Two South Boston men charged in the armed robbery of an Elmo Grocery clerk June 28, reversed their not guilty pleas on Friday before the jury that listened to evidence in the case could begin deliberations.
Pleading no contest to charges of robbery, use of a firearm while committing robbery and unlawful wearing of a mask were Derek Lamar Baird and Lawrence Harvey Everett Jr., both age 20,
It was a clear case of crimes that went bad almost from the start. Although neither of the defendants testified during the almost day-long trial, witnesses including 75-year-old Lillie Mae Brown, Elmo Store victim, told how the two masked gunmen entered the store demanding that she "give it up."
Her first response to them was, "you boys get out of here and behave yourself!"
That failing, Brown said that one demanded that she give them the money or he would "blow my f------g head off!"
Brown said that the two concealed their identities with a type of wraparound headpiece that covered all but their eyes. She told how one had kept watch near the front door while a second "followed me behind the counter."
He pointed what she described as silver-colored pistol at her with one hand while with the other, he took over $200 in cash and some food stamps from the register.
As the two ran from the historic River Road store known as "Loafers Retreat", she watched them get into a car parked a short distance away and partially concealed behind a green trash dumpster.
Brown said that she ran out of the store just as several youths whom she knew were approaching the intersection. She yelled out and the youths drove into the store parking area just as the two masked gunmen drove off.
Rather than drive away in the opposite direction, the robbers "drove right by us," she said, slow enough for their license number to be obtained.
That same license number, vehicle and suspect description had been turned in to authorities less than an hour before by a Pittsylvania County store clerk.
It was at Paul's Place, a few miles away, where two black males purchased gas and drove off without paying.
Police bulletins, including the vehicle description and tag number, were heard at Franklin's Garage in Riverdale where Beth Ellington Wilson was listening to a police scanner.
She spotted the suspects and their car as it pulled onto the garage lot and notified police.
Meanwhile, her father and garage owner, Donnie Ellington, quickly moved one of his wreckers behind thier vehicle to prevent the suspects from driving away.
Both Baird and Everett had exited the car and Everett was talking with his half-brother James Chisholm, a Franklin's Garage employee, when swarms of law enforcement officers rushed in.
Both suspects fled on foot but were captured a short time later.
It was Chisholm who had rented the car and had asked Everett to return it to Elliott's Auto Sales. And it was Chisholm who was probably responsible for convincing Everett not to continue his innocence plea in court on Friday.
After evidence and testimony from scores of witnesses had been heard and just before the jury was to receive instructions, Circuit Court Judge Leslie M. Osborn permitted Chisholm to speak in private session with his stepbrother, Lawrence Everett.
When Everett and his attorneys Mark Thackston and Sherman Toppin emerged from that private discussion, Everett entered a plea of no contest.
His co-defendant, Derek Lamar Baird, earlier entered a no-contest plea.
Attorneys for the two had attempted to establish the innocence of their clients on what was circumstantial evidence. Victims in the crimes were unable to make a positive identification nor were the weapons supposedly used in the crime ever presented in court.
Each of the accused, however, possessed cash at the time of their arrest. Friends of the two attempted to establish an alibi and testified that they had been with Baird and Everett on the same day of the crimes.
The convicted pair were returned to jail to await sentencing in the next term of court.
In another trial heard Thursday, Ronald Lee Rickmond, 41, of Richmond, was convicted of misdemeanor unauthorized use of an auto.
Judge Osborn sentenced Rickmond to 12 months in prison but suspended the entire sentence on the condition of his good behavior for 12 months.
The court additionally ordered Rickmond to be placed under supervision of Halifax-Pittsylvania Court Services, and that Rickmond abstain from alcohol or self-administered drugs or intoxicants.

Authorities are holding a 23-year-old South Boston man on first degree murder charges stemming from a crime that took place over six years ago.
In jail without bond is Kevin Chase Newman of Truxto Avenue who would have been just 17 years old when the crime was committed.
According to published reports, the victim died at the scene of a single gunshot wound to the chest in what may have been a drive-by shooting. He was 30-year- old Anthony Scott Whitlock who lived in the Siani area at Westside Village, .
That same report quoted the then sheriff, Eugene Short, as saying that more than one youth was suspected of being involved in the murder.
Whitlock was found lying in the yard and died before rescuers could move him from the shooting scene.
Newman is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday for an advisory hearing.

