Friday, Oct. 5, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Authorities are offering a $10,000 award for information that leads to the conviction of anyone involved in the April death of a Catawba County pit bull breeder.Roy Thomas Melton, a 38-year-old breeder, was found dead on April 16.
He had been shot to death at his home on South Beulah Road and was found by a friend, the Catawba County Sheriff's office said. When authorities arrived at the trailer, they found 30 pit bulls, which were later euthanized.
Investigators found paperwork in Melton's home that mentioned several names that are also listed in the dog-fighting indictment against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, Capt. Roy Brown said last month.
Anyone with information is asked to call 828-464-5241.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
10/4/07
Morganton's mayoral race pits 2 strong foes
Cohen, Richardson formidable
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
It's been a battle.
Morganton mayoral candidates Mel Cohen and Jim Richardson have argued about the city-owned cable system, the location of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter and the length of time a mayor should serve.
They've disagreed about the importance of revitalizing downtown, how new industry should be solicited and the city's involvement the Historic Morganton Festival.
But some Morganton residents say they can handle the tension, especially if it means they have a choice between two formidable candidates in Tuesday's election.
"The competition is great," said 35-year-old Donna Lindecamp, a foreign language teacher at Walter Johnson Middle School. "If there isn't competition, where is the motivation?"
The issues are clearly important to the city's vitality, Lindecamp said, but the candidates' abilities to clearly communicate why they are running is equally important in a mayoral race.
"The biggest issue is that Mel Cohen has a little competition, well, a lot of competition," she said. "Both have an easy platform to read, and that's important. It's helpful for voters to see something that is straightforward."
Cohen, who has been mayor since 1985, has won past elections with crushing margins over his opponents or has been unopposed.
In the last election, Cohen secured his ninth term by defeating challenger Tom McCurry, 920 to 263. In 1999, when he faced what many considered a formidable opponent -- Burke County attorney Dan Kuehnert -- Cohen won with 72 percent of the vote.
Since the beginning, Richardson, who led Western Piedmont Community College as president for 25 years, has made one thing clear -- he thinks it is time for a change in city leadership.
"Someone should not make a career of being mayor," he said. "Twenty-two years is too long for any politician."
Cohen, meanwhile, says that his more than two decades in City Hall could only be considered an asset to the community where he was born and has lived nearly all his life.
"It's a simple platform," Cohen said. "I love Morganton, and I want to make it a better place to work and play and live."
Change, Cohen said, should only happen when leadership has became stagnant and the community is no longer benefiting from fresh ideas and the experience of those in City Hall.
"I have never stopped and rested on my laurels," Cohen said.
Emphasis on Morganton's city center -- an 8-by-10-block downtown grid of leafy trees, stores and offices -- has generated more controversy than other issues.
During his nine-term career as mayor, Cohen said, he has been working to create a vital city center by recruiting downtown business and establishing an appealing lifestyle for residents through recreation and activities.
"Downtown is the front porch of our community," Cohen said, "but we have never concentrated on just downtown. If your downtown is not bright and beautiful and clean, your community is not looking out for its future."
But Richardson and his supporters say that Cohen thinks more about bolstering downtown through concerts and festivals than recruiting new industry to other areas of the city.
"We've got all these people without jobs, but we're still talking about downtown," Richardson said. "That bothers me."
Gary Carswell, a Burke County native, has been following the race closely and said that he's impressed by Richardson's ideas. Carswell, 62, lives just outside the city limits and won't be able to vote but said the issues don't effect just Morganton residents.
"It looks like a sleepy, little tourist town," he said, "and that's not the kind of place where people want to bring big business."
Carswell and his wife, Cynthia, said they worried that their adult children will leave the area in search for better jobs. Richardson's focus on more jobs, they said, is a strong approach.
But Bill Allman, a 74-year-old Morganton native, said Cohen's attention is in the right place and the emphasis on downtown has encouraged businesses to look at moving to the city.
The greenway, sports complex, downtown businesses and festivals, Allman said, help bolster the entire community, not just the few blocks that stem out from the Old Burke County Courthouse.
"(It's) all part of the vision plan for the area," he said. "(Cohen) loves this town so much. ... No one could do what he has done for the town."
Cam McNeely, who has lived in Morganton 15 years, owns a temporary physician staffing business downtown and said that most residents are thinking about jobs and new industry.
He's happy, he said, to see that Cohen and Richardson both have a strong vision for the city.
