Tulsa World: Local, Area Briefs

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Local, Area Briefs

By Staff Reports
Published: 11/20/2009 2:25 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2009 5:54 AM

Mistrial for man accused in fatal neglect of wife

A mistrial resulted Thursday night when Tulsa County jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict concerning the fate of a man who stood trial for murder on an accusation that he did not provide adequate care for his wife before her death.

With the hung jury, a new trial date is likely to be set for Martin Junior Butler, 61, on a second-degree "felony" murder charge stemming from the death of Wanda Faye Butler, 69.

Prosecutors maintained that she had been injured in a fall and that her husband allowed her to remain in a recliner — soiled by her own feces and urine — at their home in the 6500 block of North Rockford Avenue before she was hospitalized Dec. 6.

She died Dec. 18.

Martin Butler said his wife had been in the recliner for about a week without getting up, a sheriff's report states.

The murder accusation involves a contention that the death occurred while the defendant was engaged in the commission of a felony — caretaker neglect.

The cause of death was multiple organ failure and sepsis — a bacterial infection of the blood — due to complications of a very large pressure sore and blunt trauma, a medical examiner indicated.

Butler remains in the Tulsa Jail. He did not testify at this week's trial in District Judge Clancy Smith's court.

- BILL BRAUN, World Staff Writer

Tulsa Jail inmate escapes briefly, is recaptured

Police captured an inmate about 10 minutes after he escaped Thursday while being taken back to the Tulsa Jail from court.

Antonio Catalino Myrie Jr., 29, escaped from a deputy's grasp as he and another man were being led from a van back into the jail about 6:50 p.m., said Sgt. Shannon Clark, a spokesman for the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

Myrie had been at the Tulsa County Courthouse for a continuing jury trial on charges of first-degree burglary, first- degree arson and stolen property offenses, Clark said.

Two deputies were present when Myrie, who was handcuffed, broke free and ran toward the east doors of the sally port, where prisoners are brought into the jail, Clark said.

Myrie was able to slip between the closed doors, which Clark said are nearly 10 years old and don't seal as well as new doors would.

The deputies chased him and tried to stop him with a Taser, but he was able to continue through the doors and flee on foot.

When Tulsa police officers caught him about 7 p.m. near Third Street and Houston Avenue, just a few blocks from the jail, Myrie had escaped from his handcuffs and changed clothes.

Sheriff's officials are investigating how he acquired the clothing and removed the handcuffs and are trying to determine whether the escape was planned with help from someone else.

Myrie was alone when police found him, but Clark said he had a substance that is being tested to determine whether it is a drug. He noted that Myrie wouldn't have had money or time to buy the substance after he escaped.

- FROM STAFF REPORTS

Witnesses say shooting victim was the aggressor

Police have released more information about a shooting that sent one woman to the hospital Wednesday evening.

Princess Greene, 28, was taken to St. John Medical Center about 5: 30 p.m. after she was shot in the forehead. She is expected to survive, police said.

The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Springdale Shopping Center at Pine Street and Lewis Avenue.

Samantha Richardson, 20, was sitting in a parked car with two other women when Greene and several other people came up to the car and began yelling at the occupants, police said.

Someone in Greene's group broke the car's back windshield with a tire jack, and then Greene got into the car and began fighting with Richardson, police said.

Richardson told police that she grabbed a gun, which discharged, hitting Greene, police said.

Witnesses described Greene's group as the aggressors in the confrontation, according to police.

No arrests had been made by Thursday. Police said they will forward their case to the District Attorney's Office.

- SHANNON MUCHMORE, World Staff Writer

Nolan Richardson to be parade's grand marshal

Nolan Richardson, who will be the coach of Tulsa's new WNBA basketball team, will be the grand marshal for this year's AEP-PSO Parade of Lights.

The annual parade is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12.

Richardson is a former University of Tulsa men's basketball coach, where his teams won an NIT championship and made three NCAA tournament appearances.

He also coached the Arkansas Razorbacks to an NCAA title.

Previous grand marshals include Broadway star Sam Harris of Sand Springs, Miss Americas Jennifer Berry of Jenks and Lauren Nelson of Lawton, and "American Idol" contestant Alaina Whitaker of Tulsa.

The parade route is changed from last year, a news release states.

It will begin at Seventh Street and Cincinnati Avenue and travel north on Cincinnati to Fourth Street. It will then go west on Fourth to Boston Avenue, where it will turn back north to Third Street.

The route will continue west along Third to Denver Avenue, where it will turn south and travel along Denver to Eighth Street. The parade will turn back to the east and end on Boulder Avenue.