Linda F. Wallace, a Lunenburg County woman, has been named Agricultural Development Director.
Wallace is currently working part time with Suzanne Heflin, the county's first agricultural development professional and will begin full time service April 16.
Heflin organized the agricultural development office in 2000. and through her efforts, Halifax County was southside Virginia's first county to provide direct staff support for preserving its agricultural heritage and marketing farm products.
Heflin is returning to her native Prince William County.
Wallace has served the Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District since 1998 as District Technician and Program Support Technician. From 1996 to 1998, she served as administrative secretary to the Southside Soil and Water Conservation District.
Wallace grew up on her family farm in Lunenburg County and has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Longwood College. Prior to her work supporting agriculture, she worked for over a decade providing therapeutic recreation programs at McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center near Richmond.
She is a member of the Roanoke River Roundtable Advisory Committee, as well as the training committee of the Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees.
Wallace has been the key staff person on such projects as the Birch Creek Watershed Septic Maintenance grant program. She will be charged with working closely with other farm support agencies at the county Farm Service Center.
Her office will focus on the extra efforts needed to assist other agricultural professionals based in Halifax County in preserving county farms and profitably marketing farm products.

Approximately 40 miles of the lower Staunton River has received designation as a Scenic River.
Del. W.W. "Ted" Bennett, Halifax, and Thomas A. Stutts, chairman of the Staunton Scenic River Advisory Board, made a joint announcement of the designation yesterday in Halifax.
"We're very pleased that we're now in the system," said Bennett, adding that the upper portion of the Staunton River, from Long Island to Brookneal, was designated the state's first scenic river under the state's Scenic River Act.
Bennett reaffirmed the value of local citizens, including Stutts and his organization, in giving impetus to the designation of the lower Staunton, from Brookneal to the Route 360 bridge.
Bennett spoke of a letter to Stutts from David Brickley, director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, that recognized the importance of citizens' involvement.
"Resources like this define our community, and this is an opportunity for us to recognize those resources, and remind us to continue to appreciate those resources," said Bennett.
"These designations are driven by local citizens and local governments, and so the following request of Tom's committee and landowners, the state did a thorough investigation of the river to see if it warranted it, and it found clearly and easily that it did."
All local governing bodies had passed resolutions in favor of designation, asking the state to name the lower Staunton as a Scenic River.
Bennett introduced the bill in early January, and it passed both houses, being signed by Governor Gilmore on March 2.
Bennett singled out Stutts for much of the credit in bringing the designation of the lower Staunton to fruition.
"Tom [Stutts] put in a huge number of hours in contacting land owners and working with the state and actually going on the float and checking the river itself along with state officials, as part of the statutory requirement to see if the river warranted it [designation].
Stutts personally thanked the landowners along the Staunton for their efforts.
"The landowners played a very, very important part in this," said Stutts.
"My committee was approached about two years ago by some of the landowners on the lower section of the Staunton, and they asked us to look into what they had to do to get that (scenic designation) extended from Brookneal down to 360."
Stutts noted the efforts of the local governing bodies, the General Assembly and Bennett in assisting in the designation effort as well, noting that Bennett attended his committee's meetings and lent support to their efforts.
"To me, there were a few stumbling blocks, but everyone supported it, the newspapers, the whole works.
The community was behind it 100 percent."
Virginia's Scenic River Program began in 1970. Since passage of the Act, 19 river segments, encompassing approximately 390 miles, have been designated state scenic rivers.
The intent of the Scenic River Program is to identify, recognize and provide a level of protection to those rivers or streams whose scenic beauty, historic importance , recreational significance and natural characteristics make them resources of particular importance.
Rivers previously recognized under the Act include sections of the Nottoway, North Meherrin, Appomattox and Rivanna Rivers, with several sections of the James River being designated as scenic.

