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Saturday, May 1, 2004
Oxford Eagle
By KELLY SHACKLETON
Staff Writer
Erma Webb has retained local attorney Robert Pruitt in her defense of
attempted murder charges in the February 2004 death of beauty
contestant, Barbara Dubois.
Dubois, apparently ill from consuming chocolate injected with ipecac,
was later bludgeoned to death. Webb's daughter, Scarlett Webb, was
competing against Dubois in the Yoknapatawpha County Literary Festival
Beauty Pageant. Erma Webb allegedly confessed to injecting
chocolates consumed by Dubois with ipecac, but denied she tried to kill
her. Webb fired attorney Iris Rhodes this week over a disagreement about
the handling of her case in favor of hiring Robert Pruitt.
Interviewed in her jail cell, Ms. Webb stated "That woman [Rhodes]
didn’t have my best interests at heart. She wouldn’t handle my case as I
wanted -- so I fired her. I did not try to kill that young woman and I
certainly never beat her to death. Based on his excellent reputation in
the community, I’m sure Mr. Pruitt will do an admirable job in my
defense."
Allie Lamar, owner of Lamar Cosmetics, has been arrested and charged
with murdering Barbara
Dubois.
Robert Pruitt, a local attorney since his graduation from the
University of Mississippi School of Law in 1991, served in the
Yoknapatawpha District Attorney’s Office before joining with Gary
Rayburn in private practice in 1994.
Pruitt was in the news recently when Rick Gill, spouse of Pruitt’s
client in a divorce/custody case, was jailed on contempt and assault
charges after verbally threatening the judge and attempting to assault
Mr. Pruitt in the courtroom.
Pruitt declined an interview at press time, but confirmed he is now
Erma Webb’s attorney. |