"We're in a good situation and have two good candidates," he said. "But the town is in a tough spot because of industry leaving, and it's going to take more than one man to fix that."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
It's been a battle.
Morganton mayoral candidates Mel Cohen and Jim Richardson have argued about the city-owned cable system, the location of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter and the length of time a mayor should serve.
They've disagreed about the importance of revitalizing downtown, how new industry should be solicited and the city's involvement the Historic Morganton Festival.
But some Morganton residents say they can handle the tension, especially if it means they have a choice between two formidable candidates in Tuesday's election.
"The competition is great," said 35-year-old Donna Lindecamp, a foreign language teacher at Walter Johnson Middle School. "If there isn't competition, where is the motivation?"
The issues are clearly important to the city's vitality, Lindecamp said, but the candidates' abilities to clearly communicate why they are running is equally important in a mayoral race.
"The biggest issue is that Mel Cohen has a little competition, well, a lot of competition," she said. "Both have an easy platform to read, and that's important. It's helpful for voters to see something that is straightforward."
Cohen, who has been mayor since 1985, has won past elections with crushing margins over his opponents or has been unopposed.
In the last election, Cohen secured his ninth term by defeating challenger Tom McCurry, 920 to 263. In 1999, when he faced what many considered a formidable opponent -- Burke County attorney Dan Kuehnert -- Cohen won with 72 percent of the vote.
Since the beginning, Richardson, who led Western Piedmont Community College as president for 25 years, has made one thing clear -- he thinks it is time for a change in city leadership.
"Someone should not make a career of being mayor," he said. "Twenty-two years is too long for any politician."
Cohen, meanwhile, says that his more than two decades in City Hall could only be considered an asset to the community where he was born and has lived nearly all his life.
"It's a simple platform," Cohen said. "I love Morganton, and I want to make it a better place to work and play and live."
Change, Cohen said, should only happen when leadership has became stagnant and the community is no longer benefiting from fresh ideas and the experience of those in City Hall.
"I have never stopped and rested on my laurels," Cohen said.
Emphasis on Morganton's city center -- an 8-by-10-block downtown grid of leafy trees, stores and offices -- has generated more controversy than other issues.
During his nine-term career as mayor, Cohen said, he has been working to create a vital city center by recruiting downtown business and establishing an appealing lifestyle for residents through recreation and activities.
"Downtown is the front porch of our community," Cohen said, "but we have never concentrated on just downtown. If your downtown is not bright and beautiful and clean, your community is not looking out for its future."
But Richardson and his supporters say that Cohen thinks more about bolstering downtown through concerts and festivals than recruiting new industry to other areas of the city.
"We've got all these people without jobs, but we're still talking about downtown," Richardson said. "That bothers me."
Gary Carswell, a Burke County native, has been following the race closely and said that he's impressed by Richardson's ideas. Carswell, 62, lives just outside the city limits and won't be able to vote but said the issues don't effect just Morganton residents.
"It looks like a sleepy, little tourist town," he said, "and that's not the kind of place where people want to bring big business."
Carswell and his wife, Cynthia, said they worried that their adult children will leave the area in search for better jobs. Richardson's focus on more jobs, they said, is a strong approach.
But Bill Allman, a 74-year-old Morganton native, said Cohen's attention is in the right place and the emphasis on downtown has encouraged businesses to look at moving to the city.
The greenway, sports complex, downtown businesses and festivals, Allman said, help bolster the entire community, not just the few blocks that stem out from the Old Burke County Courthouse.
"(It's) all part of the vision plan for the area," he said. "(Cohen) loves this town so much. ... No one could do what he has done for the town."
Cam McNeely, who has lived in Morganton 15 years, owns a temporary physician staffing business downtown and said that most residents are thinking about jobs and new industry.
He's happy, he said, to see that Cohen and Richardson both have a strong vision for the city.
"We're in a good situation and have two good candidates," he said. "But the town is in a tough spot because of industry leaving, and it's going to take more than one man to fix that."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
City council candidates agree: jobs are a priority
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
The candidates vying for two seats on the Morganton City Council agree on one thing - the community needs more high-paying jobs and a stable industry.
On Tuesday, Morganton voters will decide which of the two incumbents and two challengers they think best understands the needs of the city and how to stimulate current industry and attract more jobs.
