Subway on University robbed

On December 16 a subway clerk reported a black male wearing a dark blue hoody and dark sweat pants entered the store around one am and indicated he had a weapon, an OPD press release said.

The subway attendant said the suspect was around 40 years old. The suspect ordered the clerk to hand over money from the register. The suspect fled on foot.

Oxford Police have made no arrests and have no clear suspect, Police chief Martin said.

Bonner indicted in track stars murder

A Mississippi grand jury handed down an indictment against former Northwest Community College student Christian Bonner for the September 29th shooting death of Ole Miss track star Rodney Lockhart.

Bonner faces capital murder charges because Lockhart died during the course of a robbery, the indictment alleges.

An indictment from a grand jury basically means there is enough evidence for the prosecutors to got to trial. The grand jury convened last week but did not file the indictment with the Lafayette County circuit court office until Wednesday.

Lockhart was found in his Taylor Pointe apartment off Anderson by a friend. He was dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

Bonner was picked up on October 5th for possession of cocaine and charged on October 8th with capital murder. Bonner has been in Lafayette County Detention Center since his arrest.

OPD busts two during traffic stop

OPD police captain Libby Lytle pulled over Kao Wokoma and Cahafer William Benjamin because she suspected they were involved in a recent burglary, the OPD reported Thursday.

During the stop Lytle discovered approximately ten pounds of "alleged" marijuana and four ounces of "alleged" cocaine the report said.

Wokoma ran track for Ole Miss in 2004.

"Both subjects were arrested by metro narcotics and are awaiting a bond hearing." the report said.

Ole Miss student dies before finals

Ole Miss freshman Sean O'Hara died Sunday night at his Sterling apartment. He was found by his girlfirend of two years, Kathryn Powell.

Powell said she found him dead on the floor of his apartment. They were planning to go out to dinner for her 21st birthday.

The cause of O'Hara's death is unknown at this time. He had no known pre-existing condition, Powell said. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death, Powell said.

"I will always love him, and he will be greatly missed. I feel as if I lost my other half. I still have old notes, pictures, gifts, and the promise ring he gave me," Powell said.

There were no signs of a struggle or any other foul play, said Oxford Police Chief Mike Martin. Calls to Lafayette County coroner Lonnie Weaver have not been returned.

Provost to step down in January

The University of Mississippi will soon be looking for a new provost.

Carolyn Staton, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Mississippi, has announced that she will step down from her position in January, according to a university press release.

Chancellor Robert Khayat has chosen Morris Stocks, senior vice chancellor for planning and operations, to serve as interim provost beginning January 1. Stocks has formerly served as dean of the School of Accountancy and associate provost.

“The entire university community is indebted to Carolyn for her many years of faithful service to the University both as a member of the law school faculty and an administrator,” Khayat said.

Staton’s resignation is the first step in her retirement plans, which will culminate in her full retirement from the university June 30, 2008. The provost announced her plans to retire earlier this year.

Staton has served as provost since 1999.

Lieutenant Governor decided

Phil Bryant (R) elected Lieutenant Governor, according to the AP.

Attorney general, Secretary of State results

According to the AP:

Jim Hood (D) is re-elected as Attorney General.
Delbert Hosemann (R) wins Secretary of State.

More to come.

18 of 18 precincts reporting, absentee and affidavit remain uncounted

All 18 of the 18 precincts of Lafayette County are now counted and have been announced. There are about 500 absentee and affidavit votes left to be counted, but they aren't expected to finish until well into the night.

Here are the totals, less the absentee and affidavit votes.

