[N.C.] Court officials cover up Ten Commandments as trial begins

Court officials cover up Ten Commandments as trial begins

The Associated Press
February 3, 2004 7:29 am

NASHVILLE, N.C. -- Attorneys in a capital murder trial are squabbling over a cover-up of the Ten Commandments displayed on a wall at the Nash County Courthouse.

After a request from the defense team, Superior Court Judge Quentin Sumner ruled on Monday the two panels that show the Ten Commandments will be covered for the duration of Andre Edwards' trial. The order upset prosecutors.

"We understand the constitutional separation of church and state, but the next thing they'll be asking for is that the Bible be removed from the courtroom when witnesses come up to testify," said Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner.

"If we're going to be covering them up for this trial, we should be covering them up for every trial."

Defense attorneys Sam Dixon and Tommy Moore filed a motion last week, requesting that the judge have the panels covered. Dixon argued that the displays should be covered to provide his client with a fair trial, especially considering that Edwards could be sentenced to death if he is convicted.

"This is the most important of all trials -- one in which the state is looking to take a man's life from him," Dixon said.

On Friday, county maintenance workers covered the displays, which were painted about 90 years ago on each side of the judge's bench. Sumner said his decision was based partially on avoiding an appeal in the case.

"This trial is the state versus Andre Edwards, not the state versus the Ten Commandments or the country versus the Ten Commandments," the judge said.

Jury selection also began Monday and was expected to last two weeks. The entire trial could run as long as eight to 10 weeks, court officials said.

Andre Edwards, 34, is charged with abducting Ginger Hayes and her 18-month-old baby in June 2001 from outside the store and forcing her to drive to a remote area. Along the way, he forced the woman to withdraw cash from a teller machine in Rocky Mount

Police said Edwards raped the woman and beat her to death with a tire rim and left the baby boy for dead. Nicholas Hayes, now 4, suffered severe sunburn in 90-degree heat but did survive.

Jeremy Hayes was driving his wife and son from Myrtle Beach, S.C., back to their home in Hampton, Va., when he went into the CVS store for snacks. But when the Air Force staff sergeant came outside, his car and his family were gone.

Article from the Rocky Mount Telegram:

State 'opposes these types of shenanigans'
By J. Eric Eckard, Rocky Mount Telegram
NASHVILLE – Andre Edwards' capital murder trial started Monday in Nash County with a cover-up.
Not your typical conspiracy theory, but a literal cover-up of the Ten Commandments that are emblazoned on the walls of the Nash County Courthouse.
Edwards, 34, is charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of 23-year-old Ginger Hayes in June 2001. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
After a request from the defense team, Superior Court Judge Quentin Sumner ruled on Monday the two panels that show the Ten Commandments will be covered for the duration of Edwards' trial – much to the displeasure of the prosecution.
"The state vigorously opposes covering of the Ten Commandments," said Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner. "We understand the constitutional separation of church and state, but the next thing they'll be asking for is that the Bible be removed from the courtroom when witnesses come up to testify.
"That's how absurd this type of motion is. It's a travesty to take these kinds of steps. The state vehemently opposes these types of shenanigans."
Werner also called the defense's request "a flagrant interpretation of the law."
"If we're going to be covering them up for this trial, we should be covering them up for every trial," said Werner, who is prosecuting the case along with Assistant District Attorney Charlene Coggins-Franks.
Edwards' defense attorneys, Sam Dixon and Tommy Moore, filed a motion this past week, requesting that the judge have the panels covered.
Dixon argued that the displays should be covered to provide his client with a fair trial, especially considering the possible penalty if Edwards is convicted – death.
"This is the most important of all trials – one in which the state is looking to take a man's life from him," Dixon added.
On Friday, county maintenance workers concealed the displays, which are located on each side of the judge's bench and painted about 90 years ago.
Sumner, who admitted that the decision was based partially on avoiding an appeal in the case, called the cover-up a "pre-emptive matter."
"This trial is the state vs. Andre Edwards, not the state vs. the Ten Commandments or the country vs. the Ten Commandments," the judge added.
In addition to this hearing, jury selection also started in the Edwards trial.
Nearly 300 prospective jurors filled out questionnaires and then were divided into smaller 25-member panels. Each panel is expected to return to the courthouse over the next couple of weeks for attorneys to consider each potential panelist as a member of the final jury.
Authorities charge that Edwards carjacked Hayes and her baby in June 2001 from a CVS pharmacy in Greenville, drove to Rocky Mount and forced the woman to draw out cash from an ATM. Afterward, Edwards took Hayes and the then 18-month-old baby to a remote spot in Nash County, raped and beat the woman to death with a tire rim and left the boy for dead, authorities charge. The baby, Nicholas Hayes, now 4, survived 90-degree heat in just a diaper, but suffered a severe sunburn.
Authorities were able to track Edwards through his use of the cash machine.

Yes, we DO have a death penalty & use it more than a lot of states. As much as I dispise Tax-Hike Mike Easley, he is a pretty staunch supporter of the death penalty. You can also take comfort in the fact that the eastern part of NC is VERY conservative and everyone in that part of the state no doubt remembers all of this. This is a very religious part of the state as well.

I remember when this piece of garbage kidnapped this woman & the heartbreak that husband had to endure. I remember how troubling all of this was to everyone in that part of the state. I suspect these lawyers are grasping at everything they can at this point. IMHO, since that part of the state is quite religious in many sections, this will NOT play well with a jury pool, nor will it go over well with the general public. I think they would have been better off having him show up looking like a Baptist preacher and praising the virtues of the Ten Commandments, but then again, I am not a lawyer! (thank God!)

My wife's family lives not far from where all of this happened, so it hit home for all of us, especially since we have 2 sons who were pretty young then and travelled to that part of the state often.

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