A True Sports Enthusiast

When it comes to finding a sports enthusiast in the truest sense, one needs to look no further than to Addison Marable.
Marable, a noted bowler and longtime sports enthusiast who coached local teams through the course of six decades will be inducted into the Halifax County-South Boston Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.
The annual event is set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at C.H. Friend Elementary School in South Boston.
Tickets are priced at $15 each and are available at Halifax Pharmacy, Riverdale Auto Sales, Waskey Cleaners, Elliott Electric Company and Electric Service Company.
Tickets may also be obtained from Addison Marable, Bobbie Hill, Jim Burgess, Joe Chandler and other members of the Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Marable has been a key figure on the local sports scene for many years and is noted for being one of the organizers of the South Boston Dixie Youth Baseball League and a key figure in starting the Scottsburg midget football program.
He is also recognized for being a longtime coach, a longtime baseball umpire, a former newspaper sports writer and one of the area's top bowlers.
The South Boston resident was a student-athlete at C.H. Friend High School, playing baseball and football in 1945 and 1946.
Marable was a young man when he launched his coaching career.
His coaching career began while he was a student at C.H. Friend High School when he and another young man helped coach the school's girls softball team.
After high school, Marable organized the Marable Marauders baseball team which tackled opponents from within and outside the county.
In addition, Marable was an assistant coach and player on the South Boston Rectangle softball team.
The South Boston resident owned and coached the Hawks mens semi-pro basketball team and the Lady Hawks basketball team for six years.
Those teams tackled the top basketball teams from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina every year.
Marable helped organize the South Boston Dixie Youth Baseball League when South Boston entered the Dixie Youth program in 1957.
He was an active participant and supporter of the league for many years and coached the Lions team for 35 seasons.
Marable and Charlie Moorefield started midget football at Scottsburg. Marable coached the Scottsburg team for 1956 until 1985.
His best years were 1977 through 1981 when he, with the help of Dean Coates, took Scottsburg on a streak of five straight titles and a 25-game winning streak.
Marable also coached several midget basketball teams through the years with the Scottsburg team, the Comets and the Wildcats among them.
For several years, beginning in 1969, Marable took a local basketball team to the prestigious midget basketball tournament in Roanoke known as the Heights Club Tournament.
His team won the championship in 1969, a year when local player L.F. Elliott scored a record 98 points in four games, a mark that stood until the tournament was disbanded.
Marable coached South Boston Dixie Youth baseball all star teams in three Dixie Youth World Series and served as an umpire in six Dixie Youth World Series tournaments.
He and some other area individuals also took a local youth football team to the Santa Claus Bowl in December, 1962.
Marable compiled an outstanding record as a coach with his lifetime coaching record standing at 786 wins, 764 losses and nine ties for a winning percentage of .508.
His baseball teams won 329 games, his basketball teams won 372 games and his football teams came out on top 85 times.
Marable's sports teams won a total of 18 championships over the years.
As an umpire, Marable was a fixture at many area baseball games.
He umpired for over 45 years, many of them with Otis Pulley who has previously been inducted into the local Sports Hall of Fame.
Marable's umpiring was done in sandlot ball, high school and semi-pro ball, he also umpired in two Virginia Group AAA regional games.
While Marable is noted as an avid coach and youth sports enthusiast, he is also noted as a key figure on the local bowling scene.
Marable is an avid bowler and is a charter member of the South Boston Bowling Association, which, in conjunction with Danville, has hosted for Virginia State Bowling Tournaments.
He bowled in 27 consecutive state tournaments before he encountered problems with his knees.
In addition, he has also bowled in nine national ABC tournaments, six Southeastern Championships, and three Dayton, Ohio Industrial Tournaments.
He carried a lifetime bowling average of 178 and has a 279 as his highest game.
Also, in 1993, Marable was selected and inducted into the Virginia State Bowling Hall of Fame for his work with bowling throughout the state.
Marable was also known as a community sportswriter, serving as the newspaper's sports editor for many years.
He wrote sports for the Gazette Virginian for 37 years and his column, "Around The Circuit," was noted both here and around the state.
Marable also played a key role in the organization of the Halifax County-South Boston Sports Hall of Fame.
He serves the organization today as its secretary-treasurer and is a member of the Board of Directors.
Marable resides at 1474 Broad Street in South Boston and is a member of First Presbyterian Church in South Boston where he has been an Elder for 44 years.
He has served as Superintendent of Sunday School and currently is teaching an adult Sunday School class
Marable is a lay minister and speaks on various occasions.

