An article published in the July 1 edition of Atmore News, about parole being denied to Tommie Lynn Goins, contained incorrect information. (Goins was convicted of the 1986 shotgun slaying of Atmore resident Hanks Roberts and sent to prison for life.)
In the article, it was incorrectly stated that Goins “claimed he killed Roberts because Roberts had physically abused his wife (Goins’s sister).”
According to Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals documents, “the appellant (Goins) was married to the victim’s sister, Joann, and had knocked her front teeth out.”
Court records show that “the accused (Goins) and his eventual victim (Roberts) saw each other at a service station and exchanged harsh words.” Goins denied knocking his wife’s teeth out.
He then returned to his home in Atmore, but later that day “got a shotgun and drove to the Roberts home.” According to court documents, “when Hank Roberts stepped outside the door, he was shot in the head by (Goins).”
The convicted killer, whose case has come before the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles several times, was again denied parole after a June 25 hearing. He has served almost 34 years in prison for the murder.
Atmore News and the writer of the article apologize for the error and to the family of Hank Roberts for any mental anguish the error might have caused.