Local elections:

Supervisor, District 1:
Brewer (R): 645
Pickens (D): 1001
Montgomery(I): 77

Supervisor, District 4:
Wells (R): 682
Oliphant (D): 1143
Montgomery: 77

Superintendent of Education:
Davis (R): 1110
Foster (D): 2496

Statewide elections:

Governor:
Barbour (R): 5288
Eaves (D): 2562

Lt. Governor
Bryant (R): 4908
Franks (D): 3010

Secretary of State:
Hosemann (R): 4496
Smith (D): 3312

Attorney General:
Hopkins (R): 4106
Hood (D): 3788

State Auditor
Pickering (R): 4320
Sumrall (D): 3415

Insurance Commissioner:
Chaney (R): 4709
Anderson (D): 3117

Agriculture Commissioner:
Spell (R): 3779
Cole (D): 3289
Riley (I): 662

State Representative, District 12:
Akins (R): 2183
Payne (D): 1358

For the complete story, check The Daily Mississippian Wednesday morning.

State returns start coming in

While Online Editor Zachary Wilson fills you in as returns come in from Lafayette County elections, I'm posted in The DM newsroom to provide information on the returns from the state races, courtesy of the Associated Press. Here's the latest:

Haley Barbour (R) has been re-elected as governor.
Tate Reeves (R) has won the race for state treasurer.

Here are the statistical breakdowns for the governor's race and other statewide elections, so far:

Governor

370 of 1,899 precincts - 19 percent

Haley Barbour, GOP (i) 49,496 - 56 percent

John Arthur Eaves, Dem 38,742 - 44 percent

Lieutenant Governor

370 of 1,899 precincts - 19 percent

Phil Bryant, GOP 49,858 - 57 percent

Jamie R. Franks, Dem 37,711 - 43 percent

Secretary of State

31 of 1,899 precincts - 2 percent

Delbert Hosemann, GOP 3,627 - 58 percent

Robert Smith, Dem 2,613 - 42 percent

Attorney General

31 of 1,899 precincts - 2 percent

Jim Hood, Dem (i) 3,565 - 56 percent

Al Hopkins, GOP 2,777 - 44 percent

Auditor

31 of 1,899 precincts - 2 percent

Stacey Pickering, GOP 3,365 - 54 percent

Mike Sumrall, Dem 2,907 - 46 percent

Treasurer

31 of 1,899 precincts - 2 percent

Tate Reeves, GOP (i) 3,872 - 62 percent

Shawn O'Hara, Dem 2,343 - 38 percent

Agriculture Commissioner

31 of 1,899 precincts - 2 percent

Lester Spell, GOP (i) 3,332 - 52 percent

Rickey Cole, Dem 2,548 - 40 percent

Paul Riley, CST 554 - 9 percent

Insurance Commissioner

31 of 1,899 precincts - 2 percent

Mike Chaney, GOP 3,803 - 60 percent

Gary Anderson, Dem 2,507 - 40 percent

I'll post updated information as it comes across the wire. Stay tuned!

The votes begin to trickle in...

As of about fifteen minutes ago, votes from seven of the 18 precincts in Lafayette County have been counted, according to Mary Alice Busby, Lafayette County circuit clerk. Busby said she expects it to be a late night, possibly as late as 1 a.m. or 2 a.m.

Republican Haley Barbour currently leads the race for Mississippi governor over Democrat John Arthur Eaves, Jr., in Lafayette County, though the number doesn't include absentee or affidavit ballots.

Several of the local candidates are present in the Lafayette County Chancellery Court building as the vote totals come in. Word around the court is that voting turnout was low statewide, but there are no numbers available to confirm it yet.

As the voting ends

It's 6:30 p.m. and the polls are about to close. Check The DM Newsblog throughout the night for voting updates, then read tomorrow's edition of The Daily Mississippian for complete coverage. Also, tune in to 92.1 Rebel Radio for vote updates as they happen.

Ed and Becky Meek revealed as donors for new School of Journalism

Chancellor Robert Khayat announced to the department of journalism advisory board Friday morning that Becky and Ed Meek, former assistant vice chancellor for public relations and marketing and associate professor of journalism at the University of Mississippi, are the donors of $5.3 million to fund the creation of the new School of Journalism at Ole Miss.

"The concept for the school is so exciting," Ed Meek said in a university press release. "It's going to create an academic program in journalism that stays ahead of the curve, looks into the future and returns to the curriculum an interdisciplinary approach that will give students a wide range of options."

