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Just because you have pictures of naked children on your computer, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in possession of child pornography, or so defense attorney Cliff Wilson successfully argued to a Whitley Circuit Court Jury Wednesday afternoon. The nine-man, three-woman jury deliberated for approximately three hours before reaching their not guilty verdict on all counts shortly before 6:30 p.m. in the trial of Barry Thomas McMurry, who was tried on over 200 counts of possession of a matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. “Those photos don’t depict a sexual performance by anyone,” Wilson told jurors during his closing argument. He noted that the pictures were downloaded from...

Long-time Corbin Primary School Principal Travis Wilder has been selected to replace Dave Cox as the next Corbin Superintendent. The Corbin Independent Board of Education held a special-called meeting Tuesday at the Corbin High School Media Center where they deliberated in executive session for about one hour before naming Wilder to replace Cox, who will retire effective Aug. 1. Wilder said that he was overwhelmed, overjoyed and humbled when he got the call from the board of education Tuesday afternoon informing him about their decision. “My family was in tears. I was in tears. This is a large task, but I am excited for this new chapter,” Wilder said. Wilder has been principal...

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Corbin Independent Board of Education is searching for its next superintendent. After about nine and one-half years as serving as superintendent, Dave Cox has announced his retirement effective Aug. 1. “It just seemed like a good stepping off point. Things are going well and I think the district is in a good position right now,” Cox said Thursday. Cox is retiring after 33 years of service in the Corbin Independent School District. Cox was a student at Corbin from sixth grade through high school graduation. He received his undergraduate degree from Eastern Kentucky University, and specialty degrees from then Union College (now Union Commonwealth...

The body of a Gray fisherman, who disappeared in the water when his boat capsized on Laurel Lake Sunday, has been recovered. About 12:15 p.m. on May 4, John Myrick, 26, fell into the water near the City Dam on Laurel Lake when his new fishing boat capsized. Myrick’s brother, Christian Myrick, was able to make it to shore and contact authorities, but had to be hospitalized afterwards. He was released from the hospital Monday. Laurel and Whitley County Emergency Management Director Jerry Rains said that Myrick’s body was recovered about 3:15 p.m. Friday about 40 feet from City Dam on the Lynn Camp Creek side. Groups taking part in the search...

A man, who walked away from a Whitley County Detention Center inmate work crew late Thursday morning, has been recaptured in Indiana. The Lake County Indiana Sheriff’s Department arrested Jamie Lee Hoover, 35, about 10:45 p.m. Sunday (April 20). He is facing criminal charges in Indiana as well as additional charges in Whitley County for his escape here, according to a Whitley County Detention Center release Monday afternoon. Hoover was a work release inmate and walked away from a work crew that was on a roadside litter abatement crew, according to the release. “The inmate was a community level state inmate that was allowed to be on a work detail outside the...

The Whitley County Detention Center is asking for the public’s help in locating an inmate, who walked away from an inmate work crew late Thursday (April 17) morning in the Canadatown area. Jamie Lee Hoover, 35, is described as a white male, who is 5’9” tall and weighing 165 pounds. He has short brown hair, brown eyes and a small build. He was last seen wearing a green Whitley County Detention Center inmate shirt and blue jeans, according to a detention center release. Whitley County Jailer Jason Wilson is asking the community to contact the detention center at (606) 549-6013, the Whitley County E-911 Center at (606) 549-6017, the Kentucky State...

UPDATE: The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before rendering a verdict regarding Alexandra Ward's punishment, in which they sentenced her to life in prison for the count of complicity to commit murder and five years for the count of complicity to commit first-degree strangulation. The jury recommended those sentences be served consecutively—or one after the other. However, state law requires a life sentence to run concurrently—or at the same time—as any other sentence. Judge Paul Winchester, who presided over the case, is expected to rectify that issue during a formal sentencing Ward will be parole eligible after serving 85 percent of her sentence or after serving 20 years, whichever comes...

A Whitley County man was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday morning near the Laurel Lake Spillway. According to the Laurel County Coroner’s Office, the deceased was identified as Colby Angel. The coroner’s office could not provide Angel’s age. Angel’s body was located at the end of a trail in a picnic area near the spillway. The coroner’s office stated that Angel was found by his cousin, who then contacted 911. Angel reportedly messaged his cousin about what he was going to do and the cousin had gone to locate him when he discovered Angel’s body. (Editor's Note: A caller to the News Journal Wednesday afternoon stated that the...

The Corbin City Commission unanimously voted Friday afternoon to terminate the employment of Corbin Fire Department Battalion Chief Jack Partin, who pled guilty last month to a misdemeanor harassment charge in Madison District Court. The charge was unrelated to his employment with the city. On Sept. 24, 2024, Partin, who is now 50, of Barbourville, was initially served with a Madison County arrest warrant charging him with harassment (physical contact) no injury, and third-degree sexual abuse over allegations he slapped a woman on the buttocks, according to his arrest warrant. The News Journal first reported on the arrest in the Oct. 9, 2024, edition of the newspaper. On Feb. 3, Partin pled...

A Rockholds man is dead following an officer-involved shooting Monday evening. According to a release from Kentucky State Police, just after 6 p.m. Monday, troopers were dispatched to a residence on Hubbs Hollow Road in the Rockholds community of Knox County to assist officers with the Barbourville Police Department in executing an active search warrant. Shortly after arriving at the scene, a trooper located the subject of the warrant, identified as Steven M. Carter, 44. Carter was allegedly behind the residence and in possession of a firearm. The trooper gave Carter verbal commands to drop the firearm. During the encounter, the trooper fired his agency-issued firearm, fatally wounding Carter. The Knox County...