By Joe Chandler
Any questions that Halifax County High School varsity baseball coach Kelvin Davis may have had about his team's hitting are long gone.
The Comets showed their offensive firepower by scoring an 11-0 win over Patrick Henry here Friday night and following it up with a 10-1 triumph here Saturday over neighboring rival Person High School.
"This is exactly what we wanted," Davis said.
"We manufactured runs and hit the ball well. That's what it takes to win ball games. You have to score runs and we did that."
The Comets powered up for 10 hits in Friday's shutout of Patrick Henry and followed it up with a nine-hit performance against Person High School.
David Greene, Mike Priest and Justin Shepperd each had two hits in Friday night's win over Patrick Henry with Jonathan Wallace, Matt Clay, Scott Adams and Brandon Howerton each chipping in a hit.
Shepperd had three more hits in Saturday's game. Priest chipped in a two-run homer and Greene and Wallace had another hit as well. The Comets also got hits Saturday from Matt Hastings, Nick Thompson and Casey Owen.
"The thing with hitting is getting into a groove," explained Davis.
"We just needed to play some games and let the guys see some other live arms. You're not going to expect everybody to do everything right exactly right at the beginning of the season. But these two games were good games and a momentum-builder for us."
Halifax County also got good pitching in both games.
Wallace, the starter against Patrick Henry, gave up only two hits while allowing four scattered walks and striking out two batters in his four innings on the hill.
Howerton closed the contest by fanning one of the three batters he faced in the final inning of the game that was halted after five innings under a slaughter rule.
Starting hurler Scott Adams had a good day on the hill Saturday against Person High School, fanning seven batters while allowing just two hits and two walks through four innings.
"Scott has been pitching well," Davis pointed out.
"He knows he's going to be expected to lead this team. I feel he has accepted that responsibility."
Reliever Matt Clay who came in to pitch the final two innings, was tagged for four hits and a run in the sixth inning. The Rockets got five hits in all off of Clay and Clay allowed one walk but it didn't hurt the Comets nor did it hurt Davis's impression of the young hurler.
"He's young and still in the learning process," Davis said.
"I like all of the tools he has. We're going to keep working on Clay. I see good things ahead for him."
All in all, it was a good weekend for the Comets.
Halifax County jumped on the Person High School early in Saturday's game and never let the Rockets off of the ropes.
A two-run homer by Priest in the bottom of the first inning gave the Comets a quick 2-0 lead.
The Comets added four more runs in the bottom of the second inning that began with Adams reaching base on an error, stealing second and scoring on a double by Greene.
Thompson doubled to put runners on second and third. Greene scored on a hit by Hastings to make the score 4-0. A sacrifice fly by Priest drove in Thompson to make the score 5-0 and a base hit by Shepperd scored Hastings to push the Comets' cushion to 6-0.
The Comets padded their lead again in the bottom of the fourth inning as Hastings and Priest walked to kick things off. A hit by Shepperd scored Priest from second base to put the Comets up 7-0.
Two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning pushed the Comets' lead to 9-0.
Conner opened the inning by reaching base on an error. He scored when Thompson reached base on an error and Thompson later scored on a wild pitch to make the 9-0 count.
Person High's biggest threat of the game came in the top of the sixth inning when it manufactured a run off of four hits. John Jack reached base on a fielder's choice to kick off the rally. Chris Raines, Ryan Wilson and Chad Emory followed with hits with Jack scoring off of Emory's safety to make it a 9-1 game.
A base hit by Owen to right centerfield kicked off the bottom of the sixth inning for the Comets. Clay and Conner walked to load the bases and Person hurler Andrew Norris walked Greene to force in a run to give the Comets a 10-1 lead.
Person High managed to get two runners on the sacks in the top of the seventh inning but the Comets' defense held to secure the nine-run win.
While the Comets got off to a quick start against Person High School, they were a little slow to begin with in Friday's game against Patrick Henry.
After holding the Patriots to a single baserunner in the first two innings, the Comets broke the scoreless deadlock by scoring three runs in the top of the third inning.
Howerton led off the inning with a hit and stole second base. Greene came up with an infield hit to put two runners on the sacks and Thompson walked to load the sacks. A hit by Priest scored Howerton and Greene and Thompson scored when Wallace grounded out to first base to give the Comets a 3-0 lead.
Halifax County polished off the scoring with an eight-run third inning that was highlighted by a two-RBI double by Shepperd and run-scoring hits by Greene, Priest and Clay.
Patrick Henry was able to back up a walk with a base hit in the fourth inning but the Comets' defense squelched the Patriots' scoring threat.

