Court rejects sheriff's appeal over call funds

Georgia's Supreme Court has rejected Lincoln County Sheriff Gerald Lawson's appeal of lower court rulings that he must turn over funds generated by inmate telephone calls to the county commission.

The high court's refusal to hear the case ends the sheriff's appeal options and a two-year dispute with the county commission, according to Commission Chairman Walker Norman, who said in a news release Wednesday that the matter has cost taxpayers about $30,000 in legal fees.

In 2006, Sheriff Lawson stopped turning over profits from the inmate telephone system and deposited them in an account that he controlled, according to Mr. Norman. In 2007, Superior Court Judge Penn McWhorter concluded that the commission has the authority to require the sheriff to turn over that money to the county, but Sheriff Lawson appealed that ruling to the state Court of Appeals, which upheld the Superior Court in a July 11 ruling.

The sheriff then appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court.

Augusta commissioners will meet for a work session from 3 to 5 p.m. today to continue discussing City Administrator Fred Russell's budget proposal, which calls for cuts and raising taxes.

The owner of a $100,000 home would pay an extra $29 annually in Richmond County's portion of property taxes under the proposal announced earlier this month.

The meeting, which will be held at the Municipal Building, is open to the public.

The commission will also hold a public hearing on the budget in the commission chamber, on the eighth floor of the Municipal Building, at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Detailed information on the budget proposal is available in the city finance department, Room 207 of the Municipal Building, and at the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library.

A mother and son face life imprisonment in the robbery and severe beating of an 81-year-old man in Hyde Park.

In an indictment filed Tuesday, a Richmond County grand jury charged Mary Deloatch and Troy Deloatch with robbery, aggravated assault and kidnapping with bodily injury.

The pair face five to 20 years each for the first two charges and life for the third.

On Aug. 29, they entered William Palmer's home on Golden Rod Street and struck him several times in his head, arm and stomach, a Richmond County sheriff's investigator said. They took his watch, TV, cell phone and $30, police said.

According to the indictment, Mr. Palmer was held against his will and beaten with a "metal object," suffering two skull fractures and cuts, scrapes and bruises to his head and body.

With the help of a school surveillance video, Richmond County sheriff's investigators were able to arrest four Tutt Middle School pupils Tuesday.

Investigator Allison Godden said the four, whose names were withheld because they are juveniles, and 18-year-old Kameron Reese, of the 1900 block of Pearl Avenue, have been charged with entering an automobile.

On Friday night, they are believed to have broken the windows of eight cars parked at Westside High School, Investigator Godden said. Their owners had parked them at the school while they traveled to Lakeside High School for a football game.

RICHMOND COUNTY TRAFFIC REPORT

- Officials will close the Interstate 20 westbound ramp to Bobby Jones Expressway on Saturday, according to a Georgia Department of Transportation press release. Crews also plan to shift traffic on I-20 westbound between Davis and Wheeler roads, beginning either Friday or Saturday, the release said. Traffic might be stopped for short intervals during this time.

-- From staff reports