For Slain Officer's Family, It's Still Very, Very Hard'

A13
Law & Order, A14 | Obituaries, A16
Bear necessities
LifeSouth Community
Blood Centers across North
Local&State The Huntsville Times | Sunday, December 14, 2008
Alabama are holding a Bear
For slain officer’s family,

Necessities Blood Drive
today and this coming Sat-
urday. All donors will sign a
special note that will be at-
tached to a teddy bear that
will be delivered to a child
in local hospitals. Donors
it’s still ‘very, very hard’

will also be entered to win a
Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit.
Call your local LifeSouth
center for specific times at
each location. The
Huntsville center is at 2801
Westcorp Blvd., S,W. The
number is 888-795-2707.
Wrappers needed
HandsOn Greater
Night of shooting
Huntsville’s Pajama Pro- of Eric Freeman
gram needs lots of volun-
teers to wrap pajamas and
vivid a year later
children’s books on Tuesday By NIKI DOYLE
and Wednesday from 5 Times Staff Writer
niki.doyle@htimes.com
p.m. to 8 p.m. Please bring
scissors, and you can also The details of that night are
bring wrapping paper, tis- vivid up to a point.
sue paper, gift bags, rib- She was wrapping a sweater
bons, bows and name tags. from Belk that her son wanted
For more information and for Christmas when the phone
to find out where this will rang.
take place, call 539-7797, or Her daughter-in-law picked
toll free at 877-567-8723, or upthephone.Paused.Delivered
e-mail the bad news.
info@volunteerhsv.org. “Billy’s been shot.” Special to The Times
Tears blurred the drive to the Huntsville police officer William
hospital as a mother’s worst
Food bank fee nightmareunfolded.Theflash-
Eric Freeman died at 9:38 a.m.
on Dec. 15, 2007, a Saturday.
Why do nonprofits have to ing lights of police cars at the
pay a 14-cent per pound fee hospital were blurry when she Bailey Cove Road just north of
for food received from the arrived.Therestofthenight,the WeatherlyRoadtofind53-year-
Food Bank of North Alaba- days following, and even some oldKennethShippsittingonthe
ma? See Ask us. A14 daysnow,arenothingbutablur. curb, his arm in a sling from re-
cent surgery. According to po-
Gifts for older kids Eric Schultz/Huntsville Times
In the line of duty lice reports, Shipp had rear-
Flowers still mark the place where Eric Freeman was shot on Bailey Cove Road just north of Accordingtohospitalrecords, ended a retired Huntsville po-
Christmas Charities Year 36-year-oldHuntsvillepoliceof-
Weatherly Road in southeast Huntsville. lice officer at that intersection.
Round, 2840 Jordan Lane, ficer William Eric Freeman Police believed he had been
Accused killer
has an urgent need for gifts died at 9:38 a.m. on Dec. 15, drinking, according to reports.
for older children. For boys, 2007, a Saturday. To his fami- WhenFreemanandhispart-
ages 7-10 – hand-held ly, their Billy, known as Eric to ner, Kevin Lambert, went to
games; CD players; foot- friends and fellow officers, died helpShippupfromthecurb,he
faces civil suit,