Miss Mary Kathryn Good of 1111 Wolf Trap Road, South Boston died March 21, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Miss Good was born in Halifax County on September 21, 1920 and was 80 years old. She was the daughter of Mr. Henry Good and Mrs. Cora Brenneman Good. She was a member of Ebenezer Mennonite Church.
Survivors include three sisters, Ruth N. Good and Lena F. Good of the home; Ina G. Stalter of Stuarts Draft; one brother, Ira K. Good of South Boston.
Miss Good was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Cora Good, one brother, Louis H. Good, three sisters, Beulah I. Good, Elizabeth G. Brunk, and Dorothy G. Brunk.
Funeral services for Miss Good were held March 24 at 10:30 a.m. at Ebenezer Mennonite Church with Pastor Nathan Good, Pastor Jerrel Good, and Pastor John Risser officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Arlene Majors Miller of 1069 River Road, South Boston died March 22 at Doctor's Community Hospital in Lanham, Md. at the age of 75.
Mrs. Miller was born in Halifax County June 15, 1925 and was the daughter of the late Artie Majors and Ella Jackson Majors. She was married to Elder John Anthony Miller, Jr. and was a member of the Cluster Pines Holiness Church.
She is survived by her husband; one daughter, Mrs. Queen Davis of Lanham, Md.; two sons, Bishop John A. Miller, III of South Boston and Walter Jerome Miller of Suitland, Md.; fourteen grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Rosa Davis of South Boston; one daughter-in-law; one brother-in-law; two aunts and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Mrs. Miller was preceded in death by one son, Arcilous Miller and three sisters, Mrs. Amanda Banks, Ms. Doshea Majors and Mrs. Mary M. Davis.
Funeral services for Mrs. Miller will be held today at 2 p.m. at Berry Hill Baptist Church with Bishop John Anthony Miller, III officiating. Burial will follow in the Miller family cemetary in South Boston.

Ms. Martha Jane Tucker of 1040 Carpenter Lane, Halifax, died March 24 at her residence at the age of 59.
Ms. Tucker was born in Halifax County March 12, 1942 and was the daughter of the late Isaac Tucker and Mrs. Maggie Holt Tucker. She was a member of Crystal Hill Baptist Church and was a former employee of Tultex, Inc.
She is survived by four sisters, Mrs. Gracie Clark of Halifax, Mrs. Margaret White of White Plains, N.Y., Mrs. Maggie Thompson of Albany, N.Y., and Mrs. Gladys Bouldin of Halifax; one aunt, Mrs. Dorothy Holt of Crystal Hill; four sisters-in-law; one brother-in-law and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Memorial services for Ms. Tucker will be held Tuesday, March 27 at 11 a.m. at the Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Louis S. Leigh officiating.
The family will receive friends at the home of Mrs. Gracie Clark, 1107 Tucker Road, Halifax.

Basil Foch Farson, 81, of 2233 Riceville Rd., Java, died March 22 at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Farson was born on September 22, 1919 in Pittsylvania Co., the son of the late Samuel Thomas Farson and Lottie Smith Farson. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Riceville where he served as former Deacon and Superintendent of Sunday Schools. He was a member of the Riceville-Java Volunteer Fire Department.
His survivors include his wife: Naomi Martin Farson; daughter and son-in-law: Deborah and Donnie Meadows of Java; two sisters: Alpha Tucker of South Boston and Mozelle Farthing of Danville; grandson: Chris Hutcherson of Java and great-grandson: Seth Hutcherson.
He was preceded in death by a son: Samuel Farson; daughter: Cindy Loraine Farson; brother: James Farson and two sisters: Irma Reynolds and Perdita Williams.
A funeral service was held Saturday, March 24 at the First Baptist Church of Riceville by Rev. Joseph McKissick with burial in the Highland Burial Park.

Vesta Fouts Wood, 69, of Philpott Road, Alton, died March 23 at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Wood was born December 22, 1931 in Thomasville, NC, the daughter of the late Harrison Roscoe Fouts and Clara Mae Nifone Fouts. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and married to the late Hugh Wilborn Whitt and later to the late Kenneth Ray Wood.
Her survivors include her son and daughter-in-law: Douglas Hugh and Kay Tucker Whitt of Alton; brother: Farrell Fouts of Thomasville, NC and grandson: Kirk Douglas Whitt.