This is our friendly letter to the editor writer I told ya'll about earlier. Enjoy:
Bell says Oak Tree shooting was first,
but Bell was shot in “rear end” in ‘04
By Tommy McGraw
Publisher/Editor
Oak Tree Lounge owner Jesse E. Bell has challenged the factual basis of a story that appeared in the Sumter County Record Journal (SCRJ) on Sept. 6, 2007.
Bell is also a, “proud father and dedicated teacher and coach with the Demopolis High School System,” according to the letter to the editor he faxed to the Record Journal from the Demopolis Middle School on Oct. 3 at 7:50 a.m.
The Demopolis Middle school dateline was printed at the top of one page and the bottom of another page that was received at the SCRJ's office. The letter is printed in its entirety on page 2-A of this edition.
Bell also criticizes the Sumter County Sheriff's Department for their lack of security at the nightclub that is located at 666 Mundy Rd. in the Coatopa Community.
Bell alleges that the shooting August 31, 2007 where one of his security guards was shot in the forearm was the, “first shooting incident,” ever at the Coatopa Community nightclub. Bell writes, “Let the facts be known about the Oak Tree Lounge. After being in business for 16 years, this establishment experienced its first shooting incident on its premises where an individual was injured on August 31,2007.”
Contrary to Bell's statements, the SCRJ has reported at least two other shootings at or near the club where three other people including Bell, the owner was shot.
The Record-Journal reported in the Thursday, June 12, 1997 edition that three Birmingham residents were arrested in connection with a, “drive-by shooting,” at the Oak Tree Lounge.
Two people were injured in that shooting. The two were Tequila Bell of Livingston and Mark Wright of Coatopa. The news story written by former SCRJ reporter, Judi Johnston, reported that both victims suffered gun shot wounds to their legs. Tequila Bell was treated and later released from Hill Hospital while Wright was taken to Bryan Whitfield Hospital in Demopolis and treated for the gunshot wounds.
Johnston interviewed sheriff's department personnel and wrote: “The shooting incident apparently occurred after a fight had previously taken place in front of the lounge.”
Sheriff Department Deputies including, Sheriff Johnny Hatter, arrested three people that were in a white, Monte Carlo Chevrolet that had fired on the two people at the club.
The three arrested were listed in the report as Voshon Rose, Kenneth Rice and Kelvin Rice, all of Birmingham.
All three were charged with Assault, First Degree at the time of the arrests. One of those arrested had been treated earlier in the night at the Greene County Hospital in Eutaw according to Hatter.
Hatter said Ronald Rice was treated at the Eutaw Hospital from wounds he received in a fight at the Coatopa lounge prior to the shooting at approximately 2:47 a.m.
The second shooting and the third victim that was injured by gunfire was actually the owner of the Coatopa nightclub, Jesse E. Bell.
Bell ended his letter by writing, “Further more, Mr. Bell was a victim of a robbery, not a shot [shoot] out. The next time you write an article make sure that all of your facts are correct!”
In the news story that ran on Sept. 6, 2007, the SCRJ reported that Bell had been a victim of a shooting years earlier at the club during a robbery.
Bell denied in the letter to the editor that he had been shot, but according to his sworn statement compiled in an interview by former Sheriff's Deputy Stan Boutwell on May 25, 2004, Bell told officers that he had been shot.
The SCRJ reported in the May, 27, 2004 edition of the newspaper that Bell was a victim of a robbery and was shot in the, “rear end.” First responders to the scene reported to the sheriff's deputies, “the owner of the Oak Tree lounge had been shot in the rear end.” They also reported, “he was up walking around and doesn't appear to be in any immediate danger.”
Bell was transported to Rush Hospital in Meridian for treatment according to the sheriff's department.
