Friday, August 20, 2004

Hudson Executed
Convicted Triple Murderer Pronounced Dead At 9:07 P.M. Wednesday

BY KEITH STRANGE
G-V STAFF WRITER

Maintaining his silence until the very end, James Bryant Hudson declined to make a final statement before he was put to death Wednesday night.

Hudson was pronounced dead at 9:07 p.m. after receiving a lethal injection at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va.

Led by guards from a holding cell just a few feet from the Death Chamber where he had been kept for the last four days, Hudson looked toward the ground as he shuffled to a stainless steel table where the injection would be administered.

He entered the Death Chamber at 8:56 p.m.

Although guards were on each side of him with hands under his arms, Hudson appeared to walk on his own toward the table.

Wearing a light blue button-down shirt, prison-issued blue jeans and brown slippers, Hudson's grey hair appeared neatly trimmed and combed.

With 16 officials in the execution chamber, Hudson was placed on the gurney and immediately surrounded by six members of the Execution Team, who strapped him to the table.

Two other members of the Execution Team watched Hudson intently as he was shackled to the table with leather straps binding both ankles, his thighs, chest, waist and wrists.

Hudson was not accompanied by his attorney or any spiritual advisor.

According to prison officials, no family members were present during his final hours.

Hudson's final meal was a cheeseburger, french fries with ketchup, a tossed salad and saltines.

It was served at 4:45 p.m.

David Bass, regional manager for the Department of Corrections, said Hudson had declined any spiritual advisors or legal representation prior to his execution.

"Mr. Hudson had no visitors," he said. "He didn't wish to see anyone."

A blue curtain was drawn blocking the view of the witnesses while IV tubes were placed in each of Hudson's outstretched arms.

As the curtain was opened, Hudson's hands were bound flat to the table with ace bandages and medical tape and tubes ran from each arm.

Following these preparations, Warden Gene M. Johnson asked Hudson if he had any last words to which Hudson said clearly, "No sir."

Hudson, 57, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death for the shotgun deaths of brothers Walter Stanley Cole, 56, and Thomas Wesley Cole, 64, and Wesley's wife, Patsy Ayers Cole, 64, outside their Virgie Cole Road home on July 3, 2002.

The murders were allegedly the culmination of a long and acrimonious dispute over a shared driveway, according to court testimony.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, Hudson was found guilty of the capital murders of Stanley and Wesley Cole and the first degree murder of Patsy Cole.

Characterizing the execution-style murders as "cold-blooded, pitiless (and) senseless," Judge Leslie M. Osborn sentenced Hudson to death on April 17, 2003.

Hudson signed a waiver refusing to allow his attorneys to appeal his death sentence on May 12, 2003.

Three injections were administered manually Wednesday night by Execution Technicians behind a second blue curtain, the first injection rendered Hudson unconscious.

During a briefing prior to the execution, Bass said the second injection would stop Hudson's breathing.

As this injection was administered, Hudson appeared to gasp for breath and his bound hands moved as he seemed to attempt to clench his fists.

It was 9:03 p.m.

The final injection was administered to stop his heart.

He was pronounced dead at 9:07 p.m.

Hudson spent 490 days on Virginia's Death Row. He was the fourth person to be executed by the state this year.

 

Linda Cole's Statement:

Linda Cole, wife of murder victim Stanley Cole, issued the following statement on Wednesday's execution of James Bryant Hudson to The Gazette-Virginian:

"On July 3, 2002, James Bryant Hudson murdered my husband Stanley, my brother-in-law Wesley, and my sister-in-law Patsy Cole.

"On that day, our lives changed forever. On that day, the man I had spent 30 years with was gone.

"He was the love of my life, my friend, my partner, my advisor.

"We talked about each day at dinner and when I enter my house now, it is silent and empty.

"Bryant (Hudson) also took the guide through life for my children and the teacher from my grandchildren.

"Wesley and Patsy were wonderful people. We were a close family and were really enjoying each other since they had built a new home and moved next door to Stanley and me.

"They had worked hard all their lives, retired, and were enjoying their new home and their retirement when their life was ended.

"Patsy and Wesley played a big part in their children's and grandchildren's lives. Their lives will always have a gap that cannot be filled by anyone else.

"I have always believed in capital punishment. I never thought that my family and I would be in the situation to witness it first-hand, but how much can one man be allowed to do to one family without paying the ultimate price, his life?

"I regret that he has only one life to give for the three he took."

Rep. Goode's Fund-Raiser Here Nets Over $40,000
Organizers Call Halifax Fund-Raiser One Of The Most Successful Ever

Supporters of Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode added an estimated $40,000 to his re-election campaign treasury Wednesday night during a fund-raiser at the home of Walter and Barbara Bass.