Approval for the Edwin Meek School of Journalism is still pending with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. A press conference to announce the donation will be held today at 11:30 a.m. on the steps of Farley Hall. Check out Monday's edition of The Daily Mississippian for updates.

Daniel Cummings pleads guilty to manslaughter

The original capital murder charges against Daniel Cummings were reduced to manslaughter by culpable negligence shortly after 9 a.m. today because of a motion by the prosecutor, according to The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal blog.

Cummings pleaded guilty to manslaughter and Daily Mississippian photographer Ryan Moore confirmed that Cummings has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for manslaughter.

Retired UM Professor Dies

Michael Louis Harrington, former professor of philosophy and chairman of the Department of Philosophy from 1999 to 2005, passed away this week while in Portland, Ore., where he was born 63 years ago.

A University media release said that Harrington, who retired from the university last year as professor emeritus, joined the Ole Miss faculty as assistant professor in 1970. He is survived by his wife, Mary Mathison Harrington; two daughters, Elizabeth Harrington and Emily Harrington; and two brothers, Peter Harrington of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Lee Harrington of Washington, D.C.

Funeral arrangements are still pending and will be announced by the Coleman Funeral Home in Oxford. Memorials can be made to the Heifer Foundation of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Cummings denied continuance

The murder trial of Daniel Cummings will continue as planned after Cumming's lawyer Steve Farese Sr. was denied a continuance by Lafayette County Circuit Judge Henry Lackey. Farese asked for the continuance in order to review new discovery materials and negotiate with the prosecution.

Cummings, a former University of Mississippi student from Germantown, Tenn., is charged with the murder of University Police Department officer Robert Langley, who died from head injuries after allegedly being thrown from Cummings' vehicle during a routine traffic stop from which Cummings tried to flee. Cummings was denied bond last November.

Cummings has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder charge. The prosecution is not seeking the death penalty at the request of Langley's family.

Beta Theta Pi fraternity sanctioned for alcohol violations leading to student death

According to a university press release, the Dean of Students office found that members of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity violated the university alcohol policy by purchasing and distributing alcohol Sept. 15, the night freshman Bradley Jameson fell 12 feet from a tree in the backyard of the Beta house and died.

Sanctions imposed against the fraternity include probation through December 2008, 400 hours of community service and social probation through the 2007-08 school year. The chapter must also participate in programs concerning alcohol education and ethical development education.

In addition, the fraternity has the option of paying a $1,000 fine or coordinating a campuswide alcohol education program.

During the investigation, the office also determined the fraternity provided a common source of alcohol, lacked organizational control of alcohol and used chapter funds for alcohol purchase, all violations of the alcohol policy.

Beta Theta Pi was also charged with disregard of university authority because they misled university officials by denying the presence of alcohol at the chapter house and withheld information concerning the investigation, the press release said.

Coroner: Lockhart died from gunshot to head

According to the Associated Press, Lafayette county coroner Lonnie Weaver said Lockhart died from a gunshot wound to the head. He added that there were no other wounds on his body. The autopsy was performed Sunday.

Check The Daily Mississippian Newsblog for updates as they become available and pick up Monday's copy of The DM for the full story.

UM student identified as Rodney Lockhart

The victim of today's shooting has been identified as Rodney Lockhart. According to a University press release, Lockhart, 20, was a junior psychology major and a member of the Ole Miss track team. He was from Vaiden, Miss.

"We are deeply saddened by Rodney's death," said UM Head Track Coach Joe Walker in the news release. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Rodney's family and friends."

UM student found dead, homicide being investigated

According to a news release from the University Police Dept., officers from the Oxford Police Dept. and a team from the Baptist Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service were dispatched to Taylor Pointe Apartments on Anderson Road Saturday morning just after 10 a.m. in response to a 911 call concerning an unresponsive person. The victim was found to be shot and county coroner Lonnie Weaver pronounced the victim dead on the scene.

Upon further investigation, The Daily Mississippian has learned the victim is an Ole Miss student. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and OPD and are investigating the homicide, and no further information is being released by OPD at this time.