SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Mary Katherine Higdon, the woman charged with murder in the Aug. 1, 2018, shooting death of Steven Andrew Freeman, her boyfriend, has been acquitted of all charges. Higdon, who was facing a possible sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault […]
Jury: Mary Higdon not guilty of murder in shooting death of Steven Freeman
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: acquittal, District Attorney Ben Coker, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circiut, Griffin Police Department, Mary Katherine Higdon, murder, not guilty, spalding county, Steven Andrew Freeman, trial
Spalding man sentenced to 20 years for aggravated battery against baby
STAFF REPORT ::: A Spalding County jury on Friday morning convicted Versaches Evans of aggravated battery for fracturing his infant daughter’s ribs. The baby was only 12-weeks-old when her injuries were discovered. Evans was charged with additional counts, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on those charges. For his conviction for aggravated […]
Three T-Mobile armed robbery defendants convicted; sentences range from 20 years to life
STAFF REPORT ::: Three perpetrators of a July 2018 armed robbery of the Griffin T-Mobile store have been sentenced to prison sentences ranging from 20 years to life in prison. According to a press release issued by the Spalding County District Attorney’s Office, the case of State of Georgia v. Dexter Lamar Boyd and Victor […]
Violent Griffin home invasion, aggravated assault of child victim results in life sentence
STAFF REPORT ::: A Spalding County jury on Thursday convicted Lajayvayon Malek Johnson on numerous charges related to a violent home invasion. Having been convicted of home invasion, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18, possession of marijuana […]
Missing evidence jeopardized felony case against Matthew Boynton, former GPD officer
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Violation of his oath of office – one of two felony charges for which the Griffin Police Department in 2017 arrested Matthew Boynton, one of its own officers – was reportedly at risk of being dismissed because his sworn oath of office, the signed document, could not be located. According to […]
Brutal domestic violence cases concluded during Superior Court trial week
STAFF REPORT ::: The Spalding County District Attorney’s Office recently completed a trial week with the Superior Court Judge Christopher Edwards. This trial week was the first of three weeks before Edwards. According to a press release issued by the office of District Attorney Ben Coker, Assistant District Attorneys Donna Gopaul and Kathryn Lenhard represented […]
Bond denied for two men charged with 1983 murder of Timothy Coggins
STAFF REPORT ::: Two men arrested and charged with the 1983 murder of Timothy Coggins – Franklin Gebhardt and William Moore Sr. – have been denied bond. According to the office of Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker, Gebhardt and Moore Sr. were on Monday denied bond by Superior Court Judge W. Fletcher Sams. […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: ADA Marie Broder, cold case, District Attorney Ben Coker, Franklin Gebhardt, Griffin, murder, spalding county, Timothy Coggins, William Moore Sr.
GPD officer forfeited appeal of disciplinary action
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After reporting on the Griffin Police Department’s Internal Affairs administrative investigation of Curtis Keys and Dwayne Hancock, which resulted in both officers being demoted one rank, and Keys being the subject of a GBI criminal investigation, The GRIP was alerted that pertinent information had been omitted. The GRIP then notified the […]
Felony drug cases result in lengthy prison sentences, banishment
STAFF REPORT ::: The Spalding County District Attorney’s Office has concluded the first week of a two-week trial calendar in front of the Honorable W. Fletcher Sams. According to a press release issued by Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker, the calendar began with 77 cases. Altogether this week were 22 guilty pleas and […]
David Gibson’s friends, family speak out at plea hearing; judge expounds on sentence
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: David Gibson, formerly of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, has plead guilty to two felony counts of violating his oath of office. Gibson on Thursday afternoon appeared before Superior Court Judge Robert M. Crawford and entered a blind plea, which means his guilty plea was entered without prior knowledge of the […]
Woman pleads guilty to murder in death of paraplegic man abandoned in woods
STAFF REPORT ::: Ruby Kate Coursey has plead guilty to murder in the death of Troymaine Johnson, a paraplegic who died after being abandoned in a wooded area. According to a press release issued by Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker, the guilty plea before Judge Christopher Edwards was entered Tuesday in Upson County […]
Chantell Mixon to serve three years in connection with GPD Officer Kevin Jordan’s murder
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Despicable – that is the description Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker ascribes to the actions of Chantell Mixon, who stood accused in the May 2014 murder of Griffin Police Department Officer Kevin Jordan and today plead guilty in Spalding County Superior Court. Mixon on Monday appeared before Superior Court […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Chantell Mixon, crime, District Attorney Ben Coker, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit, Griffin Police Department, Michael Bowman, murder, Officer Kevin Jordan, plea bargain, sentence, spalding county
SCSO: Courthouse security breached by two alleged Sovereign Citizens
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A security breach occurred at the Spalding County Courthouse when two individuals who allegedly falsely identified themselves as law enforcement officers were allowed to enter while armed with handguns. Authorities say the incident, which occurred Jan. 26, was initiated by a man and woman who entered the courthouse and approached the […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Continental Marshals of the Republic, District Attorney Ben Coker, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, security breach, Sheriff Darrell Dix, Sovereign Citizens, spalding county, Spalding County Courthouse, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
DA Ben Coker on Michael Bowman verdict, upcoming Chantell Mixon trial
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After countless hours, days, weeks and months became years of preparation and work, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker is now looking back on the trial of Michael Bowman and is comfortable in the knowledge that the man who murdered Griffin Police Department Office Kevin Jordan will never again walk […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Chantell Mixon, crime, District Attorney Ben Coker, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit, Griffin Police Department, Michael Bowman, Officer Kevin Jordan, shooting, spalding county
The GRIP 