.Armed Robbery
(Continued from page 1A)
involved and was the one who
"tussled" with Jack Tucker during
the robbery.
McLean, who testified in his
own behalf, became hostile when
Assistant District Attorney Jean
Powell pointed out that the defen
dant had been convicted of armed
robbery in New Jersey and charged
with several other counts.
"You wouldn't do that sort of
thing, would you," Powell asked
the defendant.
After the cross-examination by
Powell, McLean came off the
witness stand and apparently made
several remarks to the assistant
D.A.
Sheriff Dave Barrington had to
escort McLean back to the prison
box after the apparent run-in with
Powell.
In a final effort to clear his
name, McLean had Jacobs recalled
to the stand, but her testimony re
mained the same.
In his closing arguments, Diehl
tried to convince the jury that
McLean was with the McArns
when the robbery occurred, but
that he remained in the car during
the actual crime.
McLean also told the jury that
he had warned D.J. and Alex
ander "not to rob that man."
Both Jack Tucker and his
daughter Sandy's testimony
disagreed with what McLean had
said.
According to Tucker, one black
man grabbed him from behind and
a second black man pointed a
shotgun at him.
Sandy Tucker testified that she
saw both of those men plus a third
man running from the pines near
the Tucker residence.
Alexander McArn testified later
that he was in the pines during the
robbery, and Dannie McArn
testified that he was the one
holding the gun on Tucker.
Raeford policeman Clarence
Patterson and Sergeant Jack Mar
tino also linked McLean with the
two men when they each stopped
McArn's Dodge Challenger on the
night of the robbery.
McLean had claimed that he was
with the McArns, but remained in
the car "smoking a joint" while
the others robbed Tucker.
In closing remarks, Diehl admit
ted that McLean's actions were
"foolish."
"Knowing about the robbery
and going along with the McArns
was stupid and foolish," Diehl
told the jurors.
Diehl also told the jurors that
just being there was not a crime
unless McLean actively "par
ticipated in the act."
In her final arguments, Powell
indicated that each state's witness
"meshed" with the testimony of
the others.
"All the evidence, except the
defendant's testimony, points to
the fact that McLean was there and
willingly participated in the rob
bery of Jack Tucker," Powell said.
"He doesn't have anything to
lose and everything to gain by lying
about the robbery," Powell said.
After 40 minutes of delibera
tion, the six men and six women
who comprised the jury, delivered
a guilty verdict.
Judge Farmer sentenced
McLean to 25 years in the North
Carolina Department of Correc
tion.
McLean was transported to the
prison unit in Raleigh only hours
after the sentencing.
Alexander and Dannie McArn,
who plead guilty to the armed rob
bery charges were each sentenced
to 14 years in the North Carolina
Department of Correction.
Nelson Putting It Right
By Sherry Matthews
Providing the "best educational
opportunities for every child in the
school system," is new superinten
dent Robert A. Nelson's way of
life.
Nelson, 52, formerly of
Alamance County, has already lac
ed up the new shoes he must wear
as Hoke County's 11th superinten
dent and is "ready to get the ball
rolling" towards a better school
system.
"I love the public schools,"
Nelson said, adding that he has
been working in the schools for 28
years.
The new superintendent is ready
to tackle the problems and "im
prove what is already good."
"My main concern is the
children," Nelson said.
"1 believe we have an obligation
to provide the best educational op
portunities that we can with the
resources available for every child
that walks into that school
building regardless of their ability
or their status," Nelson added.
Since being sworn in, Nelson has
taken steps to insure that his
philosophy is put into practice and
has asked for faculty and staff in
put on how to "improve" the ex
isting education system in the
county.
According to Nelson, any pro
blems in the Hoke County Schools
can be corrected.
"We can't just wave a wand and
do it all at once, but we can work
our way through it," Nelson said.
"We are going to have to plan a
program that looks down the road
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and attack those problems as we
can," Nelson said.
Nelson seems realistic about the
schools good and bad qualities and
how they will be improved.
"My way is not to try and find a
magical solution, but just to im
prove as best we can," Nelson
said.
"We may not find the ideal solu
tion but we can make great im
provements." Nelson added.
It appears that Nelson is headed
in the right direction.
His "boot strap" theory on im
proving the schools with little or
no cost involved won overwhelm
ing support from the school board.
"There are some things we can
do with volunteers helping out that
will make a significant difference
and cost very little if anything,"
Nelson said.
