Denny Kimbrel - A Real Hero

Denny Kimbrel's life changed forever on November 29, 1999, at 6:37 a.m. From that day forward, Denny and his wife Johnnie have been staunch advocates for victims' rights, but it's not a role that either of them wanted.

After a night of smoking crack cocaine, George Soule' III visited his grandfather Dan Glenn to obtain more money. After receiving $20.00, Soule' left his grandparents' home Wakefield in the Court Walk section of Downtown Florence in search of more drugs. Traveling south on Cox Creek Parkway, Soule' ran a red light at the Florence Boulevard intersection, killing Darryl Keith Kimbrel, the only child of Denny and Johnnie.

It took three months for authorities to locate and arrest Soule'. On August 24, 2000, a jury convicted the 27 year-old of murder and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Soule' later claimed ineffective council; however, an appeals court rejected Soule's claim, finding defense attorney Kathryn A. King had provided an adequate defense in the case. Soule', the son of singer George Soule', is currently incarcerated in a Decatur work release facility.

Now, Denny Kimbrel is the president of the local VOCAL chapter and has been named the organization's Alabama volunteer of the year. Denny and his wife not only provide assistance to victims' families, they're a regular fixture at most murder trials in the three-county area. Denny has worked with us since the early days of this blog, providing us invaluable information and helping present victims' stories to the public.

Congratulations, DK. We know it was a job you never wanted, but no one could be more deserving of this award than you.

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A bear in Belgreen? Check out this Facebook page and be sure to report any sightings. Of course, it may be in hiding until after the June 1st primary.

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Trader will be at MUG.com today during the lunch hour. Cindy is inviting everyone to meet the food critic and have their pictures made. If there are enough photos, we'll do a special blog. MUG.com is located on Woodward Avenue in Muscle Shoals and offers a diverse menu. See you there.


Shoalanda