All charges were dropped today against Canton Alderman Rodriquez Brown as well as against two other men involved in a dispute over a stolen television.
Brown and his uncle, Curtis Clark, faced simple assault charges against Levor Taylor, who the city charged with disorderly conduct after the three men got into the altercation April 9.
With both sides dropping the charges in Madison County Justice Court, the case was dismissed.
“It was what my client wanted to do,” said Kevin Broughton, Taylor’s attorney.
Judge Mamie Chinn signed an order for Canton Municipal Court to return a $255 cash bond to Taylor, Broughton said.
Canton Mayor William Truly, Police Chief Vickie McNeill and other city officials were seated in the courtroom.
Chinn scheduled the proceedings for today, at Broughton's behest, so the relatives’ assault case and Taylor’s disorderly conduct case could be dealt with together.
Taylor was the lone person in the dispute arrested by the Canton Police Department.
Photographs taken after the incident show Taylor with an injured lip and eye.
Brown, during his probable cause hearing in April, admitted he, Clark and other relatives confronted Taylor at a Dobson Street apartment to get information on who may have stolen Clark’s TV, but the alderman denied striking Taylor.
After the hearing, a judge issued arrest warrants for Brown and Clark. Each posted a $1,000 bond. Brown and Clark were represented by state Rep. Ed Blackmon, whose law firm also represents the city of Canton.
Brown has been serving as Ward 1 alderman since July 2009.
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