Attorney Rob Gage is challenging 12-year incumbent and former police Officer Larry Whisnant for the District 1 seat. Carl Evans Sr., a retired warehouse manager and 20-year City Council incumbent, is facing challenger Forrest Fleming, a retired corrections officer, for the open seat in District 2.
Gage, who attended Harvard University and the UNC School of Law, and Fleming, a graduate of Western Carolina University and Livingstone College, have advocated the need to bring to a fresh perspective to the council.
"If you've been in office for 20 years you'll be saying, `Well, it's worked this way so far. Let's keep it as it is,' " Gage said. "If we are complacent and say `It's good now,' then we are missing out on the opportunity for improvement."
But Evans, who was first elected to the council in 1986, and Whisnant, who worked at the Morganton Department of Public Safety for 30 years, say their collective 32 years' experience on the City Council and knowledge of current projects make them the best candidates.
Their long tenures, they agreed, should never be considered a hindrance.
"We don't need change now," Whisnant said. "This city is making progress. You just don't change for the sake of changing."
Other issues the candidates have focused on during the race include the location of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, the environment, self-imposed term limits, development downtown and the city-owned cable and electric systems.
But the hottest topic, as the city watches the continued exodus of furniture factories, revolves around creating a more robust economy.
Fleming
"We need to see new industry brought into Morganton," Fleming said. "All of our textile and furniture industry is literally gone, and employment is a critical issue."
Fleming, a retired Army National Guard command sergeant major and programs director at Foothills Correctional Institute, said he'd like to see the City Council find new ways to recruit kind of industry and offer incentives, including tax breaks and offering new businesses help finding property.
"We have fewer jobs now than we had 10 years ago," he said. "We need to stop focusing furniture and look toward high-tech industries, like computers."
Evans
Evans, who worked at Morganton Hardware for 44 years, has served on the City Council for two decades and said he wants to help bring more jobs into the city before he steps down.
He wants to offer incentives, including tax cuts and breaks on electric bills, he said, but hopes that businesses looking at Morganton also consider the lifestyle the city offers.
"The people around here are nice and friendly," he said. "(We have) the best recreation in the state, and people want to know what it is like to come in and live here."
Gage
Gage, who left the city government to raise his children after serving two council terms that ended in 1991, said the city needs to start thinking about industry in a way that complements the environment and the natural beauty surrounding the city.
"Presenting a beautiful downtown to potential investors and residents is crucial, but that doesn't mean that all industry needs to be downtown," he said. "The quality of life we offer businesses and their employees is our edge. That's how we're going to win this economic development game."
Gage worked on bringing the Catawba River Greenway to Morganton when he was on the council before, he said. Not only did it help preserve the city's green areas, he said, offering environmentally friendly recreation is what people look at when they are thinking of moving.
"Keeping our city and the surrounding countryside clean and green is important because that's what people want," Gage said. "They come to Morganton to be doctors or health care workers or to run factories, and they make those decisions based on what the city looks like."
Whisnant
Whisnant said the current City Council is working on several projects that could eventually bring hundreds of jobs.
"I hear lots of folks say, `Why don't you bring some industry in?' " he said. "But you just can't pick up the phone and bring in businesses. It just doesn't work that way."
Whisnant, who is on the board of directors for the Foothills Regional Airport Authority, said the council recently recruited an aeronautical engineering company. If government and private contractors follow, he said, Morganton could end up seeing 300 or 400 new jobs.
Whisnant said he would also like the city to consider pairing with the state to build a prison in Morganton.
"Jobs with the (Department of Corrections) are inflation-proof," he said, "and they offer good pay with benefits."
Where to Vote
Early voting is under way in Morganton and ends Friday. Residents can vote at City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., today and Friday. The city will hold its general election Oct. 9 at the Collett Street Recreation Center. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, call City Hall at 828-437-8863.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
The candidates vying for two seats on the Morganton City Council agree on one thing - the community needs more high-paying jobs and a stable industry.
On Tuesday, Morganton voters will decide which of the two incumbents and two challengers they think best understands the needs of the city and how to stimulate current industry and attract more jobs.
Attorney Rob Gage is challenging 12-year incumbent and former police Officer Larry Whisnant for the District 1 seat. Carl Evans Sr., a retired warehouse manager and 20-year City Council incumbent, is facing challenger Forrest Fleming, a retired corrections officer, for the open seat in District 2.
Gage, who attended Harvard University and the UNC School of Law, and Fleming, a graduate of Western Carolina University and Livingstone College, have advocated the need to bring to a fresh perspective to the council.
