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 kenner@knews.com.