

September 2, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

A Greenwood man charged with shooting another man at a poker game last year was found guilty of murder Thursday night.
Freddie Edwards, 58, was charged in the incident in which George Freeman was shot in the head July 16, 2005, after an argument during a poker game at Edwards’ home at 707 Cokesbury St.
Edwards said Freeman caused the shooting by grabbing a .357-magnum pistol held by Edwards.
Edwards was found guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime, said solicitor Jerry Peace.
The jury discussed the case for more than six hours before reaching its decision.
Jurors agreed that Edwards was guilty after hearing the 45-minute rereading of the testimony of forensic pathologist Dr. Joel Sexton.
“The jury made the right decision based on the facts,” Peace said.
Circuit Court Judge Cordell Maddox sentenced Edwards to 30 years in prison on the murder charge and two years side-by-side on the weapons charge.
Under South Carolina law, Edwards will serve the entire 30 years for murder.
Deputy solicitor Andrew Hodges presented witnesses who testified that the shooting occurred after an argument over money during the poker game, Peace said.
Edwards made a rule in the poker game that anyone who folds out of turn would have to pay into the pot, The Index-Journal reported last year.
Freeman refused to pay, so Edwards walked into his house and brought out the pistol, Peace said.
Freeman fell as he tried to run from Edwards, The Index-Journal reported.
Edwards chased down Freeman, who was trying to leave, and shot him once in the face, Peace said.
Peace said that both men were decent people.
“It’s just a tragedy for everyone involved,” he said.
Edwards was a successful businessman before the shooting.
Peace said Maddox summed up the case well by saying that he sees a lot of cases like Edwards’.
“Sometimes you have good people who do stupid things,” Peace said.

Juliann Gantt

SALUDA — Mrs. Juliann Gantt was called home to glory on August 31, 2006.
Born to the late George and Julie Etheredge of Saluda, she attended public school in Saluda and was a member of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church at an early age.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Isiah Gantt, a son Thomas Robinson and 12 siblings.
She leaves behind to cherish: 1 son, Robert Gantt and 3 daughters, Ida Sanders, Barbara Gantt and Debra Gantt, all of Saluda; 1 sister, Georgia Etheredge of Saluda; 2 sister-in-laws; 12 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; hosts of nieces and nephews.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, 2006 at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Aaron Walker, pastor.
Logan Funeral Home is in charge.

Marilyn Ann Mathis Willis

NINETY SIX — Marilyn Ann Mathis Willis, 57, of 401 S. Cambridge St., Apt. 3-B, widow of Larry Willis, died Friday, Sept. 1, 2006 at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta, Ga.
The family is at the home of her mother, Helen H. Mathis, 3213 Rock House Road, Greenwood.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood, is in charge.

CORRECTION

For the obituary of JoAnn McKown Horton in Friday’s paper, there was an error in the information provided to The Index-Journal. She died Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006.