Organizers called the fund-raiser one of the most successful ever held in Halifax County.

Goode was joined at the event by U.S. Senator George Allen, who stumped for the congressman.

"Virgil is a man who fights like the dickens for Southside Virginia," said Sen. Allen. "You would think that nothing else exists in the United States other than the different towns and counties and cities in Southside Virginia."

"Virgil doesn't just talk about what needs to get done, he gets it done."

Allen also recalled Goode's support of his Senate campaign four years ago when Goode was still a Democrat.

"Four years ago on this day at the home of the late Dr. Evans in Halifax County, I was running for the Senate against an incumbent, which is no easy task," recalled Allen.

"Virgil was still a Democrat in those days and he came to that event in Halifax County and that sent a heck of a message to a lot of people."

Allen was returning the favor Wednesday night, hitting the campaign trail as Goode faces Democratic challenger Al Weed this November.

Goode told the crowd that running a modern campaign is extremely expensive and said that he was grateful for the support he received at the Wednesday night event.

"We're going to shoot three television ads this weekend," Goode said. "And just to shoot the ad - before it ever goes on TV - is about $15,000. What you did here tonight is going to help us a whole lot with that."

Goode also addressed the tobacco buyout legislation currently being considered in Washington.

"We know that on a stand alone bill the buyout, even coupled with other issues related to tobacco, has a tough road to hoe," Goode said. "We are hopeful and optimistic that it can be kept in the FFCETI Bill.

"I want us to be a part of that package and I want a buyout to happen," he added. "Because it means not millions, not tens of millions, but hundreds of millions of dollars for Southside Virginia and the tobacco quota holders and growers."

Goode also cited differences between him and his opponent.

"The person running against me has been pretty critical on a number of issues," he said. "One thing he dislikes about me is that I'm a Fifth-District oriented congressman. Hey, he's exactly right!

"If you want someone to go to the Washington parties and get into the Washington scene and stay up in Washington all the time, vote for him, because I'm not that person," Goode said. "I want to represent the Fifth District of Virginia."

Goode has been campaigning with Allen all over Southside, recently making campaign stops in Martinsville, Pittslyvania County, Clarksville and VIR.

3 Schools Fail To Meet NCLB Standards
Scottsburg Students Have Option To Transfer To Clays Mill Or Wilson Memorial

BY JOE CHANDLER
G-V STAFF WRITER

Three county schools, Scottsburg Elementary School, Halifax County Middle and Halifax County High School, failed to meet all of the annual performance benchmarks under the federal No Child Left Behind Act for the 2003-2004 school year, school system officials announced Wednesday.

Scottsburg Elementary School, which did not meet the benchmarks for Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP for a second consecutive year, has been placed in improvement status.

The school will remain in improvement status until the school has made AYP for two consecutive years, meaning that the earliest the school can remove itself from that status is the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

Because Scottsburg Elementary School is a Title I school, a school that receives federal funds to serve children from low-income families, school system officials are required to offer parents of students attending the school an option to transfer their children to a school not identified for improvement.

The sanction requiring the transfer option is imposed on Title I schools that do not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same subject area and are identified for improvement.

Deputy Superintendent Larry Clark said parents of Scottsburg Elementary School students wishing to transfer their children will have a choice of either Clays Mill or Wilson Memorial elementary schools.

Transfers will be granted on the receiving school's space available.

Students who scored the lowest on SOL tests will be given priority.

Parents of Scottsburg Elementary School students who wish to transfer children to another school must make a formal request to school officials by no later than September 7.

The school system will provide transportation for the transferring students as long as Scottsburg Elementary School is in improvement status.

Should parents of transferred students wish to continue having their children attend the receiving school after the sanction is lifted from Scottsburg Elementary School, parents would have to assume responsibility for transportation.

School system officials and Scottsburg Elementary School Principal John Courtney met with parents last night following the school's Open House to explain the school's situation and answer questions from parents.

Halifax County School Superintendent Paul Stapleton said while the news doesn't sound very good, the situation isn't as bad as it sounds.

"It sounds like the whole school and the whole school division is not making progress and that's not true," said Stapleton. "What I am most pleased with is this (the transfer sanction) is only impacting one school.

"It's kind of strange that one teacher in one course within a school can pull that school down and can pull the whole division down," added the school superintendent.

"It appears, at least right now, that is what has happened to us."

School system officials said the problem at Scottsburg Elementary School rests with fifth-grade math.

This marked the second consecutive year that the school did not meet the federal standards for AYP in fifth-grade math.

