A Bulloch County jury acquitted a Statesboro man of all charges Tuesday after a two day jury trial.
This week’s trial in Bulloch County stems from the 2022 arrest of William Paul Bradley. Deputies with the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office arrested Bradley on a number of charges in May 2022 including:
- Aggravated Stalking – Bradley was accused of violating a temporary restraining order by following his estranged wife in a vehicle “recklessly and at a high rate of speed.” The ex parte restraining order had been issued around the same time Bradley’s estranged wife filed for divorce.
- Cruelty to Children – 3rd degree – Bradley was accused of committing 3rd degree child cruelty when he allegedly committed the act of Aggravated Stalking when his minor daughter was present
- Reckless Driving – Bradley was accused of driving recklessly at the intersection of Highway 80 and Beasley Road.
When District Attorney Daphne Totten presented the case to a grand jury in November 2022, she added charges to indict Bradley on the Aggravated Stalking and Reckless Driving charges as well as two counts of Aggravated Assault (Family Violence) and an enhanced Cruelty to Children charge, increasing it from 3rd degree to 2nd degree.
The indictment contended that Bradley also:
- Used his vehicle to try to force his estranged wife’s vehicle off the road, committing Aggravated Assault (Family Violence)
- Used his vehicle to try to force his estranged wife’s vehicle off the road while his daughter was in the vehicle, committing Aggravated Assault (Family Violence)
- Committed Cruelty to Children in the 2nd degree by allegedly trying to run his estranged wife’s vehicle off the road while his daughter was in it.
Public court records show a number of defense attorneys on file for Bradley beginning with Martha Hall, Lloyd Murray, Mark Hendrix, Matt Hube, Simon Peed, E. Jay Abt, and eventually Alexander Repasky.
In late 2022, defense attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the Aggravated Stalking charge, contending that the process for the issuance of the initial ex parte restraining order was not proper. The motion further argued that even if the initial process had been proper, the hearing required by law to take place within 30 days of the issuance of an ex parte restraining order never took place and therefore, the order was not in effect at the time of the alleged incident some forty-five days later in May 2022. State law requires that ex parte restraining orders have a hearing within 30 days of issuance so the person served with the restraining order has a chance to be heard before a judge. If it cannot be heard within 30 days, a continuance must be scheduled and agreed to by both parties. The argument by attorneys was that Bradley could not violate a restraining order that was not in effect.
A ruling on the defense motion to dismiss the Aggravated Stalking charge was never issued while Bradley was awaiting trial. Â
Judge William Woodrum presided over this week’s trial, which was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Barclay Black. After hearing arguments from the state on Monday and into Tuesday morning, the state rested and the defense asked the judge for a directed verdict.
Woodrum granted the motion made by the defense to dismiss the Aggravated Stalking and subsequently, jurors did not deliberate on the Aggravated Stalking charge at all. Deliberations began after lunch and jurors returned NOT GUILTY verdicts on the four remaining charges before 4:00 p.m..Â
Bradley was arrested on May 20, 2022. A bond was set at $5,000 on August 11, 2022 – 83 days after his arrest. While he awaited trial, Bradley was banished from Bulloch County, was required to wear an ankle monitor and pay the monthly fee associated with said monitor, and was barred from contacting his minor daughter because she was a listed victim in the case.
The trial loss follows a pattern of losses by the Ogeechee Circuit District Attorney’s Office led by DA Daphne Totten. Totten, who is serving her first term as the top prosecutor in the circuit, was ousted from office during the May primary election, but will remain in office through the end of the year.
This is a very nice article. Thank you for posting. My only regret is that it doesn’t include the pain and suffering that that these false charges have caused. Not to mention the frustration of trying to get your side of the story told.
Once again Daphne Tottens regime has managed to ruin lives as she tries to climb her political ladder. January 1st can’t come fast enough.
Thank you to the decent and honest people of the jury who could see through all the lies being perpetrated on this good man. Corrupt courts, law enforcement, lawyers and anyone else who tried to violate his constitutional rights. It so seems folks in power forget they have to answer to who? THE PEOPLE but holy crap at the torment placed on William and all the money he and his family spent just to clear his name! GOD will have the final say on these so called leaders of our system and I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes when that day comes! God bless good common people of our community who sees through the smoke cloud. We have to stick together because that’s all we have is each other. If you would like to hear about all of the poor boys in the system and in some cases, treated like animals see Mr. Bradley on Facebook, because this story isn’t over, it’s only just begun! We the people have got to stick together for our own safety!
Do you have any info on the recent acquittal of Darrell Antoine Hill in Bulloch Superior Court?
Now it sounds like it’s time to counter sue bulloch county for everything under the sun, 3 months in bulloch county is worth about 2.5 mill I would say plus attorney fees..lol.
I am so thankful that the honest people that served on the jury were able to navigate through the lies, deceit, corruption, and conspiracy. To be able to free him from the lies, deceit, conspiracy and corruption is reassuring that there are some good people left that don’t endorse these behaviors and acts. Thank you, God for intervening on this.