Both prosecutors and defense attorneys in the federal corruption trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford made their opening statements yesterday afternoon, painting very different portraits of the former law officer.
Author: David Forbes
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Bobby Medford trial: Day 2
Judge Tim Ellis had hoped to get to opening remarks yesterday in the corruption trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford and former reserve Capt. Guy Penland. But that proved to be “unwarranted optimism,” and jury selection continued this morning.
Space is the place
For most of the year, the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, nestled 30 miles south of Asheville in the Pisgah National Forest, concerns itself with scientific duties. Smiling at the stars: A specially decorated radio telescope dish at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, which holds its annual Space Day open house Saturday, May 3. Photo courtesy […]
Obamarama
Late on a Friday afternoon, Ellen Frost is in Montford, knocking on doors. A woman comes out of one house, and Frost begins telling her about early voting for the May 6 Democratic primary—where to do it, when it ends, and the fact that you can register that same day. They chat briefly, and Frost […]
Jury selection begins in Medford trial
Jury selection began today in the corruption trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford, with Judge Thomas Ellis, III summing up the charges and laying out the guidelines for the case.
Duncan, Moore, Parker on witness list for Medford trial
Current Sheriff Van Duncan, District Attorney Ron Moore and Board of Elections Director Trena Parker may all be called upon to testify in the corruption trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford, according to witness lists released today.
Medford trial starts tomorrow
The trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford on corruption charges starts tomorrow morning. Xpress will be on the scene, with daily online updates on the trial’s progress.
A glimpse into the “roomful” of Medford trial evidence
Both federal prosecutors and defense attorneys in the corruption trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford have said the evidence fills a room. A new court document gives a detailed glimpse of what that evidence is.
Buncombe County Commissioners
After hearing pleas from representatives of local manufacturers, Mission Hospitals and the school system, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a work-force housing plan at their April 15 meeting that could provide up to $5,000 per unit in county-backed loans to developers. Developers who build 100 or more apartment or condo units or […]
Law honchos: Gangs, drugs challenge Asheville and Buncombe
Gangs and drugs are spurring much of the crime in Asheville and Buncombe County, both Sheriff Van Duncan and Police Chief Bill Hogan said at a forum on April 17. At the “State of Law Enforcement” discussion, part of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s ongoing “Doughnuts and Dialogue” series, both Hogan and Duncan gave […]
Former sheriff heads to court
With the trial of Bobby Medford slated to begin April 29, all eyes will be focused on the longtime former Buncombe County sheriff. Here’s a brief history of the arrests, plea bargains and legal maneuvers to date in the complex case: • November 1994: Medford is elected Buncombe County sheriff. He will hold the post […]
Read Buncombe’s new workforce-housing policy
On April 15, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners passed a new Workforce Housing Policy that can provide from $2,500 to $5,000 per unit in low- or no-interest loans to developers who build housing for those making 80 to 140 percent of the median income.
Read the taser safety report
A new report by the N.C. Taser Safety Project, formed by groups including the NAACP, the ACLU and the Mental Health Association, asserts that law-enforcement agencies around the state need to adopt stricter policies on the use of taser stun guns.
Another well contaminated near CTS of Asheville site
In a presentation to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners yesterday, county staff confirmed that small amounts of TCE, an industrial chemical that can cause cancer, liver and brain damage, had been found in a third well near the site of the former CTS plant on Mills Gap Road.
Buncombe County Commissioners
In the wake of some very harsh criticism concerning the contaminated former CTS site, the Buncombe County commissioners defended their handling of the issue. Fielding questions: Environmental Health Director Marc Fowler (left) and Assistant County Attorney Michael Frue address the concerns raised by residents living near the former CTS plant. At the Board of Commissioners’ […]
Taking sides over Parkside
When the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners sold a small piece of land to developer Stewart Coleman‘s Black Dog Realty back in November 2006, the transaction attracted little notice. Originally packaged with a slew of other items on the consent agenda, it was pulled, briefly discussed—and then unanimously approved. By any means: Candidate Cecil Bothwell […]
Victims no more
Jay Yerkes died on Lexington Avenue on April 24, 2004. According to the autopsy report, Yerkes’ assailant, Mark Bradley Elkins, stabbed him 11 times with a boning knife: twice in the head (leaving behind a fragment of metal from the knife), once in the neck (leaving a superficial wound), twice in the chest, twice in […]
Buncombe County Commissioners preview: April 15 meeting
Affordable housing, greenways and new construction top the commissioners’ agenda for Tuesday, April 15.
More than 500 homeless in Asheville, count reveals
A count conducted by local agencies found more than 500 homeless people in the city, Homeless Coalition officials announced April 1. Although the count is down from last year, it doesn’t reflect the full population, Homeless Initiative Coordinator Amy Sawyer explained. The local homeless population, she noted, is expected to increase in response to worsening […]
Buncombe County Commissioners preview: April 8 meeting
Plans for the future seem to be the theme of the agenda for the April 8 meeting of the Buncombe County Commissioners,
Latest numbers show 500+ homeless people in Asheville
There are more than 500 homeless people in the city, according to an annual count done by local homeless-service agencies, Homeless Coalition officials announced yesterday. Amy Sawyer, the city’s Homeless Initiative Coordinator, noted that the count, down from last year, does not reflect the full population, which is expected to rise with tightening economic conditions.