Stapleton said he does not foresee a mass exodus from Scottsburg Elementary School.

"I hope they (the parents) will look at this for what it is - one isolated case in one classroom," Stapleton said.

"We don't anticipate at this point that we're going to have a lot of people that will want to move their children from Scottsburg. It's a great school."

Ironically, according to a report on 2003-2004 school accreditation status based on state SOL test scores, Scottsburg Elementary School met full accreditation status under the state's Standards of Learning.

All of the county's schools met accreditation status according to that accreditation report with only Clays Mill and Turbeville being listed as provisionally accredited.

School system officials say they are expecting a complete report on the county's SOL test results around the first of October.

As far as the NCLB reports for the high school and middle school are concerned, the situations at the two schools mirrored each other.

Neither school met the benchmarks for AYP in the subgroup of students with disabilities.

The percentage of disabled students passing SOL tests in reading and math failed to meet the federal standards for AYP.

At Halifax County High School, 32 percent of disabled students passed the English SOL test while 41 percent passed the Math test.

Halifax County Middle School's percentages were 39 in English and 48 in Math.

Requirements under the NCLB Act include that at least 95 percent of students overall and in subgroups, including those with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students, take the state's reading and math Standards of Learning tests.

There are between 29 and 35 listed subgroups of students. At least 61 percent of students overall and in each subgroup must pass the reading test and at least 59 percent must pass the math test.

Schools who fail to meet the benchmarks for AYP may still be considered for making AYP if they reduce their failure rate by at least 10 percent.

The NCLB legislation also requires improvements in high school graduation rates and elementary school and middle school attendance and science achievement rates.

School divisions must decide at the beginning of the school year whether to use attendance or science as an academic indicator for elementary and middle schools.

Stapleton said the school system's principals and school system officials will be pouring over the data to identify areas which need strengthening.

"With these 29 to 35 different categories, it can get you in so many different ways," Stapleton pointed out.

"Each principal and our central office staff will analyze the 29-35 points and look to see what areas we have that are weak areas so we can do something about it.

"All of us are working really hard to make sure we understand what is being called for," Stapleton continued.

"We're going to work our way through this and make sure we set up some procedures this year to better evaluate what our teachers are doing in the classroom daily, to make sure that if a teacher needs help, we get them the appropriate help and that this doesn't happen to us again at the end of the year.

"We've got to make sure this doesn't happen again."

All of Halifax County's other schools, with the exception of Turbeville Elementary School, have been declared as having met the AYP benchmarks for the 2003-2004 school year.

The jury is still out on Turbeville, a school classified as an "N" school under the NCLB legislation because of its low enrollment.

Wilson Memorial Elementary School, one of the county's smallest schools and considered an "N" School made AYP status.

"When you look at the data, you can readily determine it did make Adequate Yearly Progress," said Valdivia Marshall, the school system's Director of Federal Programs.

"But, in Turbeville's case," continued Marshall, "it's undetermined. The data is iffy. We're going to have to submit a body of evidence to determine whether Turbeville made Adequate Yearly Progress."

State officials will make the final determination in the Turbeville Elementary School case, Marshall said.

The Halifax County Public School system, as well as the Commonwealth, failed to meet the AYP benchmarks.

As a result of the school system's not making AYP, the school system must dedicate 10 percent of the federal Title I money it receives, approximately $145,000, toward additional professional staff development programs.

Marshall pointed out that because some carryover money is available, the financial impact on the school system's Title I programs and offerings, if any, will be very small.

However, she pointed out that having to allocate that kind of money again next year could have a negative impact on the local Title I program.

Preliminary Department of Education figures show that 1,257 schools, or 69 percent, met all of the goals outlined under the 2002 education reform law.

More than 200 of the state's schools are subject to federal sanctions for their failure to make AYP.

Comets Ready For First Test
The HCHS Varsity Football Team Will Face Its First Real Test With Tonight's Scrimmage Against Gretna

BY JOE CHANDLER
G-V STAFF WRITER

"We just need to do some things right and have some success."

That, said Halifax County High School football coach James Hodges, will be the focus tonight when the Comets face their first test - a scrimmage against defending state Group AA state champion Gretna High School.

Tonight's scrimmage will give Hodges and his coaching staff a good indicator of how much progress the team has made through two weeks of workouts and how much more work needs to be done.

The Comets are looking for a taste of success early to provide a quick dose of confidence.

Tonight's 6 p.m. scrimmage here against Gretna will provide that opportunity.
"I think we'll be ready," Hodges said.