"If you've been in office for 20 years you'll be saying, `Well, it's worked this way so far. Let's keep it as it is,' " Gage said. "If we are complacent and say `It's good now,' then we are missing out on the opportunity for improvement."
But Evans, who was first elected to the council in 1986, and Whisnant, who worked at the Morganton Department of Public Safety for 30 years, say their collective 32 years' experience on the City Council and knowledge of current projects make them the best candidates.
Their long tenures, they agreed, should never be considered a hindrance.
"We don't need change now," Whisnant said. "This city is making progress. You just don't change for the sake of changing."
Other issues the candidates have focused on during the race include the location of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, the environment, self-imposed term limits, development downtown and the city-owned cable and electric systems.
But the hottest topic, as the city watches the continued exodus of furniture factories, revolves around creating a more robust economy.
Fleming
"We need to see new industry brought into Morganton," Fleming said. "All of our textile and furniture industry is literally gone, and employment is a critical issue."
Fleming, a retired Army National Guard command sergeant major and programs director at Foothills Correctional Institute, said he'd like to see the City Council find new ways to recruit kind of industry and offer incentives, including tax breaks and offering new businesses help finding property.
"We have fewer jobs now than we had 10 years ago," he said. "We need to stop focusing furniture and look toward high-tech industries, like computers."
Evans
Evans, who worked at Morganton Hardware for 44 years, has served on the City Council for two decades and said he wants to help bring more jobs into the city before he steps down.
He wants to offer incentives, including tax cuts and breaks on electric bills, he said, but hopes that businesses looking at Morganton also consider the lifestyle the city offers.
"The people around here are nice and friendly," he said. "(We have) the best recreation in the state, and people want to know what it is like to come in and live here."
Gage
Gage, who left the city government to raise his children after serving two council terms that ended in 1991, said the city needs to start thinking about industry in a way that complements the environment and the natural beauty surrounding the city.
"Presenting a beautiful downtown to potential investors and residents is crucial, but that doesn't mean that all industry needs to be downtown," he said. "The quality of life we offer businesses and their employees is our edge. That's how we're going to win this economic development game."
Gage worked on bringing the Catawba River Greenway to Morganton when he was on the council before, he said. Not only did it help preserve the city's green areas, he said, offering environmentally friendly recreation is what people look at when they are thinking of moving.
"Keeping our city and the surrounding countryside clean and green is important because that's what people want," Gage said. "They come to Morganton to be doctors or health care workers or to run factories, and they make those decisions based on what the city looks like."
Whisnant
Whisnant said the current City Council is working on several projects that could eventually bring hundreds of jobs.
"I hear lots of folks say, `Why don't you bring some industry in?' " he said. "But you just can't pick up the phone and bring in businesses. It just doesn't work that way."
Whisnant, who is on the board of directors for the Foothills Regional Airport Authority, said the council recently recruited an aeronautical engineering company. If government and private contractors follow, he said, Morganton could end up seeing 300 or 400 new jobs.
Whisnant said he would also like the city to consider pairing with the state to build a prison in Morganton.
"Jobs with the (Department of Corrections) are inflation-proof," he said, "and they offer good pay with benefits."
Where to Vote
Early voting is under way in Morganton and ends Friday. Residents can vote at City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., today and Friday. The city will hold its general election Oct. 9 at the Collett Street Recreation Center. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, call City Hall at 828-437-8863.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
10/3/07
War of words continues over amputated leg
Each man says leg belongs to him
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MAIDEN -- Shannon Whisnant sees movie deals, book contracts, a museum and just plain ol' bragging rights.
That is, if he can convince John Wood to share his leg.
It's been more than a week since Whisnant bought a barbecue smoker at a Maiden storage facility auction and opened it to find Wood's leg -- the foot, ankle and most of the calf -- wrapped in screen wire, setting off a flurry of media attention that has circled the globe.
Now, each man is saying the leg belongs to him.
Whisnant said he has the receipt -- stored in a fire-proof safe -- showing he bought the smoker and its contents. "I told him I'd share custody of it," Whisnant said. "Kind of like young `uns."
Wood was born with the leg, but it was amputated after a plane crash that killed his father and injured two other family members three years ago. "I want to be cremated as a whole man," he said. "It's nothing macabre."
It's been a rocky road since the men first starting talking about ownership of the leg last week, and their first in-person meeting Wednesday didn't do much to smooth it out.
