Pubdate: Tue, 24 Jul 2001
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph (WV)
Copyright: 2001 Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Contact:  http://www.bdtonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1483
Author: Charles Owens

RICHLANDS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FELONY HOMICIDE IN OVERDOSE

TAZEWELL, Va. - In a case that has captured national attention, a Richlands 
man pleaded guilty Monday to a charge of felony homicide in connection with 
a fatal OxyContin overdose. Robert Maurice Stallard, 43, of No. 58, Oxford 
Square Apartments, Richlands, was arrested last year after being indicted 
by the county's grand jury on charges that he supplied the drugs that 
killed Nicholas Keith Dickerson, 40, of No. 66, Oxford Square Apartments, 
and then dumped the man's body. Stallard was charged with felony homicide, 
distribution of oxycodone, a schedule II controlled substance, and 
disposing of a dead body.

Stallard entered the guilty plea Monday just minutes before he was 
scheduled to stand trial on the charges before Tazewell County Circuit 
Court Judge Donald Mullins.

Mullins agreed to take the guilty plea under advisement, and ordered a 
pre-sentencing report. A sentencing date was scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 
28. The Commonwealth will present evidence during the sentencing hearing 
and the court will then rule on the range of sentencing. The man faces a 
minimum conviction of manslaughter and a maximum conviction of felony homicide.

"We certainly feel this is felony murder," Lee said. "We are going to ask 
for a conviction of felony murder and a penitentiary sentence."

The proceedings in Circuit Court were filmed by a television crew from the 
cable network HBO. The network is filming a documentary on the abuse of the 
prescription painkiller in Southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia, 
which is expected to be aired later this year. Lee said the investigation 
is believed to be Virginia's first murder case related to an OxyContin 
overdose.

Lee said Stallard is alleged to have supplied Dickerson with a lethal 
amount of oxycodone, and is alleged to have assisted Dickerson in 
administering the drug. Lee said the drug was taken intravenously. The two 
were neighbors, and apparent acquaintances.

Authorities found Dickerson's body on the grounds of the apartment complex 
on Sept. 4., 2000. The state medical examiner's office in Roanoke 
determined the cause of death was an overdose of oxycodone.

When interviewed by authorities, Stallard gave four different accounts of 
what happened, Lee said. In fact, the original 911 call reporting 
Dickerson's death was made by Stallard. When he was initially interviewed 
by police, Stallard said Dickerson came to his apartment to use his 
telephone for the purpose of ordering pizza.

"Investigator Kevin Bales worked the crime scene and became very suspicious 
right off the bat about how the body was moved," Lee said. "The markings on 
him (the body) showed to the officer that he died in another position."

In a second statement to police, Stallard said Dickerson died in his 
apartment. In the second statement, Stallard claimed he and his girlfriend 
left the man alone for several hours in the bedroom of their apartment, but 
then found him dead at around 11 p.m.

Had the case went to trial, Lee said a neighbor was prepared to testify 
that he entered Stallard's apartment on the day of the crime, and witnessed 
Stallard sell 40 milligrams of OxyContin to Dickerson.

"He (the neighbor) observed Mr. Stallard draw up the OxyContin into the 
needle and then inject the victim with the OxyContin," Lee said. "He had to 
poke him several times to hit a vein. Then shortly after that, the victim 
made a statement of, 'When will I feel this - when will it hit me?" Lee 
said the neighbor would have then testified that Dickerson "slumped over" 
in the chair.

Lee said Stallard later told authorities another version of what happened 
while being interviewed by state police in Wytheville.

"In this statement, which would have been his fourth version of what 
happened, he said the victim came to his door," Lee said. "He doesn't admit 
to selling it (the painkiller), but he admits to crushing 40 milligrams of 
OxyContin and injecting the victim."

Lee said he didn't know when the HBO documentary on the drug problem would air.

"HBO contacted us about three months ago," Lee said. "They said they were 
interested in this particular trial, and they would like to have someone 
come down and get a look at what is going on. They (the film crew) were in 
Gilbert last week. I really hope this story will put a fear in drug dealers."
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