There have been plenty of eulogies already for perennial candidate Gatewood Galbraith, who died last week at age 64 at his Lexington home, so this column isn't going to focus on his wit, his humanity, his intellect and his toothy grin. No, what hasn't been talked about much is the fact that Galbraith missed a real opportunity to more effectively push for the things about which he cared deeply because of his marijuana activism and because he refused to step onto a smaller stage and run in races he could afford. [continues 584 words]
Gatewood Galbraith, a perennial candidate for public office who advocated the legalization of marijuana and was one of the most colorful characters on Kentucky's political landscape for three decades, died at his home in Lexington, the Fayette County coroner's office said Wednesday. He was 64. The cause of death was listed as complications from chronic emphysema. Family members found Galbraith unresponsive in his bed Wednesday morning, the coroner's office said in a statement. "He had been sick for several days with congestion in his lungs (and) . had been suffering from cold-like symptoms which had been complicated by chronic asthma and emphysema," the statement said. [continues 1295 words]
Chief Unveils Policy For Undercover Officers Metro Councilwoman Mary Woolridge said she was concerned about the police response to protesters on Sunday outside police headquarters, when officers appeared in full riot gear. Louisville Metro Police officers will be required to use active recording devices when they are undercover, Chief Robert White told members of the Metro Council yesterday. The change in policy comes after the Jan.3 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Michael Newby by Officer McKenzie Mattingly during what White has described as an attempted undercover drug buy gone bad. [continues 698 words]
Armed 19-Year-old Shot In Back While Fleeing After Struggle An undercover Louisville Metro Police officer shot a fleeing 19-year-old suspect in the back late Saturday, killing him, after a struggle for the officer's gun in a drug bust gone awry, authorities said. Michael Newby was pronounced dead early yesterday at University Hospital after the shooting outside a liquor store and small grocery near 46th and Market streets in the Shawnee neighborhood. Police Chief Robert White said yesterday at a news conference that Officer McKenzie G. Mattingly, who fired the shots, was assigned to a police unit investigating drug activity. [continues 1329 words]
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The growth of methamphetamines is outstripping demand for the powerful pain medication OxyContin among illegal drug users throughout the state, Kentucky law-enforcement officials said yesterday. Until recently, meth abuse has been limited mainly to Western Kentucky, while illegal drug users in the eastern part of the state have preferred OxyContin. The two drugs are the subjects of a summit in Lexington for law officers trying to deal with the spread of both substances, especially the easy-to-produce methamphetamines. [continues 867 words]
Traffickers Have Long Tried To Gain Protection From Prosecution, In Eastern Kentucky And Elsewhere SOMERSET, Ky. -- The murder of a sheriff running for reelection and allegations that a drug dealer gave money to a candidate in another sheriff's race have rekindled concerns about drug trafficking in Eastern Kentucky and efforts by dealers to protect the trade. Police believe Pulaski County Sheriff Sam Catron was killed April 13 to help a rival candidate with ties to a known drug dealer. A few days earlier, Harlan County's sheriff said an alleged drug dealer was seen on a videotape giving $2,500 to Paul Browning Jr., a former Harlan sheriff who was running for the office again until he was murdered last month. [continues 1312 words]
Web surfers praise, assail tough talk on crime, punishment LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Fayette County Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Larson is taking his fight against crime to the world with a tough-talking Web site that supports victims and blisters wrongdoers and "the anti-death penalty bunch." Larson's novel Internet site, complete with flames dancing around his "Outrage of the Month" and an animated "Sharp Eye" on justice, has drawn national attention for mixing court and crime news with strong procapital-punishment and anti-parole messages. [continues 1198 words]
