CORBIN — March 13, 2010.pdf

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

On Friday, Dalton Christopher Brewer told a Whitley Circuit Court jury what happened at his Corbin Gilliam Street home about noon June 13, 2007.

Brewer’s testimony came at the end of the day in the trial of Tony A. and Perry Anthony Ramey on charges of first-degree robbery and second-degree assault against Brewer.

About three weeks before the father, Tony, and son, Perry, allegedly attacked Brewer, according to Brewer’s testimony, Perry Ramey had sold Brewer a Glock 27, .40-cal., pistol for $300.

Brewer, who said he works in masonry and electrical trades and owns some rental apartments, testified that on that morning he had been ill.

He told prosecutor Jeffrey Prather he had bought the gun because he enjoys collecting and reselling them and noted he had probably sold three or four and has about five in his collection.

According to Brewer, he bought the Glock 27 from Perry Ramey in late May at the behest of his neighbor, Russell Hibbard, who testified that he had introduced Brewer to Perry Ramey and suggested that Brewer buy the pistol.

Perry Ramey explained how he came by the weapon from his father, Tony, who, Perry said, is issued a new weapon annually and he had passed last year’s on to Perry, when in fact he had taken it without his father’s permission and Tony was not issued new pistols annually.

Brewer and Hibbard, at Brewer’s idea, Hibbard said, took the gun to the Corbin Police Department to make sure it hadn’t been stolen.

When police confirmed the pistol wasn’t stolen, Brewer agreed to buy it.

Once back at the Brewer home, a bill of sale was executed and signed by Hibbard, Brewer and Perry Ramey.

Brewer testified that on the day of the alleged robbery attempt and assault, he heard a knock at the door about noon and when he answered it found Perry Ramey at the door.

The younger Ramey, Brewer claimed, said they had come for the weapon. Brewer testified that he told Perry he could get the pistol if he returned the $300.

Perry told him there would be no money involved and Brewer testified he told the younger Ramey, “That ain’t going to work,” and turned to enter the home.

As he did, Brewer said, Perry Ramey grabbed him around the neck and pushed him to the floor of the home’s front porch.

Then, Brewer said, he saw Tony coming with a pistol in his hand. When Tony got to Brewer, Brewer said, he began hitting Brewer on his head, apparently with the butt of the pistol, leaving three scars, which Brewer showed the jury.

That happened on the porch, Brewer said, and the next thing he saw was a tire on a vehicle parked on the side of the street. Brewer said he apparently had lost consciousness for a short while and had been dragged from the porch.

Tony, according to Brewer, told Perry to help put Brewer into the Jeep and that they were “taking him down the road to kill him.” He said the Rameys’ beating and kicking continued.

At about that point, Brewer said, his then-live-in girlfriend had notified 911 and a Corbin police officer arrived.

Police officer Glen Taylor separated the trio, while Tony Ramey told him that he was a deputy sheriff and was in the process of arresting Brewer.

In earlier testimony, it was revealed by Whitley Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Charles Davis that Ramey was simply an auxiliary or “card carrying” deputy.

Davis said he had been sent to the Corbin police headquarters, where the Rameys were being interviewed by Whitley Sheriff Lawrence Hodge to confiscate Tony Ramey’s badge and identification card.

It was also revealed by Davis that Tony was not bonded as required for auxiliary deputies.

He told the jury that auxiliary deputies are not allowed to make arrests on their own, but may accompany official deputies in those instances. Often they may do traffic control or other duties alone but never alone do they do active law enforcement in the Whitley County Sheriff Department.

Upon the arrival of Corbin Police, Tony and Perry Ramey went to the police station where police interviews continued.

Brewer was taken to Baptist Regional Medical Center for treatment.

The trial is expected to go to the jury Monday.