ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 14, 1997 TAG: 9703140034
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
$4 million asked in girl's strangulation
VIRGINIA BEACH - The family of a girl who was strangled in a gate on the Virginia Beach oceanfront is suing the city for $4 million.
Melissa Chapman, 8, was playing on the boardwalk in December 1991 when she caught her head in a gate leading to the beach and strangled. She died two days later.
Parents Donald and Linda Chapman contend that city employees were grossly negligent because they ignored repeated warnings about the broken gate. Half the gate was broken off, while the other half swung freely.
This is the second trial for the Chapmans. The first trial in 1995 ended with a jury awarding the family $300,000 plus $18,618 for funeral expenses and medical bills.
That verdict was reversed by the trial judge, then reversed again by an appeals court and sent back for a new trial.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
Allen signs bill cutting unemployment tax
RICHMOND - Gov. George Allen on Thursday signed unemployment tax cut legislation that he says will save Virginia businesses $154 million over the next six years.
The legislation, which Allen proposed in his State of the Commonwealth speech, adjusts the formula that determines how much money the state should have in its unemployment trust fund. The administration claims the fund has been growing faster than necessary because of low unemployment. The fund will have about $934 million by the end of this year.
As part of a compromise with legislators and labor unions, Allen agreed to a provision that will increase unemployment benefits by about $36 million over six years.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
2 in contention for Del. Moore's post
PORTSMOUTH - Former state Sen. Johnny Joannou and Portsmouth Vice Mayor Johnny Clemons are seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed Del. William Moore, who resigned to accept an appointment as juvenile court judge.
The Portsmouth Democratic Committee on Wednesday decided to choose its nominee in a May 31 caucus.
Republicans also will choose their nominee by caucus rather than primary election. Dan Evans, who got 37 percent of the vote when he challenged Moore, D-Portsmouth, in 1995 said he might try again.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
Slaying victim was Maryland resident
KING GEORGE - Police have identified a man whose body was found Saturday in King George County.
Thomas James Baptiste, 21, of Mitchellville, Md., had been shot in the head. Police said Thursday that it appears Baptiste was killed elsewhere before his body was dumped near a logging road.
Capt. Steve Dempsey of the King George Sheriff's Office said Baptiste was identified through his fingerprints.
``We know who he is. The hard part is figuring out who killed him and why,'' Dempsey said.
He said police have no leads in the case.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines KEYWORDS: FATALITY POLITICS: GENERAL ASSEMBLYby CNB