Sheriff Assault Trial Begins

The trial of a man accused of assaulting Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley continues today in Stephens County Superior Court.

37-year old John Matthew Williams is charged with Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer, Aggravated Battery, and Felony Obstruction of an Officer after allegedly punching the Sheriff in the head.

During opening arguments Tuesday, Mountain Judicial Assistant District Attorney Rick Bridgeman told the jurors the issue was not whether Williams punched the Sheriff, but whether he was justified in doing so.

Leanna Elrod is the defense attorney for Williams.

Elrod told jurors her client was only defending his girlfriend and his baby son from the Sheriff whom she said shoved the woman, her causing her and her son to be injured when they fell to the ground.

In testimony Tuesday, Sheriff Shirley told the court he and deputy Rusty Fulbright responded to a 911 call regarding a possible kidnapping of a woman, identified as Rebecca Heaton, at a residence on Skyview Lane on February 16, 2016.

The Sheriff said he had also received a call from the woman’s father on his personal cellphone.

He told the jury the father of Rebecca Heaton called him asking for help believing his daughter was being held by Williams against her will.

Shirley said when he arrived at Williams’ trailer, he heard people running inside the home and then silence.

He said that because he believed Heaton and her baby son might be in danger, he opened the front door and found Heaton holding her baby, standing near the bedroom door where Williams was with two other females.

The Sheriff said Heaton immediately began screaming and cursing at him as he tried to get Williams to come outside and speak with him.

Shirley testified that when Deputy Fulbright arrived, he also came inside and also tried to get Williams to come out.

Both Sheriff Shirley and Deputy Fulbright testified Heaton continued to block the bedroom doorway and continued to yell and curse at the officers.

Both also testified that the Sheriff then put his hands on Heaton’s shoulders and moved her and her baby away from the bedroom doorway.

But as he did that, Williams came from behind and quote, “sucker punched” the Sheriff in the head knocking him out.

Officers with the Toccoa Police Department then arrived and arrested both Williams and Heaton.

Investigators took photos of the Sheriff and of Heaton’s baby and those were shown to the jury Tuesday.

The photos showed there were no injuries on the child, but the Sheriff had suffered severe facial injuries.

Heaton is expected to testify in the Williams’ trial.