VALDOSTA — A federal court judge issued a summary judgment again clearing Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk and Deputy Kevin Farmer of any wrongdoing in the 1998 death of Willie James Williams.

U.S. District Court Judge Ashley Royal ruled on July 15 that Paulk and Farmer did not violate Williams’ constitutional rights during his arrest and detention on Sept. 1, 1998. Williams was arrested and charged with suspicion of driving under the influence. He died a day later in the Lowndes County Jail. The civil suit, filed in September 2000 by Michael Williams on behalf of his father’s estate, alleged Farmer used excessive force in arresting Williams and that Paulk failed to provide adequate medical care at the jail.

Jim Elliott, the attorney who represented the county in the suit, said he was pleased with the court’s decision.

“We had been confident from the outset that Deputy Farmer and Sheriff Paulk would be vindicated once again. … (They) have been vindicated at every turn. Hopefully Judge Royal’s order will close the book on this matter,” he said.

The Williams case generated substantial emotion in the community, with many people alleging brutality by the sheriff’s department. The case has also spent a large amount of time in the legal system, with a coroner’s inquest, a grand jury hearing, an FBI investigation and a review by the U.S. Department of Justice. Paulk and Farmer were exonerated in each instance.

Paulk said he was glad to have the matter settled and that he was especially pleased for Farmer.

“I pretty well felt like that



would be the outcome,” he said. “Every time we go to court and the facts are presented it goes our way. Every time we’ve gone to court it’s gone in our favor. … I am extremely happy for (Farmer). He’s done a good job. He’s a good officer. And it’s unfortunate what happened to Willie Williams. I hate that, too. But things like that happen when you’re in law enforcement.”

Royal’s order declared that the plaintiff failed to provide enough evidence of a civil rights violation to warrant taking the case to a jury.

“After careful consideration of the briefs filed by both parties, the relevant case law and all evidence presented, the Court finds that Plaintiff has failed to provide sufficient evidence to impose liability upon either Lowndes County, Deputy Farmer in his official capacity or Sheriff Paulk in either his official or individual capacity,” the order reads.

The lawsuit sought unspecified monetary damages. Elliott said while he believes the order settles the situations, the family could appeal the decision to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Williams’ saga began with Williams’ arrest at 2:18 a.m. The court documents state that Williams resisted being placed in the patrol car, though he was not violent, nor did he attempt to flee. Farmer used a takedown move in an attempt to subdue Williams, slamming his head to the ground. Williams was treated for his injuries at South Georgia Medical Center before being taken to jail. Later that day while in the infirmary, Williams had a seizure and was placed on a close watch. He was found dead in his cell at 9:15 a.m. on Sept. 2.

The case generated much controversy and media coverage. Last year, Farmer won a $225,000 libel verdict against the Lake Park Post, its editor Al Parsons and staff writer Charles Moore for calling him a murderer in several editions of the weekly paper.

Parsons and Moore appealed the verdict, and a decision on that appeal is expected this summer, Paulk said.



To contact reporter Bill Roberts, please call 244-3400, ext. 245.