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| | | Court officials receive sportsmanship awards. | | |  | | | The guns sounded like a World War II air raid. Each time a Pheasant would fly up the barrage would start again.
It was the annual hunt, held each year the first Saturday of November, to honor retired Probation and Parole Officer Peter Batten. Batten, from Raleigh, is a cancer survivor and about 5-years ago a group of his friends organized the hunt to honor him. Being a Department of Corrections employee of course put him near court employees and law enforcement officers, so naturally they show up to display their friendship.
The scene is Honey Hill Hunting Preserve just outside of Whiteville. The shiny shotguns are plentiful as are the laughs and stories. And... the hunt is on!
The day consists of breakfast, a hunt, lunch, a Pheasant Court (actually, a fun filled roasting of one of the hunters), another hunt in the afternoon, concluded with an awards ceremony and lots of hugs and handshakes as the day comes to a close.
Shown in the photo is one of the dignitaries attending the hunt and awards presenter, General Nat Robb, former commanding general of the North Carolina National Guard, Watauga County District Attorney Gerald Wilson from Boone, Marshal (security guy) for the Supreme Court of North Carolina, Tom Bowman, Dick Ellis, Public Information Officer for the courts, and Judge John Tyson, representing the Court of Appeals. Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, I. Beverly Lake, Jr., was tried in abstentia by the Pheasant Court. Evidence was shown that the Justice did not attend the hunt this year because he was forced to dress in a Tuxedo and attend a fancy party at a museum in Raleigh that evening. Being found guilty of un-sportsman like conduct, he was sentenced to provide cold refreshments at next year's hunt!
Others attending the hunt included E.B. Jackson from the Federal Public Defender's Office in Raleigh, Joe Dean, former Secretary of NC Crime Control and Public Safety, and Boiling Spring Lakes Chief of Police, Richard White.
It was all in fun, it was to honor a friend who fought Cancer and won, and to gather a group of court and law enforcement officials together and share the out-of-doors. | | | | Publish Date: 11/15/2006 |
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