Blake Can’t Recall Date
By FRED CONNORSArticle Photos
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. - Eugene Blake claims he cannot remember the events of March 19, 1982, when he is alleged to have murdered Mark Withers in Bridgeport.
Blake appeared Friday before Fayette County Circuit Judge John Hatcher in what was supposed to be final approval of a governor's warrant to extradite Blake to Ohio to face murder charges.
Blake, 63, who is serving 15 years to life in the West Virginia penal system for the 1984 murder of 13-year-old Maryann Hope Helmbright in Wheeling, was indicted June 4 by a Belmont County grand jury for the Withers murder.
On Sept. 9, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin signed the warrant authorizing an agreement with the state of Ohio for Blake's extradition.
Fayette County assistant public defender E. Scott Stanton asked Hatcher to order a psychological and psychiatric evaluation to determine if Blake was competent to assist in the preparation of a writ of habeas corpus challenging extradition.
"Based on what he has told me, I have become concerned it would not be in his best interest to waive extradition and to have us file a writ of habeas corpus on his behalf," Stanton said. "He has raised an issue I am very concerned about, particularly his competency to recall and remember events from as long ago as 1982."
Stanton said Blake may have a legitimate defense that he was not in Ohio at the time of the crime.
"I'm not sure, based on his competency, that I would be able to explore that possibility and I would ask the court to order an evaluation,"he said.
Hatcher granted the request for psychological and psychiatric evaluation.
Stanton also said he may raise procedural issues concerning the governor's warrant. Delivery of the warrant to Blake came into question during Friday's hearing.
Hatcher asked Assistant Fayette County Prosecutor Brian Parsons if Blake had been served the governor's warrant.
"Your honor, I don't believe so. In fact, I would say definitely no because the return of service line is blank," Parsons said.
On the day Manchin signed the warrant, the governor's deputy counsel, Jonathan Deem, said the warrant would be served on Blake at the Mount Olive Correctional Center within a couple days.
Hatcher ordered that Blake be taken to the sheriff's office immediately after the hearing and that the governor's warrant be served on him.
Following the hearing, Fayette County Chief Public Defender Nancy Fraley said the writ of habeas corpus would be limited to procedural matters concerning the governor's warrant, a determination that the accused is, in fact, the same Eugene Blake named in the Belmont County indictment and whether he was in Ohio at the time of the crime.
Asked why Blake had not been served with the governor's warrant, Fraley said, "I have no idea. It could be possibly because he has been in solitary confinement since being indicted and an officer of the court did not get to him."
Hatcher said because of a heavy criminal docket for the current term of court, he would not expect Blake's case to be heard before December or January.
Belmont County Prosecutor Chris Berhalter was not happy with the delay.
"This is totally not acceptable," he said when notified of the decision by telephone. "We will continue to use every means available to return Mr. Blake to Belmont County to answer these charges."
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mernie
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01-07-09 1:30 PM
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Please, stop giving this creep publicity.
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Used2LuvWV
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12-05-08 7:09 PM
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How much longer do we have to see this stupid story EVERY TIME we look at the wheeling newspapers.... yeah it was alright reading TWO MONTHS AGO but now it is nothing but annoying. TIME TO ARCHIVE THIS SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!
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mernie
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12-04-08 8:51 AM
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If people haven't read this by now, who is to say they ever will? Time to go.
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wontgetfooledagain
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11-19-08 11:26 AM
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Mernie; I think you miss the point of these discussions, its not for his benefit or his "notoriety we write articles or talk about them, its to shine a light on the evils in this world so that maybe, just maybe ignorance will not again prevail.
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mernie
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11-19-08 9:10 AM
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Time to get this story off your list of items. Why give him any more notoriety for him to enjoy? Too sensational now.
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wontgetfooledagain
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11-10-08 11:27 AM
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They should have never let him out to begin with....... I'm amazed at the justice system of West Virginia. Run someone down stab them over and over and over and over numerous times ending a young life, spend a few years in prison buddy up with the warden and the governor, be allowed to go out to our colleges and other public places (around children and young adults to ACT!!!!!in plays are you freaking kidding me folks?????? You don't want to hear what a f.....up system we are dealing with????Really??? Mark's murder happened when I was 12 years old. It has had a profound affect on me since then., never knowing who or why. Who knows how many other were murdered or if not murdered raped and left scared forever..This has affected people like my family in many ways that you who don't want to hear about will apparently never comprehend.I can recall when it happened and I know he can too.
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topofthehill
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11-07-08 7:43 PM
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This is really a total scumbag. Just hope we stop spending tons of money on this guy. Through away the key and be done.
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youngbloodWheelingroots
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11-03-08 1:35 AM
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Acoustic - welcome to the reality of the pathetic job the Intelligencer does in IDing "real" news. Look - now they've left this headline up a whole month - are they mocking you, or are they really that pitiful?
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JustJuls
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10-13-08 6:59 PM
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I understand that some people may get tired of hearing about this monster. I can even understand the point that Blake might be enjoying all of this attention. However, you should understand that those effected, personally, by this monster, need to know that he isn't being shoved to the back burner. They need to know that he is still very much on the minds of people and law officials. I was a friend of Hopey's and I know that I would not like to think that she, or her murder, has been forgotten. So before going on about what Blake is getting out of this, maybe you should think about what the loved ones of the victims are getting out of it. I know without a doubt that Blake will get his in the next life, but it doesn't hurt to see him get it in this one either. All I can say to those of you who are tired of reading about him is this, turn the page, or go to the next article. I, on the other hand, like knowing that what he has done is not being forgot about.
