The Fate of Lloyd Hollis Hayes

As Lloyd Hollis Hayes sat in the Florence-Lauderdale Detention Center awaiting bond, he called Florence Fire Chief Charlie Cochran to express the love he had for his job, or more to the point, his former job. Employed under the Civil Service Act, Hayes was entitled to a due-process disciplinary hearing over which Cochran would preside. The fire chief stated at the time that friendship with Hayes would not influence him in his decision.

On January 25, 2002, Cochran heard three hours of testimony in Hayes' hearing, after which he recommended the former fire marshal be placed on leave without pay until the charges against him were adjudicated. Hayes was luckier during his hearing in District Court three months later.

District Judge Deborah Bell Paseur dropped the seven charges relating to distribution of child pornography since no money changed hands in the transfer of the images. Now, Hayes faced only three counts of possession of obscene material.

Hayes later agreed to a plea bargain in which two of the three remaining charges were dropped. Judge Mike Jones sentenced the former firefighter to a 30 month sentence. Under the agreement, Hayes wore an ankle monitor for nine months, while spending two years on probation. His defense attorney was quick to point out that the children pictured on Hayes' computers were not local. Well, thank goodness they were only children from third world countries.

Today Lloyd Hollis Hayes remains on the sex offender list, as he will for the remainder of his life unless current sex offender laws change drastically. It's a dismal ending for a once bright future; however, once he reaches the age of 60, Hayes will begin to draw his state retirement--our tax dollars at work.


Shoalanda

Child Pornography; Does Punishment Suit the Crime?

Possess computer images of adults in various states of sexual interaction and, while it may be sickening to some, it's not a crime. Possess photos of children in the same state, and you can go to prison for up to twenty years--in some states, the sentence is life.

For legal purposes, children are defined as being under 18 years of age, but most who are so horribly used, and even raped, for the gratification of those willing to pay for such images, are much younger. Florence Fire Marshal Lloyd Hayes agreed to plead to the charges on which he was indicted, so only those who were part of the legal investigation, prosecution, and defense know exactly what was on both Hayes' home computer and the computer provided him at work by the City of Florence.

From the July 17, 2007, New York Times:

Experts have often wondered what proportion of men who download explicit sexual images of children also molest them. A new government study of convicted Internet offenders suggests that the number may be startlingly high: 85 percent of the offenders said they had committed acts of sexual abuse against minors, from inappropriate touching to rape.

While Hayes may be part of the 15% (3 out of 20) who did not act on his fantasies, he was at least so addicted to child pornography that he risked his job, a very well-paying job, by keeping at least part of his pornographic collection stored on his computer at the Florence Fire Department. When a routine audit on January 11, 2002, discovered the illicit images, police also confiscated his home computer, finding more of the same.

The City of Florence placed the 45 year-old Hayes on paid administrative leave on Tuesday January 15th, a day after the fire marshal was arrested on three counts of possession of child pornography and seven counts of distribution of the same. His bail was 50K, not a difficult amount for someone in Hayes' income bracket to produce.

A short time later, Lloyd Hollis Hayes' status was changed to unpaid administrative leave; and his wife filed for divorce. If Hayes was to salvage anything from his downfall, he was going to need a lot of luck and a great legal defense.

Tomorrow: Aftermath

Shoalanda

From Fire Chief to Fire Marshal to Child Pornographer

Note: Recent events concerning the Lauderdale EMA and various local fire departments have increased our mail concerning these entities. No matter how we feel about the charges now being flung at the EMA director, we are strong supporters of all local fire departments. In answer to their requests, we now begin a series of columns on Lloyd Hayes.


In May 1984, the Killen Fire Department of thirty plus volunteers announced that 28 year-old Capt. Lloyd Hollis Hayes was their new chief--for the second time since the previous December. A spokesman for the department would say only that the small group was a victim of internal problems. Now, Hayes was on his way to a successful career that lasted 18 years.

Married to the former Carol Lynn Mason Gresham, Hayes was the father of two young children and by 1989 had joined the Florence Fire Department where he served as captain. In 1994, Hayes ascended in rank to fire marshal, a position he held until he was terminated in 2002.

As part of his role with the Florence department, Hayes regularly participated in childrens' learning activities during National Fire Prevention Week each October. Hayes himself announced that the Florence program involved reaching young children not just in local public schools, but day care facilities as well. At the state level, Hayes helped establish youth groups connected to various fire organizations.

If Lloyd Hollis Hayes was unduly concerned with children, no one seemed to notice until January 2002. It was at that time the City of Florence conducted a routine audit of municipal computers. No one expected to find what appeared on Hayes' computer.

Tomorrow: Child pornography


Shoalanda

Hospital Wars

After Hospice Wars, could Hospital Wars lurk far behind? Sadly, the cans of roach spray and lawsuits by the TimesDaily do nothing to instill confidence in our local health care system. It's not 1910, and physicians no longer accept pigs or chickens in lieu of cash payments. Blue Cross/Blue Shield dictate payments for medical care--care that costs thousands of dollars.

If it's already this bad, can you imagine what it will be like when ECM actually requests a CON for its new hospital? It might even rival...Cherokee.

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A few years ago, Littleville predicted the demise of their small town if Russellville should go wet; now they're more optimistic. Liquor sales provide approximately one-third of all Littleville tax revenue, but just what have alcohol sales brought this southern Colbert County town? Since going wet circa 1980, the town has a new city hall, but not exactly a plethora of other new municipal facilities.

As for private enterprise, the town has seen a new car wash, Dollar General Store, satellite television service, and a family clinic complete with reader board that advertises "Skinny Pills." From liquor mecca to diet mecca? It just might work.

