Mark McBryer & Chad Pate: Obstruction of Justice?

Since the Quad-Cities Daily reported that an Alabama Marine Patrol report on the Shoal Creek boat crash may have been falsified, our inbox has been full of comments and questions. Is it possible to know anything before the grand jury hearing on Tuesday? No.

There are three possibilities:

1. Mark Lee McBryer was indeed the operator of the boat as stated in the final ALEA report.

2. Mark Lee McBryer lied to investigators including Lt. Chad Pate, who either suspected something was amiss or who was informed of the switcheroo by an informant.

3. Mark Lee McBryer lied to investigators and paid Lt. Chad Pate to ask no questions, only being found out when an informant went to either Pate's superiors or the Lauderdale County District Attorney's Office.

If McBryer did obstruct justice, what would be the penalty? Obstruction of Justice is a Class C felony punishable by 1 to ten years in prison. As for Lt. Pate, he would surely lose his job and face severe legal consequences as well.

Even if McBryer took a plea that allowed him to avoid prison, would you want to do business with AllSouth Home Improvement? Obviously most people wouldn't. What a tangled web this has become...

This Investigation Is Making Russellville Look Good!