Hart County commissioner Ricky Carter and his son Jake Carter were each granted bond at $30,000 on March 24 in a case in which they’re accused of assault, battery and cruelty to children among other charges.
Both men were originally denied bond on March 23 by judge Jeffrey Malcom and ordered to appear in court on April 7 at the Hart County Courthouse, remotely.
On March 24, Northern Judicial Circuit judge Harvey Wasserman set the bond at $30,000 after district attorney Parks White and the Carters’ attorneys agreed on the bond price and conditions.
The conditions are: the defendant shall appear at superior court when scheduled; defendant shall not violate the laws of any local, state, or federal entity; the defendant shall have no contact with the alleged victims; the defendant shall not intentionally or knowingly enter upon the premise of the alleged victims; the defendant shall not discuss the facts of the case with any witness including the codefendant; the defendant shall not possess a firearm; the defendant shall advise the clerk of court of any change to his physical or mailing address; and the defendant shall not leave the jurisdiction of the State of Georgia without the express permission of the court.
On March 22, the GBI charged Ricky with three counts of cruelty to children in the third degree, two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and possession of firearm during commission of a crime, mirroring his son’s initial charges.
Jake is accused of violently beating his father’s brother-in-law Jack Williford in front of children during an altercation that allegedly stemmed from Williford ordering Jake’s children to leave his property. Ricky is accused of being party to the escalation and a hinderance to de-escalation. Both Carters were allegedly armed at the scene.
Hart County sheriff Mike Cleveland said Williford sustained life threatening injuries: brain bleed, multiple broken ribs and fluid in the lungs, among other injuries.
A family member said on March 29, Williford is “moving slow, but feeling better.”
In the wake of the news of his bond on Friday, several people stood in the courthouse square protesting the bond. Being family members of Williford, they were most concerned for the three children who witnessed the incident.
“What about the three children that were there?” Williford’s sister-in-law Tamara Williford said. “That’s not something that they needed to see. They’re traumatized.”
At the board of commissioners meeting on March 22, the board publicly called for Carter to resign for his alleged role in the assault.
Although the board has no legal authority to force Carter off the board, the four commissioners in attendance voted unanimously to recommend that the absent Carter resign.
County attorney Walter Gordon said the process to removing Carter from the board could not be started until after he is indicted by a grand jury.
Carter is up for reelection in 2022, with challenger Jeff Brown in opposition during the May 24 Republican primary.
The Sun made multiple attempts to contact Carter to no response.
Tamara Williford agreed with the board’s call for Carter’s resignation.
“I think that’s great, but I don’t think he’s going to do it,” Williford said at the protest. “The only way that he is going to be out is when Jeff Brown beats him for District 4 commissioner.”