*****

Remember the old Florence Courthouse? Unfortunately, this particular post card is no longer available, but you may easily download the image for wallpaper: Link

Shoalanda

The Truth About Hottie Scottie

Isn't it funny how various paths in our lives cross at unexpected times? Yesterday, Carole Coil Medley won a hard fought election against Florence Municipal Judge James E. Hall II. I personally supported Carole, but if Judge Hall had won the election, I would have still felt the Lauderdale District Judgeship was in more than capable hands.

My pressing problem in that case would have been whether to support Janice Keeton or Marshall Gardner as his replacement (I had friends lobbying on both sides). Now, I'm sure Florence City Court is safe with Judge Hall for at least two more years.

Due to the elections and the problems facing Lauderdale EMA, this blog has been lax concerning various public announcements, causing a friend to inquire why the Community Health Fair was overlooked this year. My apologies to this wonderful effort combining the forces of the Community Health Clinic and the UNA School of Nursing. While it was too late to advertise the clinic, I did ask my friend to inquire concerning the status of Andrew Daniel Scott, aka Hottie Scottie, supposedly a student at the CON.

According to two faculty members, Scott never made it to the actual College of Nursing, although he probably did take some preparatory courses. One instructor for the small college (they accept approximately 50 applicants each year), said specifically they didn't want someone with Scott's record in their college. If this information should be in error, I'm sure Mr. Roger Scott, Andrew's father, will immediately contact this blog. Judging by the above poster condemning a fine attorney/judge, Scott is still in denial concerning his son's actions.

Most of Andrew Daniel Scott's supporters on his Facebook "Cause" page appear to be relatives or young individuals who simply failed to check the facts in the case before joining this more than misguided effort. I'm personally thankful that the Shoals area has attorneys and judges (yes, even Jimmy Sandlin) who support a two parent home, a home in which parents manage to stay off drugs, stay out of jail, and know the responsibilities of parenthood involve more than simply being a sperm donor.

The caption on the poster Roger Scott created reads: What you fight for tells everyone about your character. It certainly does; as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.

For more info on Andrew Daniel Scott:

Who Are Rylan's Real Parents?

"Soylent Green" Still Has Some Lessons for Us

Andrew Daniel Scott of Killen Arrested

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We understand an in depth article on the Lauderdale EMA will appear in The Connection tomorrow.



Shoalanda

Congratulations & Caveats

Congratulations to Lynn Greer, Chad Holden, Carole Coil Medley, and Shannon Oliver on victories in well-fought races. Other election results remain more nebulous.

Who will run for Lauderdale County Commission Chairman? We've already received several e-mails that Rhea Tayls Fulmer will be the first to cast her hat into the ring; we hope this part time position will lure several more learned candidates as well.

Liquor in Rogersville? As of right now, only one vote separates the Yes and No votes. Among those heading the "No" forces was Morris T. Lentz who worked tirelessly to keep Rogersville dry. Shanna Reed Dudley, a major force for the wet vote, did her cause no good with the, shall we say colorful, language she used to describe her opponents. She walks in beauty as the night...at the longshoreman's ball.

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It was a very close contest between Greg Burdine and Quinton Hanson. Perhaps Mr. Hanson should request some of his fees back on the ads in which the announcer couldn't pronounce "Yorkshire."

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Music Fell on Alabama? Get the definitive text on Amazon: Link




Shoalanda

Tax & Spend ? Vote Wisely!

Tax and Spend

By J. J. Ray

The national trend is to give the liberal Democrats their walking papers. That is great in Washington but what about Montgomery? We have one of the highest tax bases in the US, 19th in energy cost, and tax on groceries. If it can be taxed, Alabama will tax it. Twenty-five percent of the gambling revenue from neighboring states comes from the citizens of Alabama. Maybe they can find a way to penalize that. Add one of the highest corruption rates in the country and there you have it, the Democrats in power.

Oddly, we keep sending the same politicians back to Montgomery to continue pillaging our meager incomes. The tax, tax and spend Democrats have been in power for over 160 years. When will we learn our lesson? When will good-ole-boy politics end? We have a slight chance this election to tell Montgomery no more taxes and we want some prosperity. Our unemployment rate is one of the highest. All of those plants that the politicians said would never leave are gone.

Yet the same Democrats are in power. When will our elected Democrats do something for Northwest Alabama besides our billion dollar white elephant in Barton? The TV is full of lip service but no action. The Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Huntsville areas do get new industry. We get white elephants and golf courses.

Is it not time to tell these hypocritical Democrats enough is enough? We need some real leadership here in the Shoals and all of Northwest Alabama. On the other hand, are we destined to stay the red-headed stepchild who occasionally gets a few scraps thrown at us?

How can the rest of the country tell the Democrats we are mad as hell and we are not going to take this anymore? Yet we sit on our duffs and say go-ahead break it off in us some more. Go to Montgomery and pass another big pay increase we do not mind the scraps and poverty.

For the first time we have a slim chance of moving into the twenty-first century. When you go to vote on Tuesday the second, remember we have a duty to not only our children but also our grandchildren and ourselves. Are we going to leave them more of the same?

On the other hand, are we going to give them a future of a realistic life or just a meager existence? Vote wisely.

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An October Lauderdale County Grand Jury failed to indict Chasity Shook in the June shooting death of her husband Scott. The fact that Chasity's attorney allowed her to testify on her own behalf speaks volumes concerning her innocence.


Did you know? Over 50% of all adults in the United States did not have the right to vote until 1920?

Shoalanda