Location, location, location

Abbeville uses field position to its advantage in win over Emerald

September 2, 2006

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

ABBEVILLE — Friday night’s matchup between the Abbeville Panthers and the Emerald Vikings was a game of defensive chess moves and field position following an early touchdown.
The Abbeville offense took the opening kickoff from its 24-yard line and used a five-play, 76-yard drive to take an early 7-0 lead before going on to win, 21-14.
“I thought it was a hard-fought game and we knew that coming in,” said Abbeville coach Jamie Nickles. “It was total team effort on our part and that’s what we want each week, and hopefully we’ll get better.”
Several running backs stepped up for the Panthers, and the offensive line controlled the trenches early on. On the Panthers’ fifth play of the opening drive, Tomas Evans burst around the left side for a 53-yard touchdown. It was Evans’ first carry of the night and it was probably the Panthers’ most important run of the first half.
Evans finished the game with 121 yards on 11 carries.
“We’ve always had running backs here and we’ve got a stable of them this year,” Nickles said. “I give those kids credit because even when they’re not starting, they get in there and push just as hard as the first team.”
The Vikings began their night on offense at their own 29-yard line. Zane Newton started at quarterback for the Vikings, although Evan Bledsoe also would see action in the game. On third-and-two, the Panthers’ Demarrio Cobb welcomed Newton to Abbeville with a bone-jarring hit that forced a punt.
Abbeville also would punt on its second possession of the game, giving the Vikings the ball on their 18-yard line. Tremaine Gray came up big for the Panthers’ defense on the drive with a 4-yard tackle for loss when he captured Newton in the backfield. Kadarron Anderson made his first appearance at quarterback a few plays later, but a host of Panthers was locked in as the Vikings’ attempt to run the option was denied.
The Vikings’ defensive unit continued to play tough, putting the Panthers in a long third-down situation. Hite would again test the Vikings’ secondary when he threw a sideline pass to Tomas Evans that went right through his hands.
The Panthers led 7-0 at the half but were not done. Emerald received the kickoff to start the second half, but the Panthers’ defense was on another level, beginning with the first play of the third quarter.
Demarque Paul came up with one of the biggest hits of the night at the line of scrimmage that could be heard in the press box and seemed to energize his teammates. On the following play, the Panthers showed skills in the secondary when Terrell Spencer picked off Evan Bledsoe as he tried to find a receiver down the left sideline.
The Panthers’ offense would feed off the defensive boost and, after back-to-back runs, Hite connected with Desmond Peterson on a 48-yard pass to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead early in the third quarter.
Following a three-and-out by the Vikings, the Panthers would take over at midfield, but a holding penalty moved them back to the 41-yard line. On second-and-14, Peterson made a spectacular catch, wrestling an interception away from Anderson to set up the Panthers at the 25-yard line. After a few running plays, Evans picked up a first-and-goal for the Panthers at the 3-yard line and, on the next play, he was in the end zone for his second touchdown of the night, giving Abbeville a 21-0 third quarter lead.
The Panthers would be denied the shutout though, when Anderson took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, to bring the Vikings within two touchdowns. Following another stop by the Vikings, Paul picked up where he left off on defense, making another solid hit at the point of attack. Clint Nicholson came up with a sack a few plays later from his defensive end position, forcing a punt.
The Vikings would add seven additional points to the scoreboard with 1:10 remaining when Bledsoe connected with Dillon Shirley for an 8-yard touchdown, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Vikings held on for the win.
“We shot ourselves in the foot communication-wise, but I think it’s going to help us in the long run and, hopefully, tonight is a sacrifice for the future,” said Vikings coach Mike Clowney.
The Panthers remain undefeated, while the Vikings will have to go back to the drawing board in search of their first victory of the season.

School District 50 board purposely misleads public?

September 2, 2006

If anyone ever wondered why government credibility has become a public concern, look no further than the Greenwood School District 50 Board of Trustees. In the current debate over issuing bonds for school facilities it appears the board has been planning to pull a fast one on the taxpayers.
When public discussions got under way on the costs, the board announced that bonds would cost taxpayers $115 million and be paid off over 15 years. It also said the millage rate to pay for the bonds would remain at 61.4 for the duration. All that, of course, was prior to the called meeting Thursday night where the board voted 5-l to move forward with the installment purchase bond plan. Lary Davis was the only trustee to vote no.

THURSDAY NIGHT, FOR THE first time, the board said earlier figures were only within a “range” of costs and payoff time. The numbers now, the board says, are $129 million, instead of $115 million, and the payoff time will now be 25 years instead of the previously discussed 15 years. It was also noted - for the first time - that the millage could be raised to 88 “if an emergency occurred.”
Why would the board not be completely up front with taxpayers? From all appearances there can be only one conclusion: It kept the real figures quiet on purpose. It seems obvious the board did not want much opposition. The “new” revelations, though, serve to generate the hottest kind of opposition. It should. If something wasn’t “rotten in Denmark,” why didn’t the board take a forthright approach instead of acting as it did?
Board Chairman Dru James said she thought the (previous) public meeting answered the questions and concerns of many people very well. Apparently not.

ALSO, SHE SAID THE THURSDAY called meeting would “speak for itself.” That it did, and for angry taxpayers it was loud and clear.
Under the circumstances, if the District 50 board insists on going forward with its “latest plan,”no one could blame taxpayers if they fight back. There’s nothing in state law to allow for recall elections, however, but there are four board seats to be filled in the next election. Those are seats one, two, six and eight.
The seat eight trustee voted for the bonds. Seat one is vacant. Incumbents in seats two and six were absent.
The election will provide an opportunity for voters to change the makeup of the board and send a powerful message. They could remove from office one of those who went along with the apparent deception and, in the process, maybe elect others to revisit the bond situation.
In the meantime, taxpayers can sound off to board members and let their numbers speak. Be angry, why not?