Special Grand Jury hands down 13 true bills

A special Grand Jury was called into session, Friday, December 14, as evidence was given to the jurors presented by Assistant District Attorney Ron Smith of the Pataula Judicial Circuit.

Charges were made against Mark Merritt Jr., Bryan Keith Clenney and Thomas Matthew Harrell for a number of charges against the State of Georgia when as many of the 25 witnesses were called before the special Grand Jury to give their testimony concerning the cases.

The August Term 2007 reconvened Grand Jury issued 13 true bills against the three defendants as follows:

Mark Merritt Jr.- Aggravated Assault, (2 counts) Criminal Damage to Property 1st Degree, (3 counts) Influencing a Witness, Solicitation to Commit Criminal Damage 1st Degree, (2 counts) Solicitation to Commit Murder

Brian K. Clenney - Aggravated Assault, Criminal Damage to Property 1st Degree

Thomas Mathew Harrell - Aggravated Assault, Criminal Damage to Property 1st Degree.

Mark Merritt Jr. was recently released from the Miller County Jail on a $150,000.00 bond after being there for three months for allegedly shooting the home of Anthony Duncan on Monday, September 3. Duncan's home was shot after he drove by the Miller County Liberal to tell Terry Toole where the police could findthe weapon that shot up the newspaper office.

Merritt was placed back into jail after being out on bond for three days with the recent indictments on Friday, December 14. Charges against Merritt were true billed for allegedly shooting up the building at the Miller County Liberal, shooting the home of Anthony Duncan, solicitation of the murder of the publisher and influencing a witness.

The group of incidents occurred after the "manhood" of Mark Merritt Sr. was questioned by a woman when Merritt walked into the local business on June 6. He was told that if he were a man, he would get the editor for attacking his wife at a board of education meeting the night before. From that allegation by the woman, which was proven to have been a fabrication, Merritt attacked the editor and frightened a 93-year-old lady almost to death. Merritt Sr. was arrested and was allowed to plead to lesser charges in his cases. The two ride-by shootings, influencing a witness and solicitation to commit murder followed the attack by Merritt Sr. allegedly by his son, Mark Merritt Jr.

The cases will be plead, heard or tried before a Superior Court judge or will go before a jury at a date in the very near future.