Trial begins for former county deputy
Arguments continue todayBy Brad Bauer, bbauer@mariettatimes.com
Andrew Mahoney testified Thursday that he feared for his life after a March 21 confrontation with longtime friend and former Washington County sheriff's Deputy Mark Tilton.
As a result of the incident, Tilton was charged with assault and aggravated menacing. Testimony in the trial was set to continue at 8 a.m. today in Marietta Municipal Court.
Tilton has since resigned from the sheriff's office, but his career as an officer in the Army National Guard is at stake should he be convicted.
Tilton's attorneys said their client was the one who was threatened. According to their version of the incident, Mahoney brandished a gun after a verbal altercation.
When questioned by defense attorney Rolf Baumgartel, Mahoney said he did have a gun but denied brandishing it. Still, Mahoney admitted he prolonged the incident by refusing to leave and by blocking the end of the driveway with his vehicle, preventing Tilton from being able to leave the area.
Mahoney accused Tilton of punching him in the face and later sideswiping his vehicle as he attempted to pull around him to leave the Lowell residence where the men had been playing cards.
Sheriff's Deputy J.T. Staats said he found no evidence Mahoney had been struck. He also said there was no indication Mahoney's vehicle had been hit.
"His car was covered in mud and dirt, and you would have been able to tell if anything even brushed up against it," Staats said. "There was no evidence of any contact."
According to Mahoney, the altercation surrounded an internal affairs investigation of Tilton, for which Mahoney was interviewed. At the time, Tilton was under investigation by the sheriff's office after he had been charged with domestic violence. Those charges were dropped in exchange for his resignation from the sheriff's office.
"I don't know if he was just fishing for information or what," Mahoney said. "But that's what I feel, anyways."
According to Mahoney, the two men had been friends since grade school. He said Tilton was out of character and that he feared for his life.
Baumgartel said if Mahoney was afraid, he had several opportunities to leave the situation. He said Mahoney was only struck when Tilton tried to knock away the handgun Mahoney brandished.
Tilton is expected to take the stand in his own defense today.
|
ledzeptour
|
|
|---|---|
|
06-27-08 3:42 PM
|
Nothing like a good ole trial and fight and who wins here, have we forgot about the kids here and what they been living thru.............
|
|
Darby1952
|
|
|
06-27-08 1:24 PM
|
Sounds to me like two spoiled little kids fighting over a toy or something.... geez lets move on, stop wasting the courts time
|
|
HarleyinTexas
|
|
|
06-27-08 12:59 PM
|
I went to school with both of these guys at Fort Frye a couple of real tools. Tilton was an egotistical idiot back then and was quick to proove how tuff he was to anyone 1/2 his size. A badge and gun only made him bigger in his own mind. No suprise that he would hit a woman - Loser! These guys live in a village of 1000 people I bet you could find 300 that knew he and who else carries a gun, small town small talk.
|
|
Harleyrider
|
|
|
06-27-08 11:37 AM
|
Sounds to me like this may have been a witch hunt for Tilton. I guess I wonder how Tilton would have known Mahone had a gun unless Mahone had brandished it. I have a real problem with this quote from Mahone as well, "He said Tilton was out of character and that he feared for his life." If you were in fear for your life, why would you block the person you are fearing in?
|
|
Finallap
|
|
|
06-27-08 9:25 AM
|
Heck if someone was trying to prevent me from leaving....I would punch them too
|