Walton County District Attorney's Office

The Walton Government Building (the courthouse) is closed to the public today due to computer/IT issues. The DA's Office is still open and phones are still working. However, the public will not be able to visit the office and we will be very limited on what can be done as most computers in our office are not working. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The District Attorney's Office will be closed both tomorrow, July 4, and Friday, July 5. We hope you all celebrate our Independence with your family and friends safely!

248 years ago, Americans declared their independence and that they were entitled to unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Take this long weekend to remember those that gave up so much and fought for the freedom we have today. But also remember to thank those that still fight and work for those same rights today. Please stay safe. DA Randy McGinley

"Dads are the most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers, and singers of songs."

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! Being a father is the greatest and most important job there is!

- DA Randy McGinley

The DA’s office is closed today as we honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. Freedom isn’t free.

“Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.”

The DA’s Office wishes all moms a Happy Mother’s Day!

Walton County man pleads guilty to murdering his younger brother:

This morning, James Lewis McDougal pleaded guilty to Malice Murder and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony for the murder of his brother, Henry Thomas McDougal (pictured). The Defendant was sentenced to Life in prison. The Defendant had previously waived his right to a jury trial and bench trial (trial without a jury) was scheduled for next week.

On October 16, 2020, the victim returned home from work. The Defendant was sitting on the front porch of that residence as the victim exited his work vehicle. The Defendant approached the victim and shot him. He continued to shoot him as the victim ran away.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Fletcher, Chief Investigator Josh Chambers, Senior Victim Advocate Donna Brandenburg, and Legal Assistant Heather Johnson. The investigation and arrest was handled by the Walton County Sheriff's Office with assistance from the GBI.

Conviction in trial of Former City Councilman:

This afternoon a Walton County jury returned guilty verdicts in the case of State v. Norman Garrett. The Defendant was charged in two different cases, which were joined for trial. After hearing all the evidence, the jury found the Defendant guilty of all charges in both cases. In sum, those charges were one count of Obstruction of an Officer, two counts of Affixing a License Plate to Conceal Identity, two counts of Failure to Maintain Brake Lights in Working Condition, two counts of Expired Tag, and Failure to Wear Safety Seat Belt.

These charges arise from two separate incidents on April 8, 2022. Around 9am, the Defendant was driving his 1991 Chevy truck on Spring Street when a City of Monroe Police Department Officer saw that the truck had no working brake lights. The Officer also could not see the tag well enough to provide the tag number to dispatch due to the tag being obstructed and damaged. A traffic stop was conducted at the Marathon at the corner of Spring and Pinecrest.

After both vehicles stopped, the Officer approached the vehicle to let the Defendant know why he stopped him. The Office was told by dispatch that the tag was not valid and that it was showing being stolen. Due to this, the Officer asked Garrett to step out of the vehicle, and the Officer decided to detain Garrett while he investigated the tag issue. Garrett then refused to comply with the Officers lawful commands and began to physically resist the Officer. This was seen by civilian witnesses, including one that was about to call 911 to get help for the Officer, but did not because another officer arrived on scene. Garrett was eventually arrested and taken to the jail.

Officers gave him the courtesy of allowing someone to come get his truck and did not impound it. The Defendant was booked in and booked out of the jail that same day. Then, around 6pm that night, the Defendant was again driving the same truck with no working brake lights, with an invalid and expired tag, and while not wearing his seatbelt. Another Office observed the truck and conducted a traffic stop. Citations were issued for multiple traffic offenses.

The jury also heard from other Officers about 3 prior traffic stops in just the last year where the Defendant was driving the same truck.

After the guilty verdicts, the Court sentenced Garrett to 36 months on probation with the first 60 days in jail. By law, due to the charges, the Defendant was entitled to be granted an appeal bond. Therefore, if the Defendant requests an appeal, he can be released from custody and the sentence is essentially placed on hold until the appeal is concluded. The Court also made it a special condition of probation that the Defendant not violate traffic laws. If he does so while on probation, the balance of his sentence could be revoked to jail.

The case was tried by District Attorney Randy McGinley and Chief Investigator Josh Chambers.

I wanted to thank all the officers involved for their hard work and their commitment to the city of Monroe. I also want to thank the citizen witnesses and those with the Tax Commissioners Office that testified at trial. This case demonstrates that no one should believe or act like they are above the law. - DA Randy McGinley

Man who posts police encounters to YouTube found guilty by Walton County jury:

Yesterday, Achim Salathiel Newton was convicted of obstruction of an officer, no tag, no proof of insurance, and failure to display license. In July 4, 2023, a Walton County deputy stopped a vehicle driven by Newton on Nicholsville Road for not having a license plate. When the Deputy approached the vehicle, the Defendant would only slightly crack his window. The Defendant refused to answer questions or identify himself.

The Defendant began to claim legal theories that are generally referred to as “sovereign citizen” beliefs. None of his beliefs or legal theories had any basis or support in the law. He continued to refuse to follow the deputies lawful commands. After another deputy arrived on scene, the Defendant was told that he was being arrested. Deputies had to break his window to make the arrest.

At trial, the Defendant represented himself. The State introduced evidence that the Defendant would post videos him being stopped by law enforcement on YouTube, including this traffic stop. A video from a different stopped showed that the Defendant was purposefully trying to get pulled over so that he could record his interactions with law enforcement to be able to post on YouTube.

The jury deliberated for less than 20 minutes before finding Newton guilty of all charges against him. The Court sentenced him to 24 months in jail followed by 12 months on probation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Tara Murphy, Investigator Alicia Chandler, and Legal Assistant Heather Johnson.

