Newspaper Page Text
February 21, 2018
Page 7 A
It's official: Bittick tapped for Marshal
m
Reporter
Special election in November at the earliest
Sheriff John Cary Bittick, left, shown last year at the White
Hosue with the man who just nominated him for U.S. Mar
shal, President Donald Trump.
As first reported in this
newspaper in November, it
appears long-time Monroe
County sheriff John Cary
Bittick is on his way to
leaving the post he’s held
for 35 years to become a
U.S. marshal.
President Donald Trump
announced last week his
intent to nominate Bittick
to be the U.S. Marshal
for the Middle District of
Georgia. A senate confir
mation vote is expected
soon.
The move would end
Bittick’s 35 years as sher
iff, and would represent a
rare break in the Bittick
dynasty that’s held the
position for most of the
past 100 years.
Under state law, the
sheriff’s chief deputy A
Shackelford will become
sheriff upon Bittick’s con
firmation and he can hold
the position up to a year
until a special election can
be held, said chief registrar
Kay Warren. Warren said
the earliest the election
could be held would be
Nov. 6.
Shackelford has said
he will run to keep the
post. Michael Bittick of
the Bibb County Sheriff’s
Office, a distant cousin of
the sheriff, as well as long
time Monroe County C-apt..
Brad Freeman, are report
edly interested in the race.
So is former sheriff’s can
didate Troy C-opelan.
In its press release, the
White House said the U.S.
Marshal performs essen
tial functions of protecting
the Federal judiciary by
apprehending fugitives,
transporting prisoners,
and protecting witnesses.
“These candidates share
the President’s vision for
Making America Safe
Again,’“ said the press
release.
Mary Persons’ student cited for on-line comment
AMary Persons student
has been charged with dis
orderly conduct
for an on-line
SnapC-hat. post
that, contained
“concerning
and potentially
threatening lan
guage against the
school” just two
days after 17 stu
dents were killed
at a Florida high
school.
Brandon Justice
Hudson, 17, of 125 W.
Harzell Lane, Forsyth,
located behind Forsyth
Garden Apartments, was
cited for disorderly con
duct on Thursday
afternoon.
Monroe County
Sgt. Richard
C-oughenour was
dispatched to the
school around
3:58 p.m. and met
with principal Dr.
Jim Finch about
an “alarming
Snap Chat posts”.
The sheriff’s office
would not say
what Hudson wrote on the
posts. Snap Chat posts dis
appear after a short, time.
In his report.,
C-oughenour said that,
after several minutes of
discussion with Finch
it. was determined that,
further action would be
sought, through the justice
system. Coughenour then
issued Hudson a citation
for disorderly conduct..
C-apt.. Lawson Bittick
said they checked with
magistrate judge Buck
Wilder and the district,
attorney’s office and nei
ther felt, like the evidence
met. the standard to
charge Hudson with the
more serious offense of
HUDSON
terrorist, threats. However
Bittick said they did obtain
search warrants to confis
cate his phone and other
electronics and make sure
there were no other seri
ous threats.
“That’s one thing we
learned in all the mess
going on in Florida - that,
it’s important, to follow up,”
said Bittick.
However Bittick said so
far no evidence had turned
up and it. may be a case of
being stupid and bad tim
ing for Hudson.
Meanwhile, the school
system sent. out. an email
saying that, the student
had been identified and
removed. “Under federal
regulations, the school
system cannot, reveal infor
mation about, students,”
the school system wrote.
“We encourage students,
parents, and the commu
nity to report, any potential
concerns to the school or
law enforcement.. Safety is
our top priority for Monroe
C-ounty Schools.”
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Three vehides reported
stolen over three-day span
Three vehicles were
reported stolen in Monroe
County in a spate of vehi
cle thefts over a three-day
span last, month.
According to the inci
dent. report., at. about. 9:12
a.m. on Jan. 27, Elbert.
Jackson Road resident.
Jamie Higgins told Dep.
Thomas Haskins of the
Monroe County Sheriff’s
Office that, his white
2008 Chevrolet. Silverado
3500 was stolen from his
property. Higgins said
he last, saw his truck at.
about. 10:30 p.m. the previ
ous night., where it. was
parked behind a locked
gate and was connected to
a trailer. Higgins said the
stolen truck contained a
Diamondback .380 hand
gun, a Discovery laptop
computer, a $1,200 cowboy
hat., several checkbooks
and several titles to his
horses. Higgins said he
discovered his truck was
missing at. about. 9 a.m.
that, morning. He said
the trailer was in the
same place where he left,
it. and the entrance to his
property did not. appear
to be damaged. Higgins
added the truck was left,
unlocked but. the key was
not. inside the truck.
Higgins told Haskins he
thinks a male ex-employee
stole his truck. He said his
ex-employee, who he said
has an extensive criminal
record, stayed on his prop
erty with him for about, a
year. Higgins said he and
his ex-employee had an
argument, because the ex
employee’s girlfriend had
been staying with him on
the property. Higgins said
the ex-employee left, in the
middle of the night, on Jan.
22, and Higgins said he
notified the ex-employee’s
parole officer about, his
leaving the following day.
Higgins said he later
received a call on Jan.
24 from his ex-employee
threatening him if he
called the ex-employee’s
parole officer. Higgins said
he thinks the ex-employee
made a copy of his gate
key prior to leaving and
must, have stolen his spare
key to his truck.
In a separate but. pos
sibly related incident., at.
about. 2:38 a.m. on Jan.
29, Kent. Drive resident.
Michael Garman told Sgt..
Willie Brown that, his
black 1999 Honda Accord
had been stolen. Garman
said he heard a noise out
side of his home and went,
outside to check. Garman
said he then saw someone
driving off in his car with
a silver or white-colored
vehicle following it.. In
another separate but. pos-
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sibly related incident., at.
about 6:48 a.m. on Jan. 30,
Blackberry Trail resident.
Matthew Beech told Dep.
Timothy Campfield that,
his truck, a blue Chevrolet.
Silverado Z-71 extended
cab with an Alabama tag,
was stolen. Beech said the
truck was parked near his
home with the keys in it.
and the doors unlocked.
Beech said he heard a
vehicle leave at. about. 5
a.m. but didn’t know it
was his truck. Beech said
when he exited his home
to go to work, he discov
ered his truck was miss
ing.
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Due March 31 51
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EOW 9/14/2014