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By TONY BAZZIE Staff WriterDouglas Ray Blevins. 23, of Coal City was acquitted of murder Friday afternoon after a five-mah, seven-woman jury deliberated the case for about eighthours.Blevins was accused of the Nov. 13, 1976 shooting death of Timothy Phillips of Midway. Phillips was discovered dead in his Midway mobile home by a neighbor. Death was attributed to a single gunshot wound to the head.The jury began deliberating the case UJL20 p m. Thursday at the conclusion T^p^fwo days of ' testimony in the Intermediate Division of the Raleigh County Circuit Court. Deliberations ended at 10 p.m. with jurors returning Friday morning in an attempt to reach a verdict.A source said the jury foreman announced at 11 a.m. Friday the jurors were deadlocked in the case. The circuit court judge again read jurors his instructions. telling them they could reach one of five verdicts: murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter or not guilty.The not guilty verdict was announced by the jury- foreman around 3 p.m. Friday.Blevins was charged with the murder and lodged in the Raleigh County jail on Dec. 22 after telling a state police trooper he killed Phillips, with whom he had spent the night on Nov. 13.State police later obtained a signed confession by Blevins in which the defendant allegedly explained he killedPhillips because the victim had been “messing with his girl friend. Blevins later told police he was not guilty of the murder.During the trial. Blevins testified he confessed to the killing only because there had been several attempts on his life and he wished to be jailed for his own protection. Blevins also testified that after a state police trooper told him he could be jailed only if he committed a crime, he announced that he was responsible for Phillips’ death.Prosecuting the case for the state was John Wooton. assistant county prosecuting attorney.
Newspaper Details
Post Herald and Register
Beckley, West Virginia, US
Sat, Mar 19, 1977
Page 20
Full Page
Clipped by
Elizabeth G.
AL, USA 05 Aug 2022
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