balls; basketballs; soccer the night before on a south pulled a gun from his sling and
balls; action figures. Girls, Huntsville curb. shot Freeman in the face.
ages 10-15 – dolls, CD play- Beverly Freeman didn’t fin- The call went out, rapid but
ers; age-appropriate jewel- ish her Christmas wrapping. clear:“Officerdown,shootingin
mental exam
ry; age-appropriate make- She sat at Huntsville Hospital progress.”
up. All donations are tax that Friday night a year ago, The city lit up with dozens of
deductible and remain in waiting for word on her son’s blue and red lights. Sirens
Madison County. Items are condition. He had been shot in echoed all the way from Bailey
needed by Tuesday but will the face, and the only thing Cove to Huntsville Hospital as
be accepted through Dec.
24. For more information,
No trial date yet Madison County jail without
bond since his arrest Dec. 14,
keeping him alive was a respi-
rator.
a convoy of police cars escort-
ed the ambulance carrying the
call HandsOn Greater for Shipp, jailed 2007. “I sat there and watched my fallen officer.
Huntsville at 539-7797 or
toll free at 877-567-8723, or
since ’07 arrest The state is pushing for the
death penalty. Shipp’s lawyer,
son die when they took him off
the respirator,” she said. “That’s
Since he was already at the
Special to The Times hospital,Jayidentifiedhisbroth-
e-mail to info@volun- By NIKI DOYLE Robert Tuten, said the possi- Kenneth Shipp has pleaded not something no mother should er’s body.
teerhsv.org/. Times Staff Writer bility of death row changes the guilty by reason of mental ever see.”
niki.doyle@htimes.com dynamic of the upcoming trial. disease or defect. Eric Freeman’s younger ‘I knew ... it was bad’
Road watch Accused cop killer Kenneth
Shipp is awaiting a state-or-
“It’s liketryingthecasetwice,”
Tuten said Friday. “We have to Huntsville police officer. Shipp
brother, Jay, who was on duty Pam Land knew something
atHuntsvilleHospitalinthein- was wrong when Jay’s wife
Construction is under way dered mental evaluation to de- prepareforboththetrialandthe wassittingonthecurbwhenhe formation technology depart-
to turn the intersection of misspelled her own husband’s
termine if he’s competent to sentencing.” arrived. mentwhenEricwasbroughtto name.
Lindsey Lane and Forrest stand trial. The case has been assigned Freeman and his partner, the emergency room, was the
Street in Athens into a Pam, Eric’s older sister, was
Shipp, 53, pleaded not guilty toCircuitJudgeBruceWilliams, Kevin Lambert, were helping last family member to hear his at home instant messaging her
roundabout. A diagram on by reason of mental disease or who has not scheduled a date Shipptohisfeetwhenhepulled voice. sister-in-lawwhenthecallcame.
how to properly maneuver defect during his Nov. 26 ar- for the trial. a pistol from an arm sling and “We were talking about last Kristen Freeman told Pam to
the roundabout is posted at raignment. A grand jury in- Police said Freeman had re- shotFreemanintheface,police year’s Christmas arrangements hold on just a minute; the
www.athensal.us. dicted him in September on a sponded to a wreck on Bailey said. when he said ‘I’ve pulled up on phone was ringing and Bever-
capital murder charge in the Cove Road where Shipp’s 1994 Freeman’s wife, Leslie, has awreck;I’llcallyourightback,’” ly was wrapping a Christmas
Read it Monday shooting death of Officer Eric Dodge Dakota had rear-ended filedawrongfuldeathsuitseek- Jay said. “That’s the last time I present for Eric.
After giving new Mayor Freeman. a 2005 silver Chevrolet Subur- talked to him.”
Paul Finley time to get his He has been held in the ban belonging to a retired Please see ACCUSED on A17 Freeman got out of his car at Please see FAMILY on A17
first budget together, the
Beloved local
Madison City Council will
review the $29.5 million Double serving of Christmas parades
spending plan this week in
advance of a Dec. 22 vote.
4 indicted
A Mobile grand jury has re- soprano set for
her Met debut
turned four indictments in
a probe of financial aid
theft at Bishop State Com-
munity College. Indicted
Friday were: Marlene
French, 37; French’s ex- Susanna Phillips
husband, Robert Mansfield
Horn, 34; Emma Alexan- says hometown
der Perkins, 55; and Char- support thrilling
lotte Ann Powe, 52. French
faces two counts of first-de- By JON BUSDEKER
Times Arts Writer
gree theft of property by de- jon.busdeker@htimes.com
ception. Each of the others
is charged with one count NEW YORK – Nervous
of first-degree theft of prop- because everyone will be
erty by deception. watching her.
Overwhelmed because it’s
The Metropolitan Opera –
Blog with The Times arguably the world’s most Robin Conn/Huntsville Times
The latest news:

prestigious opera house.
Readytoshowtherestofthe Area residents were treated
http://blog.al.com/breaking/
to morning and afternoon
Ask Us: world a voice that Huntsville Special to The Times Christmas parades Saturday
http://blog.al.com/askus/ audiences already know and with festivities in New Hope
On Monday night, Susanna
Special Reports: love. Phillips will make her debut at and Madison. Above, a horse
http://blog.al.com/ht/ That sums up how Susan- The Metropolitan Opera in decorated with antlers pulls a
na Phillips, Huntsville’s most New York City. cart down Main Drive in New
Contact us celebratedsoprano,feelstoday. Hope. At left, Santa and Mrs.
City editor Shelly Haskins On Monday night, Phillips She has been preparing for Claus ride in the Madison
532-4424 will make her debut at The Monday night’s performance parade. For more photos from
shelly.haskins@htimes.com Metropolitan Opera in New since accepting the role back the parades, see A20.
Regional editor Mike Hollis York City. The 27-year-old in February.
532-4409 singing sensation will play the Phillips, who attended
mike.hollis@htimes.com roleofMusettainPuccini’s “La Huntsville’s Randolph School
Bohème.” and later The Juilliard School
On the Net “I feel more excited than in New York, gained national
Where we break anythingelse,” Phillipstold The recognition in 2005 when she
more news every Times Saturdayinanexclusive
day of the year. interview. Please see DEBUT on A15 Bob Gathany/Huntsville Times

For Slain Officer's Family, It's Still Very, Very Hard'

Încărcat de

Informații document

Descriere originală:

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

For Slain Officer's Family, It's Still Very, Very Hard'

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

A13

Law & Order, A14 | Obituaries, A16

Alabama are holding a Bear

For slain officer’s family,

it’s still ‘very, very hard’

faces civil suit,

The latest news:

S-ar putea să vă placă și