"Gretna is a hard team to scrimmage for your first scrimmage because all they do is helter skelter on defense. They just line them up and send them all.

"We could easily just go real basic and block everybody down and kick out and run forever," continued Hodges.

"But that's not what we're going to have to do during the season, so, we're going to have to work on other things."

Tonight's scrimmage, as is the case with any scrimmage, is not viewed as a win-lose situation.

The focus tonight is measuring team progress, finding out what the team is doing well and what the things are that the team needs to work on the most to prepare for the upcoming season.

"You want to get a feel for how well you do," said Hodges.

"Everything is headed in the right direction, We want to have some success and I think we will."

Tonight's scrimmage will provide Hodges and the coaching staff an opportunity to get a look at a lot of players, particularly those at the skill positions.

As far as the offense is concerned, Hodges said he plans to start with junior quarterback Bobby Owens with junior Willie Stephens at running back.

At the "Z" spot, Hodges said he will go with either Rodale Pippen, Lyle Moore or Louis Lassiter, all of whom are embarking on their first season of varsity action.

Another pair of first-year varsity players, Patrick Terry and Derek Brooks, are expected to see action at the "X" spot.

At the "Y" position, Hodges said he will give returning junior Marcus Coleman and first-year varsity player Tony Barbour a look.

Up front, Hodges said he will likely initially go with returning senior Nathan Lantor at center.

Returning seniors Ryan Gieselman and James Hicks will go at the two tackle positions. Senior Kori Clark and Cory Jackson are expected to occupy the two guard spots.

Hodges pointed out there are others that will get a lookover as well.

"We've got a lot of people we want to look at," Hodges pointed out.

As far as injuries go, Hodges said the team is healthy going into tonight's scrimmage.

"We're in good shape," Hodges said.

"We have a few bumps and bruises but, other than that, we've been fortunate so far."

While there was some concern last week that progress may have been slowed some because the team had to move inside to practice to avoid rain and thunderstorms, Hodges said the team has made good progress.

"I think we've done a pretty good job of getting things done with all of the bad weather," said the Comets coach.

" We've been able to get outside enough to get some things done. I'm not too worried about that."

Hodges said that in terms of progress, the team is ahead of where it was at this point last year.

"We've got some people back from last year and we've had a smoother transition from camp to now," Hodges pointed out.

"Ralph (assistant coach Ralph Robinson) came on last year after our Gretna scrimmage. We were short a coach the first two and a half weeks of practice, so, we were behind from the start.

"It's obvious since we've had all of our coaches from the start, we're in a lot better shape," added Hodges.

After tonight's scrimmage, the Comets will have four days of practice next week to prepare for a bigger test.

A week from tonight the Comets will host Group AA Christiansburg in a Virginia High School League Benefit Game.

Christiansburg made the Group AA playoffs last season and is expected to provide the Comets a good test in front of the home fans.

The Comets open the regular-season slate with a road game against Rustburg on September 3.

Obituaries

Benjamin Morton Clark

Benjamin Morton Clark, 83, of 2191 Bill Tuck Hwy., South Boston, died August 16 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Clark was born in Halifax County on July 29, 1921, to the late William M. and Carrie Gravitt Clark. He was a member of Seven Oaks Baptist Church and the American Legion Post 8.

His survivors include his wife: Elizabeth M. Clark; son: Charlie and Linda Clark of South Boston; two daughters: Lorene Clark of South Boston and Shirley and Alan Taylor of Brookneal; three sisters: Mary Sybl Morris, Inez Womack of Halifax and Mildred Womack of Alton; five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son: Lee Clark; sister: Arline Lowery; and four brothers: Ronald, Morrell, Robert and William Clark.

A funeral service was held August 18 at Brooks Funeral Home with the Rev. Walter Yancey and Rev. Rudolph Jacobs officiating. Burial was held at Halifax Memorial Gardens.

Anyone wishing to give memorials should consider the Halifax County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 183, South Boston, VA 24592 or South Boston Fire
Department, 403 Broad Street, South Boston, VA 24592.

Kelly Madison

Kelly Madison, 68, died August 13 in Miami, Fla.

His survivors include two sisters: Essie Richardson and Conyers Weston of South Boston.

A funeral service will be held Sat., August 21, at 2 p.m., at McWhite Funeral Home in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

William Robinson Tuggle

William Robinson Tuggle, 51, formerly of South Boston, died August 18.

Mr. Tuggle was the son of Margaret Chatham Tuggle and the late Aubrey Gray Tuggle.

His survivors include his mother; sister: Margaret Miller; and two brothers: Cass C. Tuggle and Aubrey G. Tuggle.

A private service will be held in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.