The two seemed to have conflicting ideas and opinions about the leg and never agreed on how to proceed.
Whisnant said he assumed the leg was being stored at a Maiden funeral home, where police left it for Wood because it was not evidence in a crime.
Wood, meanwhile, talked only cryptically about its location. "There are a lot of uncertainties in my life right now," he said when asked directly if he knew where his leg was being kept.
But Wood's sister, Marion Wood-Lytle, said by phone that her brother picked up the appendage from her home shortly before meeting with Whisnant Wednesday.
"I don't know why he's being so secretive about it," she said. "I said, `John, just take it and go.'"
Later, Wood confirmed for the Observer that the leg "was in his control" but would not say whether he was planning to take it with him.
Whisnant has hinted that he would file several lawuits if the leg isn't returned to him.
The men did not reach any agreement before Wood headed back to his home in Greenville, S.C.
"I'm willing to share my story," Wood said, "but I won't let him profit off finding my leg."
But Whisnant said that in their telephone conversations, Wood has been open to sharing the appendage. Whisnant hopes the publicity will turn into more than a few bucks, he said, and wants talk with television and movie executives and maybe set up some sort of viewing room.
If he is able to convince Wood to share custody of the leg, Whisnant said, he would charge a viewing fee of a $10 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for kids and nothing for amputees.
"It'd be a great for tourism," he said. "Maiden could use some fresh money. We've got nothin' but old money around here, and we could use a little extra cash flow."
But Maiden Mayor Bob Smyre said he isn't so sure the legend of the leg-found-in-a-smoker is a lasting one.
"He couldn't pay me a dollar to go see that leg," Smyre said. "Is it going to turn into an international tourist attraction? I don't think so."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MAIDEN -- Shannon Whisnant sees movie deals, book contracts, a museum and just plain ol' bragging rights.
That is, if he can convince John Wood to share his leg.
It's been more than a week since Whisnant bought a barbecue smoker at a Maiden storage facility auction and opened it to find Wood's leg -- the foot, ankle and most of the calf -- wrapped in screen wire, setting off a flurry of media attention that has circled the globe.
Now, each man is saying the leg belongs to him.
Whisnant said he has the receipt -- stored in a fire-proof safe -- showing he bought the smoker and its contents. "I told him I'd share custody of it," Whisnant said. "Kind of like young `uns."
Wood was born with the leg, but it was amputated after a plane crash that killed his father and injured two other family members three years ago. "I want to be cremated as a whole man," he said. "It's nothing macabre."
It's been a rocky road since the men first starting talking about ownership of the leg last week, and their first in-person meeting Wednesday didn't do much to smooth it out.
The two seemed to have conflicting ideas and opinions about the leg and never agreed on how to proceed.
Whisnant said he assumed the leg was being stored at a Maiden funeral home, where police left it for Wood because it was not evidence in a crime.
Wood, meanwhile, talked only cryptically about its location. "There are a lot of uncertainties in my life right now," he said when asked directly if he knew where his leg was being kept.
But Wood's sister, Marion Wood-Lytle, said by phone that her brother picked up the appendage from her home shortly before meeting with Whisnant Wednesday.
"I don't know why he's being so secretive about it," she said. "I said, `John, just take it and go.'"
Later, Wood confirmed for the Observer that the leg "was in his control" but would not say whether he was planning to take it with him.
Whisnant has hinted that he would file several lawuits if the leg isn't returned to him.
The men did not reach any agreement before Wood headed back to his home in Greenville, S.C.
"I'm willing to share my story," Wood said, "but I won't let him profit off finding my leg."
But Whisnant said that in their telephone conversations, Wood has been open to sharing the appendage. Whisnant hopes the publicity will turn into more than a few bucks, he said, and wants talk with television and movie executives and maybe set up some sort of viewing room.
If he is able to convince Wood to share custody of the leg, Whisnant said, he would charge a viewing fee of a $10 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for kids and nothing for amputees.
"It'd be a great for tourism," he said. "Maiden could use some fresh money. We've got nothin' but old money around here, and we could use a little extra cash flow."
But Maiden Mayor Bob Smyre said he isn't so sure the legend of the leg-found-in-a-smoker is a lasting one.