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SphinxRising58
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10-07-08 10:50 AM
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For everyone that keeps posting they are tired of hearing about Blake, I see you keep comming back to this article time & time again, so you obviously must like it, or like posting.
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PCGS70
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10-06-08 12:06 PM
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yep
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FireCN
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10-06-08 8:51 AM
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Getting real tired hearing about this clown. This is a perfect example of why the death penalty is needed. Period!
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Mallace
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10-06-08 7:07 AM
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PCGS70 - I don't believe that Blake can't remember. If you killed someone, you WOULD remember. He is just dragging his feet and his attorney is helping him.
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PCGS70
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10-05-08 9:34 PM
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Don't worry about your first post portal. I thought it was funny. Get this, who can remember where they were on March 19 1982? I'd have to go back through tons of paperwork, maybe even then I might not be able to tell you. If I was in jail and someone asked me, I doubt if I'd be sure. I'd have to make a lot of phone calls. Bank records, employment records. I don't even know if I could find a paper trail that goes back that far. I don't want to waste the few remaining brain cells to think about it unless it would save my life. Blake won't confess. The State gas to prove he did it. The State has to prove where he was. I think they have proof or they wouldn't have charged him. Hope they have all the tees crossed and all the I's dotted. The circulation of this newspaper ain't gonna grow because of any series of stories. Wheeling is dead. Just like Blake
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acousticportal
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10-05-08 3:00 PM
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um..I do want to apologize for the use of profanity and other offensives from my first post. Sorry.
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Gillso
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10-05-08 1:39 PM
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Based on your first low-life use of the English, I am surprized you have a clue what character and intellect mean. And, Yes, I do think you are one of the people with blood on your hands. There is no other explanation for such vulgar and low life language such as you use.
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acousticportal
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10-05-08 9:06 AM
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Gillso...I am offended by your idiotic assumption about me. I do not agree with glorifying this monster by having a daily article about him. Your response to me, although, does give great insight into your character and intellect.
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Katabatic
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10-04-08 7:52 PM
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Enough with glorifying Eugene Blake. If you want proof this publication has been doing it, then perhaps you can tell me how many serial killers get their own special section in an on-line newspaper, sandwiched between "top headlines" and the "business" sections. If we never hear about this guy again it'll be too soon for me. Hope I've set the record straight Gillso and rockdrummer.
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Katabatic
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10-04-08 1:58 PM
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Gilso rockdrummer et al, I say let's give this guy a fair trial and execute him, post haste. It wasn't me who let this guy out, years ago, only to have him murder again. It seems like you need to sharpen your significant teeth on the tails of whoever let this guy free. Get the judges name, or the names on a parole board, or the police, or whoever was responsible, and have at them. I'm just tired of this sick dog dominating the headlines again. He must be loving all the attention paid to him by this rag. Criminals get off on crap like this, you know.
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Gillso
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10-04-08 1:26 PM
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Good for you rockdrummer. That's what I'm talking about
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rockdrummer
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10-04-08 12:43 PM
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Acoustic and katabatic, what is your problem? This case affected people of the area very deeply, because of the severity of the crime and its complete randomness. This isn't one drug dealer shooting another drug dealer on Wheeling Island. This is one sick SOB serial killer killing a young man who was "parking" with is girlfriend. Blake killed Ohio Valley citizens while he was supposed to be serving time for killing other Ohio Valley citizens. Are you having trouble sleeping at night? Did you become involved by participating somehow in his freedom to hang out at the Capitol Music Hall, performing in plays while we has supposed to be behind bars?
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Gillso
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10-04-08 12:08 PM
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Oh here is another one who may blood on his hands. At least Katabatic doesn't have a trash vocabulary like acoustic.
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Katabatic
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10-04-08 11:32 AM
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Relax, acoustic. In several more days, this rag might hear rumors of the O J Simpson conviction, and we will be treated to another editorial or letter warning us to stop being so racist.
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SphinxRising58
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10-04-08 11:03 AM
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Gillso: Well, I know Hope Helmbright personally, as she used to frequent the arcade I managed & you could not meet a nicer person, & Blake took that all away from everyone so, yes, I am more than just another interested party. The fact that Blake was ever given the freedom he had while incarcerated amazed me, as he was in for capitol murder of another female at the time, & correct me if I am wrong, but most lifers are not allowed to come & go as they please, much less hang out in bars, but Blake seemed to be an exception. Had he been behind bars where he belonged, Hope would still be alive today, as would that young man Blake killed. I sincerely hope the people related to both victims bring a wrongful death suit against the people that let Blake wonder about & eventually set him free to kill two more times, as to use your words, " blood is on their hands ".
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Gillso
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10-04-08 10:52 AM
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It seems like acousticportal is always upset with the Blake stories. I wonder if he is one of those fools who was involved in the letter writing campaign to get Blake out of jail so he could go on to kill two or more people. We don't know acoustiportal's real name but I bet he or she has blood on his or her hands.
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