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MOBILE, Ala. -- The JaMarcus Russell Foundation, with assistance from the Mobile Police Department Explorers, gave away turkeys on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2009, during the foundation's second annual Thanksgiving Turkey Give-A-Way. The event was held at Taylor Recreational Park facility at 1050 Baltimore St. in Mobile. JaMarcus Russell is a Mobile native and former football star at Williamson High School. Following a college football career at LSU, Russell went on to play for the NFL's Oakland Raiders, where he is quarterback.

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Wilson family frustrated with handling of Spanish Fort murder case

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

By ALEX PAPPAS

Staff Reporter

SPANISH FORT — The daughter of slain service station owner Arthur "Bobby" Wilson said Tuesday that her family grew frustrated with how prosecutors tried the Leslie Eric Buzbee capital murder case — especially that District Attorney Judy Newcomb was not the state's lead lawyer.

"It definitely hurt the case," Tracey Goens said outside Wilson's Service Station, which has long served as a community gathering spot in Spanish Fort.

A Baldwin County jury Friday acquitted Buzbee, 25, the state's suspect in the slaying. Buzbee had been accused of beating and robbing Wilson, 71, during an early morning assault in August 2007. Wilson died four months later.

Newcomb selected Michael Pylant, her chief assistant, to be lead prosecutor.

"I just felt she should've been there to try the case or to be co-counsel," Goens said.

Goens said, however, that the family supported Newcomb's decision not to reopen an investigation because "all the evidence pointed to one person."

Newcomb said Tuesday that she was involved in day-to-day decisions of the case and was part of the prosecution team.

"The issue about me actually being in the courtroom was not an issue they ever brought up to me," Newcomb said, referring to the Wilson family.

Goens' son, Jeff Mosely, 29, now runs the Wilsons' service station, and her other son, Jonathan, works there, she said.

Goens said that the family is glad that the station remains open, but said with a laugh that Jeff doesn't arrive at 4:30 a.m. like his grandfather did.

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