Bell said in his statement to Boutwell, “”I guess he was going to try and search my truck. or something. When he [second man holding a gun on Bell] got between us, I knew that the second guy with the gun on me couldn't shoot with his partner in the way, so I broke and ran for the back door. The door was open and I was almost inside when I was shot. It felt like I was on fire and it was like it paralyzed the side of my body. I fell on the floor and heard the first guy that had been talking the whole time say, “Man, what did you shoot him for?” Then I heard the truck crank up and drive away. I called my cousin lawyer, then I called 911, then I called my wife and my uncle George and his son. I didn't go back outside,”
Bell initialed the report signifying that it was true and correct statement.
Earlier in the interview Bell said he met with “Michelle [Sheppard], one of those arrested for robbing him.
“Bell told Boutwell, “On the night I was robbed, Michelle had asked me earlier in the night to borrow some money. I told her I would see her after the club closed. After the club closed everybody left and I went around front and told Michelle to come to the back of the building. We went inside for a little while and we came back out the back door about 3:30 a.m. When we walked out the back door, the young man with the .45 [caliber gun] came running up and put the gun to my nose.....”
Deputies arrested four suspects and charged them with Robbery, First Degree and Assault First Degree.
Those arrested in the case were Willy Bell Allen, Jr., 20 of Allenwood Lane, Jefferson; Jesse James Shepherd, 26, of 306 Earl Street, Demopolis; Michelle Lacetta Shepherd, 26, of 306 Earl Street, Demopolis; and Shimego Howell, 22, of 306 Earl Street, Demopolis.
Sheriff Johnny Hatter said Sheppard and Howell were acquitted in the trial. Both Allen and Jesse James Sheppard are currently still incarcerated for the robbery and shooting of Bell.
Also taken in the Robbery were the victim's vehicle, which was recovered by deputies shortly after the crime occurred and, “about $250.00,” in cash from the victim's pocket.
Bell wrote in his letter, “There was only one gunman firing shots and the sheriff's department only collected that gunman's shell casings. There were four shell casings found and 2 of which had been fired.”
Sumter County Deputy Sergeant Thomas Lewis and Sheriff Hatter in an interview Tuesday, Oct. 2 said that according to witnesses, more than two shots were fired at the club on the night of August 31, 2007. Lewis said he interviewed three different witnesses which all said more than two shots were fired.
Two men have been arrested for menacing because the person who got shot has not come back to Alabama to sign a warrant, said Hatter.
Junior Fluker, age unavailable, of Meridian, Miss., was shot twice. He was hit in the arm and waist according to the Incident Offense Report (I/O report).
Ronald Starling, 30, of Boligee was charged with menacing and could face an assault and other charges according to Sumter Sheriff Johnny Hatter.
Sergeant Lewis said that Fluker has not been questioned and seems to be avoiding deputies. Lewis said that they are still questioning other witnesses and more charges are likely from the shoot out that occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m.
Lewis said, one account that witnesses gave, is that all five security guards had weapons and came out firing following the initial first shots in the parking lot.
According to two witnesses, “Dominick Tavarius Smith of Demopolis approached Ronald Sterling with a small caliber handgun on his side they exchanged words, just before Ronald Starling pulled out a small caliber handgun and began to shoot toward Smith and Brandon Darnell Tabb.
“Security Guard Junior Fluker of Meridian, was exiting the club at the same time of the shooting when a bullet hit him in the right forearm and waist,” according to the I/O report.
In years past there have been other shootings at the club. The club's owner, Jesse Bell of Demopolis, suffered a gunshot wound in one of the incidents.
“All we can do now is charge them with the menacing charge,” said Lewis. The number Bell gave us to call Fluker, the security guard, has not been answered.” Lewis said they have not been able to identify the security guard by the name they were given by Bell.
Lewis and Hatter both said that Bell told then that Fluker may be on probation in Mississippi and was not supposed to be in Alabama during the time he was shot.
At least one of the witnesses told deputies they saw a security guard with a handgun. The witnesses said they could identify the security guards because they wore shirts that had the word “Security” printed on them.
