DRUG MATERIALS, GUN UNCOVERED WHERE DEPUTY WAS KILLED

Marijuana, cocaine residue and drug paraphernalia were found at the Frayser
residence where sheriff's deputy George Selby was killed last week while
trying to serve a search warrant, court papers showed Monday. The man
identified in the warrant, Reginald Rome, made a first appearance Monday in
General Sessions Criminal Court, where he faces first-degree murder charges.

Judge Greg Gilluly explained the charges to Rome, including being a felon
in possession of a handgun, and ordered that he remain in jail without bond.

Gilluly was appointed to the bench by the County Commission to fill in for
Judge Ann Pugh, who took a leave about three months ago for health reasons.

Rome, 45, is scheduled to return to court next Monday to announce whether
he can hire an attorney. He wore a red high-security jail smock, and his
left arm was bandaged from his hand to above the elbow. He was shot in the
left hand and sustained dog bites in the incident last week. State
prosecutor Bobby Carter said the state almost certainly will seek the death
penalty since Rome is accused of killing an officer in the line of duty.

Assistant public defender Dianne Thackery announced that her office would
recuse itself from representing Rome because a secretary in the office has
a son on the narcotics squad who knew and worked with Selby.

Defense attorney Paul Springer said in court Rome's family has talked with
his office about taking the case.

Because the victim was a law enforcement officer, a jailer videotaped
Rome's movements to and from court to make a record of his treatment while
in custody.

The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Wednesday at 2433 Chattering Lane as
Selby, 33, and 11 other officers from the Shelby County Narcotics Unit were
serving a search warrant seeking illegal drugs.

The warrant issued the previous day said a reliable informant had told
deputies of seeing Rome storing and selling cocaine and marijuana at the
Chattering Lane address within the previous five days.

The return on the warrant says officers seized four grams of marijuana, two
crack cooking tubes that tested positive for cocaine, scales, rolling
papers, miscellaneous paperwork, pictures, a cell phone, a razor blade with
cocaine residue, Tupperware and a small plastic bag.

Investigators said they also recovered a .357-caliber Magnum Colt King
Cobra pistol said to belong to Rome, who has a felony drug conviction that
would bar him from owning a firearm. It is believed to be the weapon used
to kill Selby.

A second man in the house, Calvin Joe Williams, 42, was questioned by
police and released last week.