"He couldn't pay me a dollar to go see that leg," Smyre said. "Is it going to turn into an international tourist attraction? I don't think so."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
10/2/07
Taylorsville man is charged with sexually abusing child
Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
TAYLORSVILLE
A Taylorsville man was being held on a $500,000 bond Tuesday after being charged with sexually abusing a child, authorities said.
Jason Scott Barlowe, 28, was charged Friday with four counts of first-degree statutory rape of a child, four counts of first-degree statutory sex offense of a child and four counts of indecent liberties with a child.
Barlowe made his first court appearance Monday and was being held at the Alexander County jail Tuesday on the secured bond.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
TAYLORSVILLE
A Taylorsville man was being held on a $500,000 bond Tuesday after being charged with sexually abusing a child, authorities said.
Jason Scott Barlowe, 28, was charged Friday with four counts of first-degree statutory rape of a child, four counts of first-degree statutory sex offense of a child and four counts of indecent liberties with a child.
Barlowe made his first court appearance Monday and was being held at the Alexander County jail Tuesday on the secured bond.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
10/1/07
Custody battle over leg postponed
Monday, Oct. 1, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A custody battle over a South Carolina man’s amputated leg was postponed Monday while the man tried to find a ride to Maiden, where the limb is being stored.
John Wood and Shannon Whisnant are trying to come to an agreement about the leg, which Whisnant found last week in a used barbecue smoker he bought at an auction in Maiden.
Wood stored his leg, which doctors cut off after a plane crash three years ago, in a smoker he kept at a Maiden storage facility. But when he fell behind in payments, the facility owner auctioned off the smoker.
Whisnant bought it last week. When he looked inside, he found the leg – a foot, ankle and most of the calf – wrapped in a wire screen.
Now, each man claims the leg belongs to him. Whisnant said he has a receipt showing he bought the smoker and its contents. Wood was born with the leg, but it was amputated after a plane crash three years ago.
"I told him I’d share custody of it," Whisnant said. "Kind of like young ‘uns."
They had planned to met Monday to talk about ownership, but Wood was not able to find a ride from Greenville, S.C., to Maiden, Whisnant said. He said they are planning to meet later this week.
Whisnant said he would take legal action if the leg is not returned to him by next week.
"Everybody know it’s mine, period," Whisnant said. "And if anyone tries to take it, I want everything they got."
Police gave the leg to a Maiden funeral home to store until Wood could pick it up.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A custody battle over a South Carolina man’s amputated leg was postponed Monday while the man tried to find a ride to Maiden, where the limb is being stored.
John Wood and Shannon Whisnant are trying to come to an agreement about the leg, which Whisnant found last week in a used barbecue smoker he bought at an auction in Maiden.
Wood stored his leg, which doctors cut off after a plane crash three years ago, in a smoker he kept at a Maiden storage facility. But when he fell behind in payments, the facility owner auctioned off the smoker.
Whisnant bought it last week. When he looked inside, he found the leg – a foot, ankle and most of the calf – wrapped in a wire screen.
Now, each man claims the leg belongs to him. Whisnant said he has a receipt showing he bought the smoker and its contents. Wood was born with the leg, but it was amputated after a plane crash three years ago.
"I told him I’d share custody of it," Whisnant said. "Kind of like young ‘uns."
They had planned to met Monday to talk about ownership, but Wood was not able to find a ride from Greenville, S.C., to Maiden, Whisnant said. He said they are planning to meet later this week.
Whisnant said he would take legal action if the leg is not returned to him by next week.
"Everybody know it’s mine, period," Whisnant said. "And if anyone tries to take it, I want everything they got."
Police gave the leg to a Maiden funeral home to store until Wood could pick it up.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Amputee's leg sets offownership dispute
S.C. amputee: Profiting off limb 'despicable'
Monday, Oct. 1, 2007
By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Shannon Whisnant spent the weekend trying to get custody of John Wood's severed leg.
Whisnant found the leg in a used barbecue smoker he bought last Tuesday, and gave it to the Maiden police. Ever since the police said the leg wasn't evidence of a crime, he's been trying to get it back.
Today, Whisnant hopes to make his case in person.
Wood, who lost the leg in an airplane crash three years ago and ultimately stored it in a barbecue smoker, said he plans to travel from Greenville, S.C., today to pick up the leg, stored at a Maiden funeral home.
Wood said they can meet, but he's not interested in using the leg to make money.
"I just think it's despicable," he said. "I don't mind having the 15 minutes of fame, but I'm not looking to really profit off this thing."
