Pubdate: Fri, 16 Nov 2001
Source: Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN)
Copyright: 2001 The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Contact:  http://www.knoxnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/226
Author: Randy Kenner, News-Sentinel staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

MAN ENTERS GUILTY PLEAS ON DRUG, ASSAULT CHARGES

Travis D. Gipson was very open, an officer wrote, about what he was doing 
when he was arrested on a drug possession charge last year. "I'm just 
trying to make my court costs by selling crack," Gipson told Knoxville 
police officer Derek H. Weller, according to court papers.

Weller's description of the May 15, 2000, arrest also states that Gipson 
repeated the statement later, telling Weller he was "selling crack to pay 
for $1,211 (in) court costs by June 6, 2000, so he would not be arrested."

On Thursday Gipson, now 18, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with 
intent to resell it before pleading guilty to an unrelated aggravated 
assault count stemming from a drive-by shooting on July 18, 2000.

Gipson's brother, Antonio C. Gipson, who was driving the car, also pleaded 
guilty in that incident to facilitation of aggravated assault. They were 
originally charged with four counts of attempted murder but entered pleas 
to the lesser offenses before Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard 
Baumgartner. Both will seek probation at a Dec. 18 sentencing hearing.

According to records and statements made in court by Assistant Knox County 
District Attorney General Scott Green, Travis Gipson's drug charge stemmed 
from a traffic stop during which officers saw him place a small bag 
containing crack between the seats of his car.

Green said the July shooting incident was triggered when Travis and Antonio 
Gipson drove by a group gathered on East Fifth Avenue. Words were exchanged 
and gang signs flashed, and Travis Gipson responded by firing several 
shots. No one was hit, Green said.

Travis Gipson received six years on the assault count and eight years on 
the drug count.

Antonio Gipson, jailed since last summer on another charge, faces a 
two-year sentence. Baumgartner released him Thursday because he has a job 
lined up.

Randy Kenner may be reached at 865-342-6305 or  ---
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