TWO CHARGED WITH GAS STATION ATTENDANT'S DEATH

BENTON -- Michael Bell and Orlandis Farr will be held on charges stemming from the shooting death of attendant Charles Garrett at Kellett's gas station June 6, 1998.

Bail was denied for Farr and the arraignment in Scott County Circuit Court was scheduled for both defendants on Dec. 9 by Judge David Mann following the testimony of convict Michael Hatcher at Tuesday's preliminary hearing.

Hatcher, currently serving out a 10-year sentence for first degree robbery for his part in the crime, laid out the details of a robbery he had denied any knowledge of under oath at a previous preliminary hearing.

According to Hatcher, the events leading to the death of Garrett began June 5 at a party on Alabama Street, where he had come prepared with beer and a quarter-ounce of marijuana."Everybody was drinking, getting high, playing games," said Hatcher. It was not his first experience with drugs or alcohol, but Hatcher said he did snort a few lines of cocaine for the first time that evening.

Hatcher said after some more smoking and drinking, he left with Bell, Farr and Darius Nicholson in the car to go get some food in the early morning hours of June 6.

On the way, Hatcher said Nicholson asked if the others "was down to do something." "Darius said he wanted to rob the gas station," said Hatcher. "We all agreed." Hatcher said he parked the car backward in an alley "so the car wouldn't be seen." As they walked toward the gas station, Hatcher said Bell, Farr and Nicholson each put on a blue bandana and a blue hat and he wore a red bandana with a black hat.

Hatcher testified that he and Farr waited while Bell and Nicholson approached the door and Nicholson entered. Upon a hand-signal from Bell, Hatcher ran inside the building, where he was handed a handful of cash by Garrett and saw Nicholson with a chrome revolver.

Hatcher said he began to run off with the money when he heard a gunshot and dropped to the ground. He said he saw Garrett "hollering, looked like he was trying to crawl." He continued, saying that as they drove from the scene, he handed the money to Bell, who had thrown Hatcher's hat and bandana out of the car window.

Hatcher said after he dropped Nicholson off at his grandmother's house on Ruth Street, the other three returned to the Townsend residence. Hatcher said he then went in and laid down on a bed, where he received a share of the money from Bell after a little while.

Later that day, Hatcher said he saw Nicholson outside a convenience store, but did not enter with Nicholson as he saw Bell approaching. Bell gave him a share of the money to pass on to Nicholson, but warned him that Garrett had died and not to tell Nicholson because he "might go crazy." During the cross examination, Hatcher marked photographs as asked by Farr's attorney indicating where he remembered each participant being as they initially approached the station just prior to when he said Nicholson entered the building.

Hatcher also said he did not remember identifying Alandis Harris from a yearbook photograph as a participant for a police officer at a previous interview in response to a question by the defense attorneys.