2nd Person in Court on Indian Head Rock Case
2nd Person in Court on Indian Head Rock Case Save Email Print
Posted: 10:33 PM Oct 9, 2008
 Last Updated: 10:33 PM Oct 9, 2008
 Reporter: WSAZ News Staff
Email Address: news@wsaz.com
33 comments
A | A | A

GREENUP, Ky. (WSAZ) -- A member of the dive team that removed the Indian Head Rock from the Ohio River was in court Thursday in Greenup County, Kentucky.

David Vetter pleaded not guilty to charges he violated the Kentucky Antiquities Act.

Last year, a Portsmouth-based recovery crew pulled the 8-ton boulder out of the Ohio River. Bluegrass prosecutors say the Buckeye team stole a registered Kentucky historic artifact.

Vetter now joins Ohio dive team leader Steve Shaffer on the criminally accused list. The Kentucky prosecutor says there may be more indictments to come.

[ Copyright 2009 – WSAZ.com. All Rights Reserved. ]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Severe Weather and Breaking News Coverage

To send a news tip or submit a story idea, e-mail news@wsaz.com

More Stories
Man of "Monkee" Fame Comes to Summer Motion

Tea Parties Scheduled for Huntington and Kentucky Saturday

Holiday Weekend Outdoor Report

Nitro Residents Upset Over No Thru Traffic Road Sign

Floyd County Course Renewed

Search for Missing St. Albans Man

AP: Sarah Palin Resigning as Governor this Month

Toddler Shot, Mother Charged with Neglect
Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
By posting this comment I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy:
You must agree to the Terms of Service to continue.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: Matt on Jan 26, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Well I think I,ll shake my state reps hand.He doesn't seem as big of a fool anymore.
Posted by: DONNY DAXON on Oct 16, 2008 at 08:30 AM
IT WASN'T SUPPOSE TO BE RECOVERED. ITS AMAZING HOW OHIO OFFICIALS NEVER CLAIM THE RIVER UNITL THEY WANT SOMETHING FROM IT. GET A LIFE AND LET THINGS BE THAT DON'T CONCERN YOU.
Posted by: eric on Oct 11, 2008 at 11:26 AM
how long was it in the river and did anyone from kentucky ever try to recover it. know that it has been they want it, or do they just not have anything else to waste money on?
Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 10, 2008 at 07:52 PM
maybe they will go after dean dixon next. it would brighten the day for me since he is so heavy in them criminal activity just ask anyone who has worked at uc/pa
Posted by: Brantley on Oct 10, 2008 at 05:32 PM
Throw it back in the river!
Posted by: BillB on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:43 PM
To Ky resident 10/10/08 at 7:11AM: Who are the made up criminals? I think they said they took the rock. So please explain to me what is made up.
Posted by: So Sad on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:34 PM
This is stupid. My tax dollars are paying for a trial for dumb rock that I don't even want to go look at and I live in Portsmouth. Those that are persuing this trial should be put on trial themselves for wasting the courts time on stupid lawsuits.
Posted by: wildboar on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:30 PM
just remember how the people that was voted in office spent our tax $$$$$
Posted by: Mosley Wright on Oct 10, 2008 at 01:34 PM
What is ironic is that Dr. Fred Coy, who is the outstanding student of rock art in Kentucky, examined the petroglyph carefully and based on several characteristics, concluded that the rock "engraved with the pecking technique using a 1/2 inch metal tool and predating the other carvings on the rock, at the most, by only a few years" -- i.e., pre-1839. Source: ESRARA Newsletter, Quarterly of the Eastern State Rock Art Research Association Spring 2008
Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 10, 2008 at 01:30 PM
I think the HARDEST rox are in the heads of those Kentucky officials who are wasting the taxpayers' money over a lifeless object that an expert has judged NOT to be an American Indian artifact. If it's an Indian artifact, how come no INDIANS have spoken up about it? Kentucky voters, you oughtta vote against every idiotic official who's throwing yer money away over a ROCK!
Posted by: taco jim on Oct 10, 2008 at 01:01 PM
it's just a rock, a rock....... a rock
Posted by: chris on Oct 10, 2008 at 12:38 PM
the first two commenters must be from ohio, ohioans has took alot from us Kentuckians, did you know that the river used to be Ky river.
Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 10, 2008 at 11:05 AM
oh good god!!!!!!!
Posted by: Shep on Oct 10, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Yeah, it's so stupid! Why, anytime someone wants to haul off one of Kentucky's artifacts without permission, we should just let 'em! The cabin where Abe Lincoln was born? Heck yeah, take it away, boys!