Bell in his letter to the editor denied that his security guards carried guns. “The security [guards] that work at the Oak Tree Lounge to help secure the safety of the customers are not allowed to carry weapons. How could Mr. Fluker come out firing if he was shot in the initial first shots? This incident happened in a public parking lot. Mr. Fluker was helped back into the business by other security guards.”
Hatter and Lewis said the, “public parking lot,” Bell refers to is actually the parking lot that belongs to the Oak Tree Lounge. “There is not a public parking lot in Coatopa that I know of,” said Hatter
Bell also took Sheriff Johnny Hatter's Department to task for not, “serving the public.” Bell wrote: The job of the Sumter County Sheriff's department is to serve the public. The Oak Tree Lounge is a business for the public in a rural area in Sumter County. If there have been shootings in the past, then why hasn't the sheriff's department assisted the management of the Oak Tree Lounge to ensure that this kind of behavior is not tolerated.”
Hatter responded saying that the only time his department is called to the lounge is when there is a problem. Hatter said, his deputies had been told in the past that their presence at the lounge actually hurt Bell's business because deputies were present.”
Lewis said that during their investigation they learned that one of the Security Guards allowed a gun inside the nightclub the night of the shooting.
A witness told authorities that he was allowed to remove his clip from his gun before entering the club.
Hatter said, “no guns should be allowed inside the club, loaded or unloaded. The person could have extra bullets and just the presence of the weapon could cause a riot and stamped where many customers could be hurt or killed.”
Hatter said his department has answered many other incidents at the nightclub. The sheriff said there have also been auto accidents where people have been seriously injured or killed after leaving the club early in the morning.
Letter to the Editor:
OCT - 03 - 2007 07:50 AM DEMOPOLIS MIDDLE SCHOOL 334-289-2670
Note: This is response to the article written about the Oak Tree Lounge incident on August 31, 2007.
Let the facts be known about the Oak Tree Lounge. After being in business for 16 years, this establishment experienced its first shooting incident on its premises where an individual was injured on August 3 1,2007.
There was only one gunman firing shots and the sheriff department only collected that gunman's shell casing. There were 4 shell casings found, 2 of which had been fired.
Junior Fluker was shot one time in the right forearm where the bullet traveled through his forearm and exited through his side towards his back.
The Sumter Co. sheriffs department did not visit Mr. Fluker at Anderson
Hospital in Meridian, Ms for questioning. They were waiting for Mr. Fluker to come to the station. Mr. Fluker had major surgery and stayed in the hospital for 5 days. It was not possible for him to visit the station in a timely manner.
The security that works at the Oak Tree Lounge to help secure the safety of the customers are not allowed to carry weapons. How could Mr. Fluker come out firing if he was shot in the initial first shots? This incident happened in a public parking lot, Mr. Fluker was helped back into the business by the other security guards.
The job of the Sumter Co. sheriffs department is to serve the public. The Oak Tree Lounge is a business for the public in a rural area in Sumter Co. If there have been shootings in the past, then why hasn't the sheriff department assisted the management of the Oak Tree Lounge to ensure that this kind of behavior is not tolerated?
There is documentation showing where die owner of the Oak Tree Lounge has called the sheriff department for assistance in the past at closing time when customers would fire weapons into the air and shoot out car windows of parked cars at Hale's Body Shop upon leaving the business. The owner has not and is not receiving any assistance from the sheriff department.
These types of incidents will continue to take place until the sheriff department assists the management of the Oak Tree Lounge with this matter.
Mr. Jesse E. Bell is a proud father and a dedicated teacher and coach with the Demopolis City School system. He is also a loyal citizen and a tax payer in Sumter Co. To have his name placed in the paper along with some incorrect information adversely affects his character and standing in the community. Further more, Mr. Bell was a victim of a robbery, not a shot out.
The next time you write an article make sure that all of your facts are correct!
Management of Oak Tree Lounge
Signed,
Jesse E. Bell
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