Hundreds mourn for six slain family members

LUVERNE, Ala. -- Six caskets lined the front of a packed, sweltering school auditorium Wednesday as hundreds bid farewell to three generations of a family gunned down at their rural home.

The overflow crowd of more than 800 included 16-year-old Janice Ball, the only member of the family to survive. Her boyfriend, 22-year-old Westley Devone Harris, is accused of shooting the six to death in an Aug. 26 rampage, then fleeing with her and her 1 1/2-year-old baby, Neshea.

Authorities said a motive remains unclear. Crenshaw County Sheriff Charles West said a grand jury is expected to review the case in October.

Ball, who has been in the care of state welfare officials since she and Harris surrendered, was escorted into Luverne High School's auditorium for the funeral. Seated with other family members, she wept at times during the service, then was escorted out.

"Family, remember there is sunshine even in the midst of the darkest time," said the Rev. Michael Clemons during the service.

Clemons is pastor of Little Baptist Hill Church near the Ball family home, about 40 miles south of Montgomery, where the six bodies were found. As the funeral concluded, the three white and three black caskets, all topped with arrangements of multicolored summer flowers, were taken to six hearses for the procession to the cemetery at the rural church for burial.

Harris, charged with six counts of capital murder, is accused of killing Ball's grandmother, Mila Ruth Ball, 62; mother JoAnn Ball, 35; father Willie Hasley, 40; and brothers Jerry Ball, 19; Tony Ball, 17; and John Ball, 14.

Janice Ball has not been charged and has been described as a witness.

Luverne High School, which includes kindergarten through 12th grade, was attended by Janice Ball until she had her baby, as well as by her mother and three brothers. Assistant Principal Doug Brown said the oldest boy graduated last spring, the middle boy had left to attend a trade school and the youngest was in 7th grade.

JoAnn Ball's half-sister, Garlene Shanklin of Luverne, reminisced prior to the funeral about going with her to watch two of the boys play in summer league baseball games.

"She loved to go to the game and fuss at the umpires, then she just laughed," Shanklin said.

While tears were shed, the funeral seemed at times as spirited as a revival, with applause at the conclusion of gospel songs and shouts of "Amen" and "Hallelujah" punctuating the sermon. Many fanned themselves with funeral home fans as the temperature outside reached the mid-90s and air conditioning inside offered little relief.

Clemons said the massacre of the family shocked the Crenshaw County community.

But he said the family must remember: "God is in control."