The state/region in brief

Parole board asks for killer’s release

For the second time, a state board has recommended that Gov. Mike Beebe shorten the sentence of a convicted murderer who founded an anti-violence program in prison.

The Board of Parole voted 4-1 to recommend that Beebe commute the life sentence of Alvin Ray Williams, 41, who was convicted in 1994 of fatally shooting 22-year-old Ronald Henry Jr.

on a Little Rock street.

In his application for a commutation, Williams wrote that Henry was standing on the 2900 block of 13th Street “flashing gang signs” when the two began to fight.

In a ruling upholding the conviction, the state Supreme Court wrote that Henry was “pleading for his life and dodging and ducking bullets” before Williams fired the fatal shot, and that Williams “fled from the scene and was found to be hiding from police.”

Williams wrote in the application that he is “very remorseful for the crime” and that he helped start a program known as UNITY, short for U and I helping Teen Youth, at the Tucker Maximum Security Unit in Jefferson County.

Department of Correction spokesman Shea Wilson said the program, started by Williams and prison officials in 2004, seeks to educate inmates and others about the consequences of gang membership and crime.

Board member Joe Peacock voted against the recommendation, citing the seriousness of the crime.

Beebe rejected a previous recommendation that Williams receive a commutation in 2009.

The latest recommendation will go to Beebe after a 30-day waiting period.

  • ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTENew judge assigned to abortion-law suit

A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Little Rock to challenge a new law that bans abortions in Arkansas after 12 weeks of pregnancy, if a fetal heartbeat is detected, is now assigned to U.S.

District Judge Bill Wilson.

U.S. District Judge James Moody, to whom the case was randomly assigned Tuesday, recused Wednesday, citing senior status.

Wilson, who also couldcite senior status in recusing from the case, still had it by the end of the workday Wednesday.

Senior status allows judges to lighten their caseload by opting out of hearing some cases.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union’s national and Arkansas offices, and the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights. It contends that the new law, Act 301 of 2013, is unconstitutional, and requests an injunction to stop it from taking effect in July - 90 days after the current legislative session ends.

  • ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEFallen evangelist loses civil appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request by convicted child-sex offender and evangelist Tony Alamo to hear an appeal of a civil lawsuit in which Alamo was ordered to pay millions to two men.

The court denied the appeal in a brief order dated Monday.

Alamo was ordered to pay Seth Calagna and Spencer Ondrisek $33 million each after a federal jury in Texarkana found that he abused the two when they were children growing up in Alamo’s ministry. The amount was reduced to $15 million each by the 8th U.S.

Circuit Court of Appeals.

Alamo’s attorneys appealed after the appeals court in November refused to reconsider the case.

Alamo is currently serving a 175-year sentence after being convicted in 2009 of taking young girls across state lines for sex.

  • ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEPolice: Home feud led to gun killing

NIXA, Mo. - Christian County authorities said an argument between two men who lived together led to a fatal shooting.

Sheriff Joey Kyle said one man is in jail after the shooting Wednesday at a home in Nixa.

The Springfield News-Leader reports the victim died in the front yard of the home the men had lived in for about four months.

Kyle said the men apparently were arguing over one of them stealing from the other when the shooting occurred.

  • THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 10 on 04/19/2013

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