City Briefs

Dalzell, Seahorn file motion to suppress some evidence

The man some believe is responsible for the mysterious 1997 disappearance and suspected murder of a local woman has filed a motion to suppress remaining evidence.

Andrew Douglas Dalzell faces six counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of identity fraud, one count of obtaining property by false pretenses and larceny by employee.

Dalzell and his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Susan Seahorn, filed a motion earlier this month to suppress evidence they believed was obtained illegally by the Carrboro Police Department.

Earlier this year Dalzell’s confession to the murder of Deborah Leigh Key was suppressed after the judge ruled that police used unconstitutional means to obtain the statement and that Dalzell was not read his Miranda rights. In June, the charge of second-degree murder was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

Seahorn writes that the remaining charges are “all a product of the same investigation and are factually entwined with the now dismissed murder charge.”

Dalzell is set to appear in Superior Court on Sept. 20 or 21.

 

Scandal emerges in wake of dance studio closing

Several families were the victims of fraud this summer after an audition was held at the former Bounds Dance Studio, which was located at Rams Plaza in Chapel Hill.

In June, Bounds hosted a dance audition for a film that was supposedly set to be filmed in Raleigh, according to Chapel Hill police.

Reports state that Crystal Dawn Cockrell led the audition and said she was a representative of The Alexander Agency of Charlotte. Those chosen were required by Cockrell to pay $55 for a Screen Actors Guild worker’s permit — which does not exist. About 250 children auditioned and 150 were selected, according to police reports.

As of Friday, 23 incident reports and 9 outstanding warrants for obtaining property by false pretense had been issued for Cockrell, according to police spokeswoman Jane Cousins.

Not all the people who filed reports had money stolen, Cousins said. She said people were concerned that Social Security numbers given at the audition might be misused.

Victims of the incident are encouraged by the Chapel Hill Police Department to file a report.

 

New cell phone initiative to improve emergency care

The Chapel Hill Police Department and Orange County Emergency Management Services are launching an initiative to provide better emergency care to area cell phone users.

The In Case of Emergency program allows participants to store emergency contact information in their cell phones under the heading ICE and place ICE stickers on their phones to alert EMS to the presence of the information.

Stickers can be obtained free of charge from the police department, the COP Shop at University Mall, Alltel, Cingular, Sun Com, Verizon and Radio Shack.