Archives for October 2015

A Clarendon woman was found guilty of intoxicated manslaughter last week in the 2014 death of C.W. “Dude” Cornell.

Gina Gail Cannon was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Childress County Jury, which returned its unanimous verdict after a four-day trail, ending Thursday, October 22.

Cannon, 35, was arrested for the offense that took place in Clarendon on June 28, 2014 and was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on November 13, 2014 and again on August 12, 2015.

District Attorney Luke Inman prosecuted the case for the State of Texas with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.

“This was not the typical intoxication manslaughter case which presented some major obstacles and hurdles that we had to maneuver and get over,” Inman said. “Dude passed away nine days after the crash and although he was 86 years old, he was in great health and still very involved in the Clarendon community he had called home for so long.”

According to testimony from Dr. Sridhar Natarajan, the Chief Medical Examiner for Lubbock County, Cornell’s death was caused from medical illness due to complications from a multi-vehicular crash caused by Cannon.

Natarajan testified as a reviewing medical examiner from the original autopsy. Natarajan’s testimony concluded the State’s case on Wednesday.

After the jury was seated on Monday, the State started testimony on Tuesday with DPS Trooper Kelly Hill. Hill is also a volunteer firefighter in Donley County and was on the scene just minutes after the crash, according to his testimony.

Hill detected the odor of alcohol when he made contact with Cannon, who was the driver of a red Chrysler 200 that witnesses saw crash into and launch Cornell’s vehicle more than 300 feet across oncoming traffic on US Highway 287.

Zan and Robert Bullock also testified for the State, and saw Cannon driving erratically through town and on Highway 287 just moments before the crash. Other eyewitness testified to the reckless and careless driving of Cannon, including Clarendon local Madeline Black, Hedley resident Jennifer Floyd, and Sheila Wheeler from Henrietta.

Ruth Hancock, also of Clarendon, was in the vehicle with Cornell when it was struck by Cannon’s vehicle. Hancock testified that Cornell told her right after the crash that there was nothing that he could have done.

Before ending Tuesday afternoon’s testimony, Deanna Cornell testified for the state regarding Cornell’s condition over the last nine days of his life after the crash that left him paralyzed.

Wednesday’s testimony began with Medical Technologist Jenny Marquez’s testimony from Northwest Texas Hospital, regarding the urine analysis and blood draw from Cannon at the hospital.

The State elicited testimony that the alcohol concentration, as well as the benzodiazepines and cannabinoids, in Cannon’s system impaired her ability to operate the Chrysler that evening, according to Jim Blundell’s expert testimony.

The defense called its own expert, Dr. Robert Philips of Howardwick, to controvert Natarajan’s testimony, although Philips never provided care to Cornell before or after the crash.

In closing, defense attorney Mike Warner argued that Cannon had violated the rules of the road by being intoxicated but that Cornell also had to bear some responsibility for the accident for being in the passing lane and not wearing his seatbelt. He also said, considering life expectancy rates, Cornell, at 86, had “had a good run.”

Inman rebutted the defense’s closing statement.

“Dude is not with his family for one reason – the selfish acts of the defendant,” the district attorney said.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before reaching a verdict of guilty on Thursday morning.

The punishment phase ensued where Cornell’s son, Bill, gave an emotional testimony regarding his father’s character and his role in the community. He also said his father’s mother lived to the age of 96 and the family had no reason to expect that Dude wouldn’t live another ten years.

“He was well respected. He was a good father and always there for us,” Bill Cornell said. “He worked long hours and taught us how to work. He was generous and kind.”

Cannon’s sister, Renee, also took the stand and testified about the defendant’s family life and the medical problems she has had since the accident.

After deliberation, the jury returned with the sentence of 12 years and also determined that Cannon should pay a $10,000 fine.

“I thank our jury and our family’s cooperation throughout this jury trial and entire judicial process because both mean so much to us,” said Inman. “I want to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to my entire staff who poured out extra blood, sweat, and tears on this case. They know who they are and they don’t get enough credit. With a smaller jurisdiction like ours, all of us wear many different hats and this case made all of us go the extra mile and it was well worth it.”

 

Dr. Robert Riza, president of Clarendon College, has been appointed to the Commission on Leadership and Professional Development at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

“Obviously it is an honor to be chosen to serve on the commission,” Dr. Riza said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues from around the country.”

CC serves Donley, Gray, Childress, Armstrong, Briscoe, Hall, Collingsworth, and Wheeler counties in the eastern Texas Panhandle, and has dual credit partnerships with Miami ISD in Roberts County and Panhandle, White Deer, and Groom ISDs in Carson County. The college, which has four campuses (Clarendon, Pampa, Childress and Amarillo) has more than a $44.5 million impact on the region.

