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Last updated on Thursday, December 31, 2015
(UNDATED) - A Mitchell woman was arrested after she allegedly injured her child, a Linton man was set free after being accused of murder, a Bedford man landed a huge shark, a Shawswick Elementary boy was the best speller at the WBIW Lawrence County Spelling Bee and a Bloomfield man’s death ruled an act of self-defense.
The following are those stories:
Mother Arrested After Child Injured
A Mitchell woman was arrested on March 17, 2015 after police say she injured her 4-year-old daughter.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the Department of Child Services began investigating 24-year-old Rebecca Olmsted after they received a report that Olmsted was hurting her child.
A Lawrence County police officer went to the home with the DCS case worker on January 26 after the girl has suffered a dark bruise on her chin and bruised on her forehead. Doctors at Riley Hospital for Children say the injuries were caused by physical abuse.
The girl told officials that "Mommy held her up by her chin causing the injury to her chin" and "Mommy had cut her" and that the injury to her forehead was caused "when mommy shut a door on her."
The girl was removed from the home and told her caretaker that "she could not tell the truth about mommy because "bad people will take me away."
She also told the caretaker that her mother had grabbed her by the throat and had pushed her against a wall. And that at one time "mommy held a fork up to her chin and made a back-and-forth motion that cut her chin."
Police say the girl had a scar on her chin, backing up the child's statement.
The child also told the caregiver "my mommy don't love me."
Olmstead is facing a Level 5 felony charge of battery on a person younger than 14 years old. She is currently out of jail on bond. A bench trail is scheduled for February 23, 2016 at 9 a.m.
Linton Man Found Not Guilty Of Murder
Aaron L. Schaffer of Linton was found not guilty of murder and not guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Michael Shan Bowers last April.
On March 15, 2015 the jury found him guilty of carrying a firearm without a concealed carry permit, a class A misdemeanor.
Then 33-year-old Schaffer was sentenced to one year in jail and, since he has been incarcerated without bond since his arrest at the time of the shooting, he has more than served his time. His sentencing included a $1 fine and court costs.
Following the sentencing, Schaffer was to return to the Greene County Jail to be processed out to be reunited with his family and supporters.
When Schaffer was interviewed by detectives the night of the shooting, he admitted he did not have a license to carry a gun and he admitted he shot and killed Bowers, his brother-in-law, but says he shot Bowers in self-defense.
Police say Schaffer went to Bower's Linton home and was told to leave. 48-year-old Bower, who was unarmed, was shot five times with a .357 Taurus revolver, resulting in seven wounds including two to the back of the head.
Schaffer admitted to shooting and killing Bower, but the jury had to decide if Schaffer acted in self-defense.
Defense attorney Katharine Liell told the jury Schaffer knew Shan Bowers had killed another man out of jealousy, had beaten his wife, did drugs and drank alcohol, and had become increasingly unstable in the weeks prior to the shooting.
She claims Schaffer had a split second to make a decision and it was reasonable to think Bowers would kill him because he'd killed a man before.
The defense claimed Schaffer had an invitation from Stacy to go to the Bowers home because she had asked for help and wanted someone to go with her to smooth things over with her husband.
She told the jury Schaffer tried to be a peacemaker and was a man of reason that night. She testified that Bowers put Schaffer in a darned if you do and darned if you don't position and Schaffer protected himself.
Bloomfield Man's Death Ruled An Act Of Self Defense
In March, Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw ruled the February 12 stabbing death of 22-year-old Douglas Jay "D.J." Lockhart was a justified act of self-defense and no criminal charges were to be filed. Michael A. Rogers of Bloomfield stabbed Lockhart in the chest and applied pressure to the wound as he called 911 for help the evening of February 12 after the two were in a dispute at Rogers' home in the 300 block of South Lewis Street in Bloomfield.
Bedford Man Helps Land 600 Pound Mako Shark
On March 7th a Bedford man help landed a large Mako shark at Panama City Beach. Douglas Harlan was out fishing with Off the Beach Shark Fishing when helped land the more than 600 pound beast. Mypanhandle.com reports that an hour and a half later the team, composed of seven men, had their prize in hand; a 10-foot-long Mako shark. The crew caught the fish at night in deep waters, so there was no threat to any human life. The crew filet the shark and gave it to family and friends.
Owen Beaver Wins 41st Annual WBIW Lawrence County Spelling Bee
Owen Beaver, a 7th grader at Shawswick Middle School, won the 41st Annual Lawrence County Spelling Bee. Ben Wray, a 4th grader at Fayetteville Elementary, finished in second place. The event, held March 9, went six rounds with Beaver spelling 'drowsiness' correct. Wray needed to spell his next word correct to challenge Beaver in the next round but he misspelled 'consensus' giving Beaver the title. Placing third was Samuel St. John, a 7th grader at Oolitic Middle School.
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