‘ALL ON THE LINE’ Wesleyan’s Booker a key component in team’s success • Sports, 1B
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GOP’s Sandoval a Supreme Court possibility
Gwinnett Daily Post THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
75 cents ©2016 SCNI
Vol. 46, No. 94
Testimony: Gang leader inmate gave order for hit By Joshua Sharpe joshua.sharpe@gwinnettdailypost.com
LAWRENCEVILLE — In a Georgia prison, longtime inmate Gordon Evans allegedly had a smuggled cell phone, a Facebook account and, most important, the power to take care of enemies of his gang within and well beyond the prison walls. These accusations, which his attorney denied with a grimace, Jeffery A.J. emerged Wednesday “Brook” during a prelimiAnderson nary hearing for the 34-year-old charged with ordering the murder of a young father and husband who was gunned down outside Lawrenceville. The testimony was revealing of what’s at stake in the failure of state prison officials to keep out contraband phones and curb inmate crime, issues that have dogged the Georgia Department of Corrections recently. But mostly the testimony shed new light on the death of Jeffery A.J. “Brook” Anderson, a brutal, torturous Nov. 24 killing for which one suspect is still wanted. The crime began with a motive. As best as police can tell, it was a debt of a paltry $500. Evans, an accused leader in the Nine See TRIAL, Page 3A
Gordon Evans, an alleged leader in the Nine Trey Bloods gang, listens in court Wednesday during a preliminary hearing on his charges of murder in the alleged hit job of a man outside Lawrenceville. (Staff Photo: Joshua Sharpe)
Shiloh’s Tajah Fraley (20) gives attention to sign language interpreter Sally Slay during the second half of Wednesday’s Class AAAAAA first round playoff game at Shiloh High School in Snellville. (Photos: Kyle Hess)
Watching for signs
Interpreters bolster communication for Shiloh’s Fraley By David Friedlander david.friedlander @gwinnettdailypost.com Sign language interpreter Sally Slay gives signs to Shiloh’s Tajah Fraley (20) during the first half of Wednesday’s Class AAAAAA first round playoff game at Shiloh High School in Snellville.
SNELLVILLE — Having been born deaf, communication has always been an issue for Tajah Fraley. Through the use of a cochlear implant he received at age 3 and the use of sign language interpreters in school and other areas of his life, most of those issues have lessened or been resolved for the Shiloh High School junior over the years. Still, there was one area of his life in which communication remained an obstacle heading into the 2015-16 school year. At 6-foot-3 and possessing plenty of skill and athleticism, Fraley has always wowed his coaches with his potential. Yet the communication gap that
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remained between him and the Shiloh coaching staff was an obstacle he struggled with. So both parties decided to do something about it. Fraley agreed to let Generals coach Kim Rivers and his staff utilize a sign language interpreter on the sidelines during practices and games. That decision has helped him take his game to a higher level as he and the Generals prepare to take on Westlake in the quarterfinals of the Class AAAAAA state tournament today at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. “I don’t wear my cochlear See FRALEY, Page 7A
Circus-themed pep rally celebrates reading competition By Keith Farner
keith.farner @gwinnettdailypost.com
PEACHTREE CORNERS — A two-week reading competition at Peachtree Elementary School accomplished one of the rarest of feats. Third-graders were quiet during lunch. “You’d walk into the cafeteria and they were
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actually reading during lunch,” said Principal Kara Dutton, who added that students also read books while walking to buses. “Very quiet. You’d know when third grade was in there.” The competition also
spilled over to students outside of the third grade as they read more, Dutton said, and she added that the goal now is to continue the interest and momentum developed this month. The typical chatter and squeals returned at full throat on Wednesday morning as several dozen students welcomed a host of circus performers
from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. First Lady Sandra Deal also spoke to the third-graders and read the children’s book “The Magician’s Hat” by former University of Georgia football player Malcom Mitchell. Deal and a video recorded message from Mitchell encouraged the students See CIRCUS, Page 7A
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INSIDE Classified......12A
Horoscope......4A
Nation............ 5A
Sports.............9A
Comics............8A
Local.............. 2A
Obituaries.......7A
Weather..........4A
Crossword......8A
Lottery............ 4A
Perspectives...6A
World..............5A
NOTE TO READERS: The Thursday edition of the paper is printed in one combined section, which includes sports coverage as well as familiar staples such as the editorial page, comics and weather. For breaking news and additional coverage, go to www. gwinnettdailypost.com.
Peachtree Elementary School thirdgraders watch circus performers on Wednesday morning during a pep rally featuring members of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. (Staff Photo: Keith Farner)