Region Digest: Court overturns teen's conviction

GILMER COUNTY, GA.

Court overturns teen's conviction

The conviction of a Gilmer County teenager for the murder of her mother was reversed by the Georgia Supreme Court.

The court's unanimous opinion Tuesday found that a Gilmer County court abused its discretion by allowing "inflammatory evidence" that suggested the girl held satanic beliefs.

Debra Boring's 15-year-old daughter was arrested two months after Boring was found dead in the front doorway of their home in December 2005 with a gunshot wound to the back of her head, and she was convicted after a two-week trial.

The court found that the evidence was enough to conclude that the teenager was guilty of the crimes, but took issue with prosecutors' characterization of her "gothic lifestyle."

Prosecutors have the option to retry the girl.

RINGGOLD, Ga.

Franks is special investigator

Ringgold resident Randall Franks has been appointed to serve temporarily as special consumer investigator in the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner to help residents affected by the April storms to resolve disputes with their insurance companies.

For the next few weeks, Franks will visit the County Administration Building, 71 Case Ave., in Trenton, Ga., from 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday and the County Administration Building in Ringgold, 800 LaFayette St., from 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

He will answer questions and assist consumers with any insurance problems they are experiencing as a result of storm damage, according to a news release.

Franks has worked to aid consumers at disaster centers in Ringgold, Trenton and Rock Spring, Ga. He is past chairman of Catoosa Citizens for Literacy, which helps people learning to read and to pursue GED certification at its Catoosa County Learning Center near Ringgold. He also is president of the Share America Foundation Inc., which provides the Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship to musicians continuing the traditional music of Appalachia.

For more information, call the Consumer Services Division at 404-656-2070 or 1-800-656-2298.

ALTAMONT, Tenn.

Grundy holds jail project workshop

The Grundy County Commission will meet at 6 p.m. CDT today at the county courthouse for a work session on a feasibility study and needs assessment for the county jail.

The study and assessment produced two proposals ranging from $7 million to more than $10 million, including a plan for a new 95- to 100-bed jail and sheriff's offices and another plan that calls for a complete justice center. Architect Vance Travis of Chattanooga-based TWH Architects will be on hand for a presentation and to answer questions, officials said.

Grundy officials are looking at two sites: one next to the courthouse and the other the old Altamont Shirt Factory property, about one block east.

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