While Clarendon College is a small community college, its size is an advantage in terms of student success.

“Being one of the smallest schools in Texas isn’t an issue, we don’t use our size as an excuse but as motivation to achieve great things,” Dr. Riza said. “Some of the recent successes include being named the number 2 community college in Texas by Schools.com, our pilot program using Microsoft Surface tablets for our ADN and Ranch & Feedlot Operations programs, and our 94% pass rate by the initial class of ADN graduates.”

Another of those successes includes a math pilot program that has been the topic of discussions at conferences across the country. This new program has students enrolled directly into college level courses paired with a supplemental lab, rather than the typical one- to three-semester route of completing developmental studies. This shortened path has proven to increase success rates and has cut the time and cost to achieving college level math credit by up to three semesters.

“Clarendon College is extremely proud of Dr. Riza’s leadership that creates pathways of success for all students and faculty,” CC Board of Regents Chair Jerry Woodard said. “We are proud to see his appointment to this organization in order that he may share his success and ideas with other community colleges.”

Walter G. Bumphus, Ph.D., president and CEO of the AACC, wrote in a letter to Dr. Riza, “We are sure that your insights and leadership will significantly contribute to the Board’s decision-making process and its ability to serve the interests of all AACC member institutions.”

 

Donley County citizens and voters across Texas will have the opportunity to decide seven proposed amendments to the state constitution during a General Election next Tuesday, November 3.

Early voting by personal appearance continues through this Friday, October 30, at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

Balloting next Tuesday will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following precinct locations. Check your voter registration card for your polling box.

Box 101 – Bairfield Activity Center, Clarendon College; Box 102 – Howardwick City Hall; Box 201 – Donley County Courthouse; Box 301 – Assembly of God Fellowship Hall; Box 303 – Hedley First Baptist Church; and Box 401 – Clarendon Church of Christ Family Life Center.

A detailed explanation of the proposed amendments are available with this article at ClarendonLive.com. The short descriptions are as follows:

Amendment 1 – The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $15,000 to $25,000.

Amendment 2 – The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran who died before the law authorizing a residence homestead exemption for such a veteran took effect.

Amendment 3 – The constitutional amendment repealing the requirement that state officers elected by voters statewide reside in the state capital.

Amendment 4 – The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit professional sports team charitable foundations to conduct charitable raffles.

Amendment 5 – The constitutional amendment to authorize counties with a population of 7,500 or less to perform private road construction and maintenance.

Amendment 6 – The constitutional amendment recognizing the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife subject to laws that promote wildlife conservation.

Amendment 7 – The constitutional amendment dedicating certain sales and use tax revenue and motor vehicle sales, use, and rental tax revenue to the state highway fund to provide funding for nontolled roads and the reduction of certain transportation related debt.

 

A Childress County jury today has found Gina Canon guilty of intoxicated manslaughter in the 2014 death of C.W. “Dude” Cornell.

Medical testimony at the three-day trial said Cornell’s death resulted from a motor vehicle accident in which the state said Canon caused on US 287 in Clarendon while intoxicated.

Canon, age 35, was sentenced to 12 years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and issued a fine of $10,000.

Two former Howardwick Fire Department officials are facing felony charges this week after an embezzlement investigation resulted in two arrests October 16.

Fire Chief Rickey Parrish and his wife, department treasurer Shella Parrish, were arrested last Friday and booked into the Donley County Jail, according to Sheriff Butch Blackburn.

Mayor Mike Rowland suspended operations of the department last Thursday and asked the sheriff’s office to investigate.

“We still have a viable fire department, but we’ve suspended some operations until the sheriff’s department completes its investigation,” Rowland said.

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department has been covering calls for Howardwick since Thursday.

The sheriff said evidence points to thousands of dollars being stolen by the former fire chief and his wife. Both were charged with Theft Over $20,000 & Less Than $30,000, and as Public Servants, those charges were enhanced to second degree felonies, Blackburn said.

Mr. Parrish, age 31, and Mrs. Parrish, age 30, were arraigned by Justice of the Peace Denise Bertrand with bond for each set at $20,000. Both were released on bond Sunday, October 18.

Blackburn would not divulge the amount his department believes has been stolen at the point, saying that that investigation is still ongoing.

Rowland said Mr. Parrish was elected chief by the fire department after former chief Joe Hall resigned for medical reasons in the spring. Parrish then appointed his wife to be the department’s treasurer, Rowland said.

“By all outward appearances he was doing a good job until this came to light,” the mayor said.

Rowland says he’s named Will Jordan as acting fire chief, and the mayor looks for the department to resume full operations soon.

“We’re cooperating with the investigation and hope to be back in operation in a week or so,” he said. “We do greatly appreciate the help of the Clarendon department and of the sheriff’s office.”