"We have got to pull ourselves
up by our own bootstraps,"
Nelson added.
With that philosophy in mind.
Nelson is ready to go "full steam
ahead" and roll up his "own shirt
sleeves" to achieve the goals he
and the faculty have set.
"It may take some time, but we
can do it," Nelson said.
Nelson's career with the school
system began after his graduation
from Appalachian State University
with a Masters of Arts Degree in
English and education.
J. W. McLauchlin School honors their principal
Governor Jim Hunt declared the week of May 16-21 as Educators Bosses '
Week. The J. W. McLauchlin personnel honored their principal, Mr. F. W.
Caldwell on Thursday, May 19. The highlight of the day was a party given
by the hospitality committee. A beautifully decorated cake in the motif of
a fish pond was the focal point of the refreshment table.
Youth Nabbed For Theft
A Raeford youth apparently
went on an unpaid for shopping
spree two weeks ago culminating in
a police investigation.
According to Raeford Police
Chief Leonard Wiggins, a 1 3-year -
old youth was picked up and ques
tioned by officers concerning three
separate larcenies.
The juvenile apparently had
taken a softball glove from the
Western Auto store on Main Street
and on the same day had taken
$132 from the Johnson Company.
The juvenile apparently was in
volved with the larceny of $110
from the Graham Service Station
on May 19.
According to Chief Wiggins,
part of the money and the softball
glove were recovered and returned
to the owners.
In another incident involving a
juvenile, Jane Andrews of 306 E.
6th Street, Raeford, reported a
youth coming through her yard
and allegedly stealing a fishing rod
out of her boat.
According to Chief Wiggins, an
investigation into the matter is
underway.
In other po?lce action. Wade
Wright reported that someone had
entered a trailer at the construction
site on Fulton Street. Nothing was
reported missing but some damage
was done to a trailer window,
Chief Wiggins said.
John F. Canady of Hope Mills ,
also reported to Raeford police
that someone had stolen four hub
caps valued at over $300 from his
car while parked at the Food Lion
in the Raeford-Hoke Shopping
Center.
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DSS Riff Continues
By Sherry Matthews'
Monthly reporting that has been
stalemating the food stamp pro
gram in Hoke County for two
months is "growing worse,"
Department of Social Services
(DSS) officials said Monday.
At the monthly DSS board
meeting, Hoke County Director
Ken Witherspoon told members
that the problems monthly report
ing has caused were just "not get
ting any better."
Although Witherspoon and
other DSS directors are adopting
resolutions calling for the abolish
ment of the monthly reporting
system, U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms
does not feel that the complaints
are justified.
Helms' spokesmen Tom Boney
said Sen. Helms "did not support
the complaint although he has
heard it from a lot of counties."
According to Boney, Helms who
received a letter from Withers
poon, is not in favor of abolishing
the procedure because it was
designed to be "an anti-fraud
measure."
"Sen. Helms has not heard any
compelling reasons to change the
present law," Boney said, adding
that Helms also does not think
more staff is "really needed" for
the food stamp program.
Boney said that Sen. Helms
could not find any reason why the
monthly food stamp reporting
should be any more
"burdensome" to the state or
county than what they go through
with the AFDC (Aid to Families
with Dependent Children) pro
gram.
Eighth District Rep. William
Hefner does not agree with Helms.
According to a Hefner
spokesperson, the Representative
is "very concerned" over the food
stamp problem and realizes that it
has become an "administrative
nightmare."
At this point Hefner is "looking
for some sort of vehicle" that will
help alleviate the problem, but
because of its controversial nature,
"water is being treaded lightly,"
the spokesperson said.
Unlike Helms, Hefner, who also
received a letter from Wither
spoon, is in favor of "correcting
the problem."
Hefner understands the serious
impact that new food stamp
regulations are causing, the
spokesperson said.
In his letter to both Hefner and
Helms, Witherspoon asked for
assistance in getting the food
stamp regulations changed.
Witherspoon is the first to admit
that "people are hurting and suf
fering" due to the regulations and
escalating paper work.
According to Witherspoon, both
the client and the administration is
feeling the impact of the growing
problems of monthly reporting.
People are going without food
because the time demand is too
great for the Hoke staff.
At present, 130 people are
caught between the cracks of the
system and have yet to be accom
modated, Witherspoon said.
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