Posted by: Jenny on Oct 10, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Oh God, its a freakin rock.
Posted by: anon on Oct 10, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Just throw the thing back in the river in the middle, and then they can swim down and see it...... This is the most stupid thing I have ever heard.
Posted by: Matt on Oct 10, 2008 at 09:55 AM
I agree..This is STUPID!!!! Its a rock. KY is just mad that Ohio found it and pulled it out, now they want it. Cut the rock in 2 part and give KY and OH a part..problem solved..no more tax payer money wasted on a rock...our elected leaders have more important things to work on!!!!
Posted by: CIN on Oct 10, 2008 at 09:43 AM
GIVE THEM BACK THEIR ROCK ALREADY SO THEY WILL SHUT UP 'BOUT IT !!!!!!!!
Posted by: Natalie on Oct 10, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Was there a sign stating do not remove? I'm sure not! How can they be charged?
Posted by: Missing the Point on Oct 10, 2008 at 09:17 AM
It may seem very silly in leiu of our economic troubles that are currently taking center stage, however, right is right and wrong is wrong. The Ohio dive team certainly should have researched their "bounty" before proceeding. If we don't hold those wrong accountable we will live in anarchy. Anyone ever hear of the terms, "beginning of the end", or "gateway segway's"? If it's registered as a Kentucky Antiquity, give it back to Kentucky, pay the fines and stop wasting everyone's time. You were in the wrong Mr. Shaffer and you knew it. We have much more important issues to deal with, so resolve this and let's deal with those.
Posted by: Kathy on Oct 10, 2008 at 09:08 AM
OMG! This story, like these people AND the stupid rock just needs to GO AWAY!!!! With the country falling apart literally around us, who CARES who "owns" this stupid rock? I'm sure the folks down there in P'mouth and KY could care LESS. They're like the rest of us, worrying about how to just survive this mess we're all in. I'm SURE they could care less about who owns or gets this ignorant rock. The rest of us here in Huntington and elsewhere CERTAINLY could care less for sure! Enough already. WSAZ! Deep six this story along with the one about the stupid woman & her "sexually explicit" straw story that has "traumatized" her kid or whatever her problem is! But well, maybe these two outrageous & crazy stories SHOULD be kept. At least they make me laugh sometimes at how ignorant our country really is & about now we ALL need something to laugh at
Posted by: kyman on Oct 10, 2008 at 08:39 AM
just like a bunch of CRACKHEADS, everybody wanting that big ole "rock". lol!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Joe on Oct 10, 2008 at 08:02 AM
World economy going down the crapper and people wasting money over a rock with a smiley face on it.
Posted by: KY resident on Oct 10, 2008 at 07:11 AM
What a total waste of tax payers money and the courts time. You should be trying "real" criminals and not "made up" ones.
Posted by: CLAUDE on Oct 10, 2008 at 05:51 AM
somepeople has way to much time on their hands. this has got to be a joke. yep your criminal justice system dollars hard at work.
Posted by: NEWS on Oct 10, 2008 at 04:32 AM
WHERE IS NANCY GRACE SHE WILL GET THE BIG DEAL OUT OF THIS ROCK! CASE CLOSED! wasting more tax dollars what ashame!
Posted by: brian on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:18 AM
Is anyone really sure this was carved by Indians? I have seen many of the carvings left in this area by the different tribes and they look nothing like this. This looks like a kid scraped it out with a rock years ago. I think this whole matter is a joke and a total waste of time.
Posted by: Ky Wonder on Oct 10, 2008 at 12:11 AM
Just a rock, but it was our rock....
Posted by: This is so stupid on Oct 9, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Lets get rid of some more tax payers money.. What a JOKE this is.....
Posted by: rachel on Oct 9, 2008 at 10:42 PM
THIS IS JUST A BUNCH OF BS! ITS NOT LIKE THEM TAKING THAT ROCK WAS A BIG DEAL ITS JUST A ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WSAZ.com Most Popular / Most Comments
National Headlines - MSNBC.com
First Warning Hour-By-Hour Forecasts
+ Ashland, KY
+ Athens, OH
+ Beckley, WV
+ Charleston, WV
+ Clarksburg, WV
+ Clay, WV
+ Gallipolis, OH
+ Huntington, WV
+ Ironton, OH
+ Logan, WV
+ Morgantown, WV 		+ Paintsville, KY
+ Parkersburg, WV
+ Pikeville, KY
+ Pomeroy, OH
+ Portsmouth,OH
+ Ripley, WV
+ Spencer, WV
+ Sutton, WV
+ Wayne, WV
+ Wheeling, WV
+ Williamson, WV
SearchKOW Business of the Day
WSAZ.com Sponsor Sections & Links
Healthy Tri-State
Live a healthier lifestyle in 2009
SOMC
Very good things are happening here
Moms4Moms
By moms, for moms
WV Lottery
Nightly drawings and numbers
Big Sandy
For all your furniture and appliance needs