Banner Graphic, Volume 20, Number 283, Greencastle, Putnam County, 6 August 1990 — Page 1

BannerGMluc Putnam Cents

Carmen dancing before picked for lottery’s TV show

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Hearing that you have a chance to win $1 million should make anyone start dancing with joy. But 32-year-old Randy Carman was dancing before he even knew he would be a contestant in Saturday’s upcoming Hoosier Millionaire television show. THE RURAL Greencastle resident was in the middle of square dancing at the Marion County Fair in Indianapolis Saturday when he found out he had been chosen as one of the six weekly contestants. Carman will be joined on the show by Dan Ringen and Sylvia Feicht, both of Rensselaer; Roy Pottschmidt of Franklin; Hal Gresham of Michigan City; and Katherine Foster of Indianapolis. And what was his response to the good news? He just kept dancing. “It’s starting to sink in a little bit more,” Carman told the BannerGraphic Monday while he was on break from his receiving departmentjob at EB. Distro. AT FIRST, HE had forgotten about his entry for the lottery show. When another square dancing couple asked Carman if he had entered the drawing, he told them no. But he later got in touch with his sister who told him he was indeed a contestant. Carman’s father, Charles, had scratched off die Joker’s Wild game entry ticket last week, and promptly filled in his son’s name on the ticket. Carman said his mother, Patty, mailed the ticket Tuesday.

Burchett blames defense attorney for long jail term from 1988 rape conviction

By ANGIE HOWLAND Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Claiming his court-appointed attorney failed to fully investigate his case and give preliminary assurance of the sentence, convicted rapist Phillip Burchett appeared in Putnam County Circuit Court Monday to ask his 1989 guilty plea be set aside. Burchett, 27, is currently serving a 50-year sentence at the Indiana State Prison at Michigan City for the June 29,1988 rape while armed with a deadly weapon of a then 17-year-old Putnam County woman. Burchett pleaded guilty to the charges Aug. 18, 1988 but believes the public defender, Darrell Felling, did not adequately represent him. He is asking the court to set aside the rape conviction and to be tried by jury. BURCHETT ALSO told the court Monday morning that the girl consented to having sex with him. During his change-of-plea hearing, Burchett admitted that he was drunk, and started walking to Roachdale on a county road. He came upon the victim while she was standing next to her car. During Burchett’s sentencing, the victim told the court, he showed her a gun and forced her to go to Indianapolis. While passing through Bainbridge, Burchett ordered her to drive into a field where

No August dog days, yet

Clear and very cool tonight with the low around 50. Mostly supny and unseasonably cool Tuesday with the high in the lower to middle 70s. Indiana extended forecast: In the extended outlook through Friday, it will be dry and cool through most of the period. Lows will be around 55 Wednesday, warming to around 60 by Friday. Highs will reach the middle to upper 70s Wednesday, wanning

It was the third entry ticket they had sent in. An entry in February and another in July were not drawn for the show. Carman said he has already received his package from lottery officials giving him an itinerary for the show. HE HAS ALSO received a call from Ava Wallace, Putnam Cotmty’s second television contestant who won $4,000 after appearing on the show in late June. “She said have fun and be yourself,” Carman said of the advice offered by Mrs. Wallace. Putnam County has also been represented on the show by Beckie Demaree, Route 2, Greencastle. She won SB,OOO on March 3. So what numbers will he pick on Saturday? He is keeping that to himself. Carman said he already has some of the numbers picked, but he hasn’t told anyone what they are. AND WHAT WILL HE do with the money he wins? “Try to travel some. Invest some in real estate,” he said. But he won’t keep all of the money for himself. “We’ll split it four ways Mom, Dad, me and the IRS,” he said laughing. The Hoosier Millionaire game has been played 52 times in 40 weeks due to the better-than-an-ticipated sales since the lottery began last October, according to state lottery officials. A total of 312 contestants have Col., 5, Back Page, this section

he raped her. They then drove to three houses in Indianapolis. At one house he allegedly got into a fight and shot a man. Burchett and the victim then stayed the night in a motel room and the next morning after he realized the gravity of what he had done, he took the victim back to Roachdale. BEFORE THEY GOT there, they passed and Indiana State Police car and Burchett told the girl to stop so he could turn himself in. Deputy State Public Defender Hilary Reeve called Indianapolis resident Betty Gregory to the stand. She testified Monday that she and Burchett used to date and the same night of the Putnam County youth’s rape, he visited her with a gun. “He wasn’t at my house more than five minutes and he showed me a gun and said he just shot a man and the gun was still hot,” she said. She also described Burchett as hyped up and jittery. Gregory also testified she saw a young girl in the car. BURCHETT SAID he and an Indianapolis man got into a fight over a drug payment. He admitted he was not on drugs at the time of die rape. Nonetheless, in his petition for relief, Burchett claims he was not warned by the court that his prior criminal history could add to his prison term. He claims the court