The story of Wood's leg goes back to 2004 when it was shattered in a plane crash that killed his father and injured two other family members. Doctors tried to save the leg but had to amputate it. Wood told them that when he died, he wanted to be buried a whole man and asked if they could ship the leg to him.
They obliged. The leg -- foot, ankle and most of the calf -- spent time in Wood's freezer until his electricity was cut off. Wood then hung it on a fence post in his front yard to dry.
He was later evicted from his home and spent time living in his van. His mother said she'd pay to store his belongings for a couple of months, but after that, the $42 payments were his responsibility.
The leg, carefully wrapped in paper and stored inside the smoker, went into storage. But Wood wasn't making the payments, and last Tuesday the owner of the storage facility included the smoker in a sale of items from people who fell behind on their rent.
Whisnant bought the smoker, opened it and "thought it might have been part of a missing person or someone's ex-wife." He contacted police.
Whisnant feels he has a stake in the leg.
The leg has brought both men some fame. Both have done interviews. Wood said he became a celebrity at a charity golf tournament that benefited amputees. Whisnant put a sign on the empty smoker charging for a look: adults $3, children $1.
Whisnant figures there could be more opportunities if he had the leg in hand. He's Googled the phrase "man finds leg in smoker" and got close to 2 million hits.
He took his receipt from the sale of the smoker to the funeral home. The staff there wouldn't budge, but did give him Wood's cell phone number.
Wood said he was livid after talking to Whisnant.
"He's making a freak show out of it," Wood said. "He wants to go on `The Tonight Show' and he wants to sell it to the National Enquirer ... He wants to put money in his pocket with this thing."
After talking with a lawyer this weekend, Whisnant decided his best move was to convince Wood to share custody and profits.
"It's a strange incident and Halloween's just around the corner," Whisnant said. "The price will be going up if I get (a stake in) the leg."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Monday, Oct. 1, 2007
By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Shannon Whisnant spent the weekend trying to get custody of John Wood's severed leg.
Whisnant found the leg in a used barbecue smoker he bought last Tuesday, and gave it to the Maiden police. Ever since the police said the leg wasn't evidence of a crime, he's been trying to get it back.
Today, Whisnant hopes to make his case in person.
Wood, who lost the leg in an airplane crash three years ago and ultimately stored it in a barbecue smoker, said he plans to travel from Greenville, S.C., today to pick up the leg, stored at a Maiden funeral home.
Wood said they can meet, but he's not interested in using the leg to make money.
"I just think it's despicable," he said. "I don't mind having the 15 minutes of fame, but I'm not looking to really profit off this thing."
The story of Wood's leg goes back to 2004 when it was shattered in a plane crash that killed his father and injured two other family members. Doctors tried to save the leg but had to amputate it. Wood told them that when he died, he wanted to be buried a whole man and asked if they could ship the leg to him.
They obliged. The leg -- foot, ankle and most of the calf -- spent time in Wood's freezer until his electricity was cut off. Wood then hung it on a fence post in his front yard to dry.
He was later evicted from his home and spent time living in his van. His mother said she'd pay to store his belongings for a couple of months, but after that, the $42 payments were his responsibility.
The leg, carefully wrapped in paper and stored inside the smoker, went into storage. But Wood wasn't making the payments, and last Tuesday the owner of the storage facility included the smoker in a sale of items from people who fell behind on their rent.
Whisnant bought the smoker, opened it and "thought it might have been part of a missing person or someone's ex-wife." He contacted police.
Whisnant feels he has a stake in the leg.
The leg has brought both men some fame. Both have done interviews. Wood said he became a celebrity at a charity golf tournament that benefited amputees. Whisnant put a sign on the empty smoker charging for a look: adults $3, children $1.
Whisnant figures there could be more opportunities if he had the leg in hand. He's Googled the phrase "man finds leg in smoker" and got close to 2 million hits.
He took his receipt from the sale of the smoker to the funeral home. The staff there wouldn't budge, but did give him Wood's cell phone number.
Wood said he was livid after talking to Whisnant.
"He's making a freak show out of it," Wood said. "He wants to go on `The Tonight Show' and he wants to sell it to the National Enquirer ... He wants to put money in his pocket with this thing."
After talking with a lawyer this weekend, Whisnant decided his best move was to convince Wood to share custody and profits.
"It's a strange incident and Halloween's just around the corner," Whisnant said. "The price will be going up if I get (a stake in) the leg."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
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