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www.MyMCR.net Vol. 47 No. 49
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4 Sections 28 Pages Wednesday December 12, 2018
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Freeman takes
Judge Tommy Wilson, left, swears "n Brad Freeman as the new Monroe County sheriff on Friday in the courthouse, as Freeman's wife Janet looks on.
Freeman has already named his chief deputy and jail captain, and made time for an interview with the Reporter. (Photo/Richard Dumas)
TO THE FAMILY
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MC Zoning Office
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James Claude Warren
Arthur Sanders
County's top lawman:sits hr. Q & A with the Reporter
New Monroe County
sheriff Brad Freeman was
sworn in on Friday, Dec. 7
at the courthouse by Judge
Tommy Wilson, just three
days after becoming the first
non-Bittick to win a race for
sheriff in the county in near-
ly 70 years. Taking the oath
allowed Freeman to assume
his powers, but a ceremo-
nial swearing in for friends
and family has been set for
1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec.
20. The public is invited.
Meanwhile, Freeman's foe
Sheriff Brad Freeman has
named Michael Hull, left,
his chief deputy, and Ricky
Davis, right, the captain of
the jail.
Lawson Bittick has resigned
from the sheriff's office to be.
an investigator for the Butts
County sheriff's office, while runoff win and his plans as running for sheriff until
interim sheriff Al Shack- sheriff. Sheriff (John Cary) Bittick
elford, the former chief decided that he was going
deputy, has stepped down as Q.) When did you first to take the marshal's posi-
well Freeman has quickly decide to run for sheriff and tion. And at that point, I
gone about establishing his at what point in your career thought about it long and
own command staff, ham- did you believe you were hard and decided I would
ing long-time Lt. Michael ready to lead the depart- do it. Because I'd always
Hull his chief deputy, and ment? made a promise to myself
naming Lt. Ricky Davis A.) I felt like I was ready that I would never run
to replace Freeman in his to be sheriffwhen I was against him. And when
former job as captain of the between 40 to 45 years he bowed out to take the
jail. Freeman also sat down old. I felt like I could marshal's position, it was
with news editor Richard certainly accomplish the just a perfect opportunity
Dumas on Monday to talk task of being sheriff. I'd
about his surprisingly easy never thought about See FREEMAN Page 6A
MCR VENT.u.+.: 3A
Opinion,& Letters! 4A
Sports : ]B
Community Catendar 7B
Church News
Public Record : +.4B
Classified L .' 1D
e
e
Legals
:lllt!!t!llIl!!!Jlll+
, ilm!m!m!mlmt!~!!!'! am,
By Richard Dumas
forsyth@mymccnet
After capturing a fourth
straight Region 2-AAAA
title in 2018, the Mary Persons
Bulldogs football squad, as
expected, swept nearly all of the
major postseason awards, as
selected by the region's coaches
on Thursdar
For the fourth straight season,
MP head football coach Brian
Nelson was honored as the Re-
gion 2-AAAA Coach of the Year
after MP finished 12-1 in 2018,
just the fifth time in pr gram
history that the BuUdogs have
won at least 12 games in a single
season. Nelson's 2018 squad
also scored the most points
in program history with 598
points, smashing the previous
best mark by a whopping 140
points.
MP senior quarterback I-T.
Hartage, who broke every major
MP single-season and single-
game passing mark in 2018, was
named the Region 2-AAAA
Quen Wilson (6), shown leaping over a tackler during MP's loss to
Marist in the state quarterfinals, was named the Offensive Player
of the Year in Region 2-AAAA, one of many honors for the Dogs.
Player of the Year after being
named the region's Offensive
Player of the Year in 2017. In
his final campaign, Hartage
completed 147 of 213 passes (69
percent) for 2,775 passing yards
and 28 touchdowns and just 4
interceptions. I-Iartage was also
fourth on the team in rushing
with 294 yards and 4 touch-
downs on 60 carries.
For the second straight year,
MP also had the region's Offen-
sive Player of the Year as senior
running back Quen Wilson
was given that honor in 2018.
Wilson led MP in rushing with
1,535 yards on 177 carries (8.7
yards-per-carry) while tying an
See AWARDS Page 7A
By Will Davis
DublJsher@mymcr.net
Two men got life in prison
and a third got 15 years to serve
after they pled guilty to the
2016 armed robberies of the
Marathon station on Johnston-
rifle Road and the C&B Store
on Hwy. 41 in Lamar County.
Deontavious White, 27, of
lenkinsburg, and Emmanuel
Johnson, 33, of Jackson, were
both sentenced to life in prison
after pleading guilty to the
two armed robberies, which
happened four days apart in
December 2016. Interim dis-
trict attorney Elizabeth Bobbitt
said each would serve at least
30 years before they would be
eligible for parole.
A third suspect, getaway
WHITE
STODGHILL
driver Demarcio Stodghill, 35, JOHNSON
of Jackson, was sentenced to 20
years in prison and must serve
at least 15 before being eligible for parole, said
Bobbitt. The plea deals were reached before
See PRISON Page 6A
