Monday, May 7, 2012

Where & Why: Risner, Surratt, & Watkins


A reader has asked why Kenneth Eugene Risner, recently arrested for terrorism in Tuscumbia's Spring Park, is being held in the Florence-Lauderdale Detention Center. From what we can glean from contacts, Risner's original case of stalking stemmed from an arrest in Lauderdale County. On bond in that case, Risner was returned to Lauderdale County which held priority.

Another reader informs us that Risner's preliminary hearing in the Colbert case will be May 15th. He also still faces a similar stalking case in Franklin County.

Related post: Bad Boys--Risner

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Gerald Winston Surratt Jr. is free on bond after a recent arrest for sexual assault in Sheffield. Besides several DUIs, Surratt also has previous arrests for drug related crimes.

Sources state Surratt lived in Alpine Village owned by his uncle's family and where he did at least occasional work in property management. While he lived in Florence, his alleged crime was committed in Sheffield, where he was initially transferred before being released.

Several have asked if more charges may be forthcoming. We've not been able to get anyone to speak either on or off the record on this, but our take is Surratt would have already been arrested if he was connected to other crimes.

Related post: Two Lovely Houseguests

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Convicted rapist Amanda Duboise Watkins was sentenced to do ten years in prison and ten years on probation; however, she is currently serving her sentence in the Franklin County Jail, ostensibly because of prison overcrowding. Several readers have written to ask if Watkins is receiving preferential treatment since her parents and siblings reside in Franklin County.

We're not sure how this arrangement came to be, but we do know Colbert County Judge Jackie Hatcher had to approve any variations in normal procedure. Watkins will be serving the next ten years without opportunity for parole. We would expect her to be transferred eventually to a state facility.

Related post: Delmer & Amanda Duboise 


Note: Incorrect photo of Surratt has been obscured; for photo of Gerald Winston Surratt Jr., please see 5/10/12 blog.



Shoalanda

16 comments:

  1. The picture that you have of Gerald Surratt Jr is actually a picture of his father who died in 2004. Just thought you should know. And he is not out on bond, I called the colbert county jail and he is still there.

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    1. This is the booking photo provided by Colbert County Jail dated 4/29/12 at 9:10 p.m.

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    2. Correction: Sheffield City Police

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  2. I realize that this was the picture provided to you, but I just feel like colbert county shoud have released the right photo of him so people will know who this person is. The Hard Times also had this photo and one photo of him. So I think they are a little confused.

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  3. SS I don't think that's him. His dad did in fact die in a car wreck and they had the same name. I know his family and the picture I saw of him on whnt didn't look like that. I could be mistaken I just thought I'd let you know.

    Also about special treatment for Amanda Watkins, well I'm sure she'll be getting special treatment.I've know her family my whole life and they are well known in the community. I mean look at what her dad did and he was never arrested/tried for it.

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  4. Yea that for sure is his father... The pictures posted by WAAY 31 and Times Daily are correct...Dont know how Colbert County screwed that up... but I lived with "Jerry" for the past 10 months.. I have been having a bad gut feeling about him for the past few months, but was a little shocked to find out what he had actually been doing...

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. this picture needs to be OFF here. the pic you have is the wrong one! idc if you started a new stupid blog about him you need to delete this one!!! LET HIM REST IN PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and katie why did you stay with him and beg him back and stff if he was a threat to you? quit putting on a show. nobody cares.

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    1. Just a suggestion since we are happy to publish opposing comments that do not contain foul language, but you may be doing your brother's case more harm than good by commenting here.

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  6. well i dont need your suggestion i dont think so. looks like you would have said that to kaite all im doing is saying what i know is true i dont know what source or where you got your info but its all wrong. i know for a fact that he did not committ any crime in florence.

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  7. im not doing my brothers case any harm. I already have evidence on EVERYBODY thats said something about jerry. stuff off facebook everything. so comments like he better be tying the rope to the soap cuz we know where hes headed... yea got that... slander. he aint going anywhere. so im just saying this website is stupid.. none of this is anybodys business. im sure other families who have people on here dont like it. how would YOU like it if your brother was on here and it was false accusations and people commenting on it. or a pic of your father who has been passed for 8 years was on here. ? not good. On behalf of the Surratt family I am asking that you do not post false accusations on here. if you were a real blogger you would post FACTS not rumors. no wonder your just the "shoals blog".

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  8. First, we are not responsible for any Facebook comments or the dissemination of the wrong photo. Second, yes, it is the public's business when anyone, male or female, is accused of sexually attacking another person and is arrested for it. Our blog publishes not only facts, but opinions. That's why your opinion is published here--try having the "TimesDaily" publish your opinion of your brother's case.

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    1. ok, i was just saying the FB comment towards someone on here. Obviously you are resonsible for the picture because you havent removed it. How would you like it if a pic of your dad that has been dead for 8 years is on a website for people to talk about him.. take it off. I am family so i know the truth and nothing but the truth if you have any ? you can ask me. I do not have time for this. I just want my families name out of everyones mouths. We have been through enough. Thats all I am trying to say. Just because Jerry has been charged of sexual assault does not mean he is convicted of it yet.. cant wait til he gets out SOOON so he can see all this ;) bye for noww.

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    2. We have obscured the incorrect photo. You should note that it remains on other online sites. We are happy to do this, but since we don't do our own special effects, we could not honor your request immediately. CT

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    3. My intentions wasn't to start a battle on here... so I would like to apologize to "Shoalanda Speaks", I am not even going to comment on the above opinions about me, I am a little more mature than that. All I wanted was to get the correct picture of him on here, and that happened. So I am happy and thank you for doing so. :)

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  9. Its sad that when someone does something it is all over here and the news.People keep up with court dates and everything else but when charges get dropped against people nothing is ever said. Know one knows but the 2 people involved when something happens. There is 2 sides to every story but no one wonts to her the 2nd story they just believe what they hear from only one party. People are not guilty until convicted but in Florence Alabama they are always guilty.I was charged with stalking Barbie Kennedy but what others did not know is all the proof I had that I was not I had and still have text messages phone calls video of her walking into a motel on 2 separate occasion. People did not want to see where she was begging me to come back telling me she would come get me and hide me at her home. They also do not know that when I was wearing a ankle monitor that I was staying at her new home in Tuscumbia. Yes all of this was going on while I was supposed to be stalking her. The only reason she did not want it to go to court was she did not want anyone knowing that we were still together. She even wrote 2 letters asking for the charges to be dropped. I even have those. To this day she still tries to get in touch with me but I refuse to have anything to do with her ever again. People im on facebook if you wont to see just what kind of a person she is the message me and I will show you all of the text and phone calls. And tell her to leave me alone and get on with her pathetic life. she is nothing but trouble and always will be.

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