By By Marianne Todd/The Meridian Star
March 24, 2001
A second defendant has entered a petition to plead guilty as an accessory after the fact of murder in connection with the death of 51-year-old Murray Battle, who died of a gunshot wound in March 2000.
The indictment against Kelvin D. Ephrim, 20, alleged that he helped bury Battle's body.
In his petition, filed Friday, Ephrim said he helped the man indicted for murder in Battle's death, Joseph Ramsey, dispose of the body. He also stated he helped Ramsey evade detection and capture.
In January, 23-year-old Marquis Adams also pleaded guilty as an accessory after the fact of murder and received a two-year suspended jail sentence in exchange for his testimony in Ramsey's murder trial.
Ramsey's murder trial had been scheduled to begin Monday, but has been rescheduled for June 11.
Adams is now serving a two-year probationary period.
Ephrim's proposed plea agreement carries a five-year suspended jail sentence and a five-year probationary period. The petition is expected to be accepted on Monday.
Ramsey surrendered to authorities several days after Battle was reported missing and afterwards led officers to Battle's Causeyville grave site.
Investigators said Battle's car, a black Mitsubishi, was found not far from the grave site. Police officials said they believe the car, bearing a Purple Heart veteran's tag, had been driven there by the suspects.
Ephrim is free on $5,000 bond. Ramsey is free on $15,000 bond.
Marianne Todd is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at mtodd@themeridianstar.com.