Pubdate: Fri, 07 Mar 2003
Source: Johnson City Press (TN)
Copyright: 2003 Johnson City Press and Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1983
Author: Jim Wozniak

WITNESSES TESTIFY IN KIDNAPPING CASE

A mistaken belief that a methamphetamine lab was being operated at a
residence in Washington County led to a man's six-hour abduction, witnesses
testified on Thursday in Washington County Sessions Court.

John A. Laws, 35, Laws Road, is charged with especially aggravated
kidnapping and is accused of ordering Jason Vance, 175 Fish Pond Road,
Chuckey, at gunpoint Feb. 20 to come with him to clean the residence where
he had previously lived.

Laws also is charged with simple assault for reportedly striking Vance in
the face with a gun and aggravated assault for shooting at David Dunbar, Bud
Ball Road, on Feb. 21. Laws was also attempting to force Dunbar to go to the
Washington County residence with Vance.

Danny Lee Belt, 23, 117 Jake Hopson Road, Unicoi, is also charged with
kidnapping and simple assault. Vance testified that Belt held a gun on him
after he had gotten into Laws' vehicle. Assistant District Attorney General
Melanie Gwinn said Belt ordered and encouraged Vance's pistol-whipping.

Unicoi County Sessions Judge David Shults, who presided over the hearing due
to a conflict of interest with Washington County's judges, bound Belt and
Laws to a Washington County grand jury. He reduced Belt's bond from $100,000
to $40,000 after determining that Laws was the "primary aggressor" in the
events. Laws has posted a $100,000 bond.

Vance testified he was sleeping at 11 p.m. when Laws knocked loudly on the
door an demanded that Vance go with him to clean the house. Vance, who said
he was three months behind on the rent and had left the home messy, told
Laws he would do it next day after work. But Laws pulled a gun and said,
"No, you're going with me now."

When the men reached Laws' vehicle, Belt rose from the back and pointed a
gun at Vance.

Laws told Vance that he had to get Dunbar, whom he believed participated in
operating the lab. When they arrived, Dunbar's parents answered the door,
and their son refused to join the group.

Dunbar's father went with the group to Laws' business on Gravel Hill Road,
where Laws showed a tape of Vance and Dunbar moving out. Laws said the bags
that were carried out contained drugs, but Dunbar's father said he did not
believe him and left.

The men were taken to Vance's former residence and ordered to begin cleaning
and Laws forced Vance to make a videotaped confession saying that he
operated a meth lab. Vance testified that he did not operate such a lab but
went along with the confession because Laws was beating him in the head.

After the taping, the group headed to Bailey Bridge Road, where Laws told
Vance that he would have to jump off the bridge. Instead, Laws agreed to
free Vance if he would put trash in Vance's father's residence.

Dunbar testified he called Laws on Feb. 21 to talk to him about the events
of the previous evening. When Laws arrived, he reportedly hit Dunbar under
the nose with a gun. Dunbar said he then heard a couple of gunshots, one of
which grazed him in the shoulder. He said Laws then kicked him several
times.
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