University of Virginia Library

Conviction Draws 3 Years, Fine

A former member of the University
community has been convicted of selling
marijuana to a police undercover officer,
and sentenced to three years in the state
penitentiary and fined $500.

John C. Eccles was accused, along
with William T. Matheny, Jr., 18, and
Bruce Minton, 23, of selling 11 lids of
marijuana to Carl Deavers, a state police
investigator, on March 22, 1970. Mr.
Matheny and Mr. Minton are currently
serving prison terms resulting from the
same bust.

A second charge against Mr. Eccles,
possession of marijuana, ended in a hung jury.
John C. Lowe, attorney for Mr. Eccles, said the
verdict would be appealed.

The eleven-man, one-woman jury left the
courtroom at 4:15 p.m. Friday, returned at
5:45 to ask Judge George M. Coles several
questions, then spent ten more minutes in the
jury room before reaching its verdict.

Mr. Minton, Mr. Matheny, Mr. Eccles and
five other persons were arrested in a drug raid
last April in Charlottesville. Earlier this year,
separate charges of possession of marijuana
against Mr. Eccles ended in a hung jury.