MOULTRIE —
Colquitt County State Court Solicitor Keith Allen said he will refile charges in 18 cases dismissed last week when he was tardy to bench trial proceedings.
State Court Judge Richard Kent said that he dismissed the 18 cases without prejudice -- meaning that Allen has the option to refile -- after Allen had not arrived 20 minutes after the Dec. 3 court session opened.
Kent said he will sign a formal order on the dismissals in the coming days, but will not reverse his courtroom order.
“You have to decide,” he said. “That was my decision after the 20 minutes. I decided to dismiss for failure to prosecute.”
The dismissals on those grounds was the first time that Kent said he had done so in 15 years on the bench.
The 18 cases that were dismissed consisted mostly of simple battery and battery cases.
Of the cases, half were being prosecuted by the Moultrie Police Department, five by the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office, and one each by the Doerun Police Department and Georgia State Patrol. Two cases were private prosecutions.
Allen said that he had been working on other matters at the time and that time slipped by without him realizing that it was time for court proceedings to start. He said he was not making any excuses for his tardiness.
“Bluntly, I just messed up because I was late,” he said. “It is what it is. I was late and I’m sorry.”
The dismissals will not affect the cases, he said.
“I’m refiling the cases,” Allen said. “They will be refiled, most of them will be anyway. I’m refiling the cases that warrant filing.”
Kent said he had not considered pursuing any sanctions against Allen for the incident and that he did not discuss the matter with him on the court date.
“It happens from time to time to time, even for lawyers,” he said of court participants’ being late for court proceedings. “(Judges have) options for dealing with anybody who doesn’t show up for court. My understanding is he did come afterward.”
Local News
Prosecutor late; State Court cases dismissed
Keith Allen makes no excuses, says he'll refile charges
- Local News
-
-
Suspect charged in Carroll's death
A suspect who claimed self-defense in a deadly shooting April 28 has been charged with murder.
-
Intruder with knife attacks elderly resident
A man accused of stealing a pack of cigarettes after attacking the resident with a knife and a Moultrie man accused of trying to outrun police with four children in a car were among those arrested over the weekend by local law enforcement.
-
1921 murder brings Texas woman to Pavo
Many law enforcement agencies honor their fallen comrades on or about May 15, proclaimed since 1962 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. But more than two weeks earlier, a Pavo native who died on duty in Memphis, Tenn., received recognition from an unlikely source: the family of the man who killed him.
-
Mental Health Month
-
Colquitt Regional Mammography receives reaccreditation
Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s Radiology Department recently received reaccreditation from the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA).
- Your Agenda 05/21/13
-
County budget proposal calls for small raises, no tax increase
With income staying stagnant or declining, a trend that has lasted for five years with a sluggish economy, Colquitt County is again looking at a challenging budget.
-
Cotton planting at Expo
-
Hospital honors Nurse of Year, G.R.E.A.T. Ambassador
Nurse of the Year and G.R.E.A.T. Ambassador, two very special honors, were recently given at Colquitt Regional Medical Center during a week-long celebration of National Hospital Week.
-
Men's choir to perform Monday
- More Local News Headlines
-
Huge Tornado Kills Dozens Near Oklahoma City
Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety
Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado
Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood
Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School
Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma
Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead
White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media
Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq
Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival
Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital
Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
Commuters Face Delays After Conn. Train Accident
Raw: Swarm of Tornadoes Slams Plains
Raw: Fierce Bombing in Qusair, Syria
RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado
Raw: Accused US Spy Reportedly Leaves Russia