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Local merchants will offer a glimpse of the sartorial finery that students could be wearing back to school this fall during the second annual Back To School Fashion Show at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8. at the Robe Ann Park bandshell. The show is tree and open to the public. Door prizes will be given away and children are encouraged to come see McDonald’s characters Grimace and Ham-

had personal knowledge of the victim and her family and so was prejudiced against him. Thus, he asked that Special Judge James E. Harris of Morgan County replaced Judge William C. Vaughn HI on the bench and heard the testimony Monday morning. Called on Burchett’s behalf, former defense attorney Felling explained to Judge Harris that in his first meeting with Burchett in the Putnam County Jail, the defendant said he admitted his guilt, wanted to plead guilty and “would immediately accept a 20 year sentence.” FELLING SAID IT was not until six weeks later that Burchett began asking specific questions about the evidence against him. Felling also said Burchett discussed hiring a private attorney. “A couple of weeks later, he (Burchett) said he didn’t have an attorney and decided to stay with his guilty plea,” Felling said. However, Burchett explained to the court that he never admitted his guilt and that he initially wanted a jury trial. “He (Felling) told me to take the plea agreement because I don’t have credibility and no money,” Burchett explained. “He said that if I didn’t take the agreement, they (the court) will bury you.” THE PLEA AGREEMENT

PCPL big with its patrons but small in funding and size

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Recently released statistics show that the Putnam County Public Library serves the 43rd-largest population in Indiana. But it does so with less funding and in a smaller building than other Hoosier libraries catering to similar-sized populations. Statistics of Indiana Libraries for 1989, compiled by the Indiana State Library, show that the Putnam County Public Library served the entire county population of 27,464 in a building of only 5,500 square feet

called for serving at least 30 years and the state could argue for as much as 50 years. The state orignally charged Burchett with rape with a deadly weapon, criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon and with being a habitual offender. Under the plea agreement, Burchett was only sentenced on the one rape charge and received 30 years for rape. Putnam County Judge William C. Vaughn 111 also considered the defendant’s prior two felony convictions for theft. These aggravating circumstances added 20 years to his sentence. If the other two charges had not been dropped, Burchett could have served a total of 100 years. “HE (FELLING) TOLD me they wouldn’t consider the other convictions and that if I didn’t take the plea agreement, they would throw in a kidnapping charge,” Burchett said. “He (Felling) said I would only go to jail for 30 years, only serve a third of the time, and with good behavior and clemency I would only have to serve 5 years.” Prosecutor Robert Lowe said in his closing statements that Burchett’s allegations against Felling were outrageous. “The evidence is clearly against him and he (Felling) couldn’t possibly have told him these things because they don’t make sense.”

COMPARED TO slightly larger libraries, the PCPL appears to be a thin magazine in an encyclopediasized world. PCPL Executive Director Ellen Sedlack said the state report reinforces the 1985 feasibility study that showed Putnam County needs a larger library. That study by Pescok, Jelliffe, Randall and Nice showed 26,923 square feet would be needed to house the materials and equipment the library had at that time. It allocated 5,600 square feet to the children’s library and 6,300 to the adult library.

burglar. Shown here, from left, are: Jennifer Bundy, Anne’s Fashion Comer; Nancy Livesay, Prevo’s; Kim Hinkle, Johnny John's; Paige Paquin, Sycamore; Laura Blubaum, J.C. Penney’s; Chris Starr, J.C. Penney's; Bob Nealon, Brackney’s Mens Store; and, in front, Vance Cross, The Rocking Horse. (Banner-Graphic photo by Gary Goodman)

Cloverdale gearing up for annual fall festival scheduled Sept. 7-9

CLOVERDALE— A rodeo, an antique tractor pull, a truck pull and a lawnmower giveaway are some of the activities already lined up for Clovedale’s Fall Festival set for Sept 7-9. The weekend’s activities kick off Friday evening, Sept. 7 with the antique tractor pull. Flea markets, displays and arts and crafts booths will also open for the duration of the festival. A tent will be set up behind the Cloverdale Travel Plaza with space available for booths A TRUCK PULL HAS been scheduled for Saturday afternoon, Sept. 8, while a rodeo provides the evening’s fun. Four hours of musical entertainment is also on the agenda. A rodeo has also been set for

With a little safety, you can prevent forest fires

Summer is here and with that comes vacations. Many people enjoy spending time camping but each year, careless camping practices result in the destruction of thousands of acres of forest and timberland, personal injuries and even deaths. But if safe habits are

A program/meeting room was also included in that study at 1,800 square feet. The library does not now have a meeting room, and must close its doors to patrons so that library board meetings and special programs can be conducted. THAT STUDY included 2,850 square feet for the bookmobile. An architect’s study of the Putnam County library showed a need for 22,415 square feet. That recommendation was conducted in October 1985 by Woollen, Molzan and Partners. The 1898 state report shows that the 42nd-ranked Crown Point

Sunday afternoon, while musical entertainment will perform all day. Sunday afternoon activities Sept. 9 also include a lawnmower giveaway. Magic Circle of Fillmore has donated a Dixie Chopper mower to be raffled off by Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce. TICKETS FOR THE raffle are on sale at businesses in Cloverdale and at the Chamber’s Depot office. The mower will be displayed at various businesses. Joyland Amusements will provide children’s rides during the festival. Anyone interested in booth space for the festival, or wanted to buy tickets can call the Chamber at 795-3993.

followed, tragic events can be avoided. Some. important safety tips include: —CAMPFIRES ARE fun for cookouts and warmth but improperly set can accidentally extend Col., 5, Back Page, this section

Community Library in northern Indiana serves only 214 more people that the PCPL, but has a 18,393-square-foot building. The Putnam County library, built in 1902, was enlarged in 1950 for the total of 5,500 square feet. AN ANALYSIS OF library materials shows that PCPL held 60,621 volumes in 1989. That’s about 2.21 books for every member of the population served by the library. But PCPL can not house much more material without busting at Co!., 3, Back Page, this section