Cullman County: Vigilante thug murders registered citizen and shoots up a gas station

http://www.cullmantimes.com/breakingnews/x1396881180/Cullman-man-charged-with-murder-in-Berlin-shooting

Vigilante "justice" is no justice. This man shot into a crowded business. I hope this punk is never freed again.

Cullman man charged with murder in Berlin shooting

By Trent Moore 
The Cullman Times

BERLIN —

A Cullman man has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting into a local gas station, then driving to a man’s home and killing him Sunday night.

Jay Maynor, 41, of Cullman has been arrested and charged with the murder of 59-year-old Berlin resident Raymond Earl Brooks. He was arrested by Alabama State Troopers shortly after the shooting occurred. Brooks was a convicted sex offender.

The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to a call regarding gunfire at the Berlin Plaza Quick Stop on U.S. Highway 278 at approximately 7 p.m. Sunday night, then followed Maynor’s trail to Brooks’ nearby residence at 4340 U.S. Highway 278 East.

“We responded to the Berlin Plaza Quick Stop where witnesses told deputies a male subject pulled up on a motorcycle before shooting the store’s window. After the would be victim was able to elude the shooter, the suspect then drove off and went to the residence of Raymond Earl Brooks,” sheriff Mike Rainey said in a press release. “At this time we are still investigating both crime scenes, the one at the store and at Mr. Brooks’ residence. We just ask that the public stay patient as our investigators work to piece together the events which took place Sunday night.”

Maynor was apprehended by Alabama State Trooper Anthony Peebles, who was responding to the call when the suspect reportedly pulled out in front of him.

“I want to extend a personal thank you to Trooper Anthony Peebles for his quick response and apprehension of the suspect,” Rainey said.

Maynor is currently being held at the Cullman County Detention Center, and has been charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling. Rainey said he hopes additional interviews with Maynor can shed some light on the motivations that led to the shooting.

Rainey noted Brooks was convicted of sexual abuse in the first degree in 2002 in a case involving an eight-year old female. Since that time he has had to register as a sex offender. Rainey said investigators are still working to determine if that previous charge had anything to do with the events of Sunday night.

“We are investigating all aspects of this case and cannot comment on a motive at this point,” Rainey said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family.”

Cullman County to make entering a park a felony for RSOs

Since the state legislature will not reconvene until next year, there is plenty of time to counter this:

http://www.cullmantimes.com/local/x1037670704/County-seeks-felony-status-for-sex-offenders-in-parks

July 28, 2010

County seeks felony status for sex offenders in parks

By Benjamin Bullard T

he Cullman Times

 

CULLMAN — Registered sex offenders are finding recreation options in Cullman County harder and harder to come by.

The Cullman County Commission unanimously agreed Tuesday to join with other county municipalities in making it a crime for sex offenders to enter public parks. Unlike Hanceville and Dodge City, which recently passed ordinances making the transgression a misdemeanor offense, the county intends to make it a felony for perpetrators to enter any of the five public parks in the Cullman County park system.

In order to do that, the commission will have to get some help from the state legislature. By statute, the county commission cannot pass laws designating criminal offenses and must have a member of the local legislative delegation introduce a bill to incorporate the new law into the Code of Alabama. That, said commission chairman James Graves, will not happen before the start of the 2011 legislative session early next year.

“We passed a resolution today requesting our legislators to introduce a bill next year that will make this a felony,” said Graves. “So far, we have heard from (House district 11 Rep.) Jeremy Oden, and he is very receptive of it. We believe the others will support it as well.”

While a bill has not been drafted yet, the commission recommended the inclusion of language that would make “each entry into such [county park] areas, regardless of the time period between such entries...constitute a separate offense under this ordinance...anyone who is found in violation of this ordinance shall be guilty of a Class C felony.”

Associate commissioner Doug Williams said the measure is intended to keep registered sex offenders out of the way of locations—such as parks where children often play with limited supervision— that could invite repeat offenses.

"It's a statewide trend to protect our children, and we're using our ability as a legislative body to do this," Williams said. "We don't want sex offenders around our children."

Graves agreed, saying the law should help supplement existing laws by equipping local enforcement with a local ordinance that carries more weight.

“If there’s something lacking in the laws we have, then I’m all for giving law enforcement some more teeth in a law that allows them to do something where we’re having problems,” he said. “At Sportsman Lake in particular, we now have more and more children coming around with all the improvements that have been made there, and we want to make sure this kind of problem doesn’t arise in the future.”

Cullman County operates five public parks: Smith Lake Park, Sportsman Lake Park, Clarkson Covered Bridge, Stoney Lonesome OHV Park and Lions’ Club Landing at Cold Springs. Graves said Tuesday the commission had not yet discussed how enforcement at Sportsman Lake Park, which is wholly within the city limits of Cullman, would be handled if the bill becomes law.