Jury convicts man of DUI:

Yesterday, a Walton County jury found Binicus Holton Guilty of Driving Under the Influence and Speeding. On a November night in 2021, a Georgia State Trooper observed a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed on Mt. Vernon Road. Radar showed the Cecile traveling 83 mph in a 55 mph zone. The Trooper conducted a traffic stop and found Mr. Holton to be the driver.

The Trooper smelled alcohol and observed that Holton appeared to be intoxicated. Holton failed multiple field sobriety tests. The jury deliberated for less than 10 minutes before finding him guilty.

Based on the crimes and the Defendant’s history, which included numerous driving offenses and other DUI offenses, he was sentenced to 24 months with the first 120 days in jail.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Devin Fogle, Investigator Artie Turner, and Legal Assistant Karen Boss.

Road rage that led to shooting at busy intersection leads to conviction:

This afternoon, a Walton County jury found Michael Terrance Norris guilty of Aggravated Assault, Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony.

The charges arose from an incident on August of 2021 at the intersection of Ga Hwy 20 and US Hwy 78 just before noon. The Defendant was the driver of a vehicle stopped at the traffic light. The victim was driving a vehicle behind the Defendant and struck the Defendant’s vehicle on the rear bumper, not causing any serious damage or injury. After feeling his car being struck, the Defendant exited his vehicle with a handgun. The Defendant went to the driver’s window of the victim’s vehicle and put the handgun to the victim’s chest. The victim put his hands up and asked the Defendant to put the gun away.

The victim had his cell phone in one of his hands. The Defendant took the victim’s phone and threw it onto the roadway as he walked back to his vehicle. Before getting back to his vehicle, the Defendant turned and fired multiple shots into the victim’s car in the direction of the victim. At least one round would have struck the victim if the hood and dash had not stopped the round.

At this point, the victim retrieved his own handgun and fired multiple rounds at the Defendant. The Defendant was struck multiple times with those shots. He returned to his vehicle and fled the scene. On the way back to his house, the Defendant threw the gun out of the vehicle while driving on Old Loganville Road. Law enforcement later retrieved the Defendant’s gun after a school bus driver reported seeing a gun in the roadway.

The jury also heard testimony and evidence of a prior road rage incident where the Defendant was the aggressor.

After being found guilty of these charges, the Court ordered that the Defendant be taken into custody and set sentencing for a future date.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Dave Williamson, Chief Investigator Josh Chambers, Victim Advocate Suzanna Maulfair, Victim Services Director Kim Kelly, and Legal Assistant Lisa Knight. The investigation was led by Loganville Police Department with assistance from the Walton County GA Sheriff's Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the ATF, the Walton DA’s Office, the Walton County 911 Center, and the GBI Crime Lab.

Please join me in welcoming Assistant District Attorney Devin Fogle to the Walton County DA’s Office. Devin is “double dawg,” meaning she graduated from UGA for both her undergraduate and law degrees.

Prior to joining our office, Devin clerked for a judge in a nearby judicial circuit and was an Assistant District Attorney in Bartow and Gordon Counties. She has been assigned to prosecute cases in Judge Morris’s courtroom. - DA Randy McGinley

Conviction and life without parole sentence in murder of Crystal Powell:

This afternoon a Walton County Jury found Gregory Deonte Norwood guilty of Malice Murder, 2 counts of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Family Violence Battery, and 5 counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree.

On the evening of April 16, 2022, Norwood went to Powell’s Monroe residence. Powell had her 4 children (including an infant she had with the defendant) as well as 2 very young cousins at the house.

After an argument, Norwood stabbed Powell 14 times, killing her just outside her front door. Not including the infant, the other 5 children, ranging in age from 3 to 11, witnessed the murder and saw Crystal’s body in front of the house.

The oldest child called 911 after the Defendant fled the scene with the infant. The City of Monroe Police Department responded and led the investigation. The Defendant was located and arrested a short time later in Newton County. He had blood on his shoes which later was shown to be a DNA match for the victim. The Defendant was interviewed and made statements claiming that Crystal stabbed herself and that he stabbed her.

At trial, the State presented evidence of prior domestic violence by the defendant against the victim. The Medical Examiner who performed the autopsy testified that the death was caused by the stab wounds and that the injuries were not consistent with being self inflicted. The 5 children also bravely testified.

After the State rested, the Defendant took the stand. The Defendant attempted to blame the death on Crystal, claiming she stabbed herself 14 times. The jury clearly did not buy the Defendant’s self serving version of the events that did not match any of the evidence presented. They deliberated for less than a hour on the 5th day of trial before returning the verdict of guilty on all counts.

After the verdict, multiple supporters and family of Crystal shared how this sense crime affected them and the family, including the young children. Judge Layla Zon then sentenced the Defendant to Life Without Parole plus 100 years in prison.

The prosecution was led by Assistant District Attorney Lacey Majors, Senior Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Fletcher, Chief Investigator Josh Chambers, Victim Services Director Kim Kelly, and Legal Assistant Heather Johnson. The investigation was handled by the Monroe Police Department with assistance from the Newton County, GA Sheriff's Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the GBI crime lab, Walton County 911, and the DA’s Office. The children involved received services from A Child's Voice Child Advocacy Center.

While this verdict cannot bring Crystal back, I hope it brings some level of closure and a sense of justice to her family and friends. I want to thank all those that came to court in support of Crystal and her family, as well as all those supporting them that couldn’t come. This verdict, after such a heart wrenching trial, is a result of so much hard work by so many. I want to commend the Monroe Police Department for their excellent work as well as all the assisting agencies. - DA Randy McGinley