- ALTHEA PETERSON, World Staff Writer

Coweta nursing home alternative breaks ground

COWETA — Officials broke ground Thursday on a roughly $5 million nursing home alternative.

Vernise Smith, president of Home Sweet Home, said the company's three inpatient hospice homes in Coweta, Tulsa and Broken Arrow are filled and the need for more room is essential.

The two new buildings in Coweta will house 290 beds and areas for assisted living, memory support and related conditions, inpatient hospice and geriatric mental-health care.

Completion of the new buildings, which will be at Division and 141st streets, is expected by June, Smith said.

- RHETT MORGAN, World Staff Writer

By Staff Reports

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

46 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Escapee recaptured after running from Tulsa Jail," which was published on 11/19/2009.

	Report Comment Daven, Tulsa (11/19/2009 10:52:45 AM) Sounds appropriate!
	Report Comment irwindale, Tulsa (11/19/2009 11:02:07 AM) Finally the witnesses are speaking up.
	Report Comment foulshot, (11/19/2009 11:03:24 AM) Nolan is a great guy. He deserves this honor.
	Report Comment irwindale, Tulsa (11/19/2009 11:04:34 AM) How much are we paying?
	Report Comment Terree, Tulsa (11/19/2009 11:12:00 AM) i sure wouldnt want to mess with ANY sisters...
	Report Comment Paperjunkie#1, (11/19/2009 11:12:33 AM) How about a bullet to the dome? That'll teach ya.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (11/19/2009 11:18:29 AM) Holiday Parade? Oh you mean the Christmas Parade. Holiday Parade, noting but the work of politically correct wacko's. I'm glad I'm not a kid anymore with these wacko's who are ruining the magic of the season. For small children this is a magic time of the year. I'll invite one and all to come to the Sand Springs Christmas Parade Dec 4th. The first and largest night time Christmas Parade in the state.
	Report Comment r0rschach, (11/19/2009 11:30:25 AM) he's got the black santa thing going on.
	Report Comment Libs-R-Us, (11/19/2009 11:40:48 AM) Sounds like Princess got her just desserts.
	Report Comment GretaSue, Broken Arrow (11/19/2009 11:41:58 AM) These girls definately need the "miss Manners course" ________ Me either Terree...... I can't get a tire iron in my purse..
	Report Comment SADE2009, Tulsa (11/19/2009 12:01:24 PM) Good people need to start fighting back, I know if 3 girls came to jump on me they would have a serious problem on their hands, glad she is okay, but maybe she will think twice about running up on someone with a group of people instead of doing it like the old days just fight a fair fight why do you have to bring people lol COWARDS that's why!!
	Report Comment LoveMyTTown, Tulsa (11/19/2009 12:25:33 PM) December 5th is the date for both Claremore and Sapulpa's Nightime CHRISTMAS Parades--they are pretty spectacular too...loved the SS one last year!
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/19/2009 12:27:33 PM) How much does Tulsa pay him to do this?
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/19/2009 12:29:54 PM) Paperjunkie#1 That's good. lol
	Report Comment Greg19670, (11/19/2009 12:36:05 PM) Lived in Arkansas for the last 19 years. I watched him lead the Razorbacks to an NCCA victory over Duke. He's an great coach. It's good to see him back. And I plan on seeing some of these games.
	Report Comment kunta, (11/19/2009 12:37:10 PM) Parade of lights? Won't the mayor have them all turned off?
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/19/2009 12:41:37 PM) punta, That's why she's turned them off recently, to save the money so they can have the parade of lights.
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/19/2009 12:42:07 PM) Kunta---sorry
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (11/19/2009 12:50:20 PM) Alas, not many "ladies" are around anymore. All female adults are women, but not all women are ladies.
	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (11/19/2009 12:55:18 PM) Sad that so much of this is going on.
	Report Comment Warden, (11/19/2009 12:57:03 PM) If Richardson has his way, and handles the parade as he coaches, it will be speeded up and last about 10 minutes!
	Report Comment Daven, Tulsa (11/19/2009 1:06:11 PM) Kids seem to still look forward to the holidays. They get two weeks off of school, presents, food, and some get to see family. Name it what you want. Kids will always like that! If they dont, you are doing something wrong and it has nothing to do with the name.
	Report Comment Scringe, Tulsa (11/19/2009 1:09:56 PM) Fly the nukes, time for all this BS to end. Fly the nukes and let GOD sort them out.
	Report Comment GoldenDriller1, Out of Town (11/19/2009 1:19:25 PM) Rollin with Nolan.
	Report Comment tjayer01, (11/19/2009 1:22:06 PM) Good.. maybe she'll think twice next time!

25 of 46 comments displayed. | View All

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.