"Our Goal...Was to Convict Everett Gamble of a Felony"

The above statement was made by Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly. Just why is Everett Carter Gamble such a danger to the general population that Connolly was determined to convict him of a felony?

Carter Gamble is a Florence native, a family man who resides with his wife Willa in Windsor Heights, a United States Postal worker, and until last March, a man who had never had a serious brush with the law. In fact, Gamble is related by marriage to a former Florence police chief--not the sort of chap one would expect the District Attorney's office to be hellbent on convicting of a felony.

However, last March 21st Gamble suffered a serious lapse in judgment. A 27 year-old male owed Gamble a sizable amount of money, and the 59 year-old Gamble had not been able to collect it. Arming himself with an unloaded handgun, Gamble visited the younger man at this home in Northwood Hills. There the debtor and his wife attacked Gamble with a baseball bat. Both men were injured, but Gamble required extended treatment in Huntsville.

Gamble was initially charged with attempted first degree robbery and third degree assault, but on the advice of his attorney, chose to take a best interest plea, admitting to the third degree assault charge, for which he will receive probation.

Obviously, Everett Carter Gamble, now 60, made a bad choice--a terrible choice. Did Gamble deserve to be convicted of a felony? What of the younger man and his wife? Why were no charges filed against them? What are the missing facts here? Did Gamble's relationship to a former police chief sway the county prosecutor's office?

Do we think Gamble acted in a totally unacceptable manner? Yes. Do we think he deserved to be convicted of a felony? No.


What's up with this: We hear the town of Cherokee is now sponsoring wrestling matches. Think any felony convictions will come out of this latest incident?

Shoalanda