Murder Suspect in Lee County Deputy's Death Expected in Court

Tune in to News 3 First Edition today at 6/5 p.m. for the latest on the court appearance.

From our media partner, the Opelika Auburn News:

The Georgia man charged with the death of a Lee County deputy will make an initial court appearance this afternoon.

Gregory Lance Henderson, 31, of Columbus, Ga., is scheduled to appear before a Lee County Circuit Court judge at 1:30 p.m., Capt. Van Jackson, Lee County Sheriff’s chief investigator, said Thursday.

Henderson is being held in the Russell County jail on one count of capital murder for the death of deputy James Anderson, 39, of Salem.

During a brief and somber press conference Thursday night, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones confirmed that Anderson, a three-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, had been killed after being struck by and pinned under Henderson’s vehicle during a traffic stop in Smiths Station Thursday afternoon.

Jackson did not know how long it had been since a Lee County sheriff’s deputy had been killed in the line of duty.

Jones said Anderson was injured after he and another deputy conducted a traffic stop on Lee Road 240 in Smiths Station about 12:50 p.m. CDT.

Anderson and another deputy followed a vehicle into a residential driveway on Lee Road 240, next to Lee Road 522, where Anderson got out of the patrol car to approach the driver. As he neared the vehicle, Jones said, Henderson drove forward, striking Anderson and pinning him under the car.

The other deputy removed Henderson from the vehicle and took him into custody. Lee County officials will not release the name of the deputy.

Other law enforcement agencies and emergency personnel arrived shortly to free Anderson, who was immediately transported to the Columbus Regional Medical Center. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris said Anderson was pronounced dead in the hospital emergency room at 1:52 p.m.

Jones would not take questions after the press conference. He simply asked for prayers for Anderson’s wife, son and daughter, as well as the 150 fellow members of the sheriff’s office.

Additional details about the incident were not immediately provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office or the investigating agency, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. Jackson said future updates would come from the ABI.

At the scene Thursday afternoon, Jackson said shots were fired, but he did not say who fired them or whether anyone was hit.

Harris said Anderson’s body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for a postmortem examination.

ABI investigated two separate incidents last year involving Lee County Sheriff’s deputies and traffic stops. On Aug. 9, 2008, a deputy shot and killed John Derrick Johnson, 29, of Opelika after he was dragged by Johnson’s car during a traffic stop. A Lee County grand jury found no cause to bring the case to trial.

On Aug. 27, 2008, reserve deputy Leon Aaron was shot during a traffic stop in Smiths Station. Deputy Chad Stancil returned fire, wounding Christopher Eric Dalton, 20, of Phenix City. Dalton pleaded guilty in February to attempted murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Pick up Friday’s edition of the Opelika-Auburn News for more on this developing story.