Abbeville police officer’s termination upheld

The Abbeville City Council recently upheld the termination made by the city’s police chief of an officer charged with a misdemeanor crime.

John White, the attorney who represents 22-year-old Davey Jones, said the city council unanimously upheld the termination Tuesday night during his client’s appeal hearing. Abbeville Police Chief Mike Jones fired Jones. He was charged in August with misdemeanor reckless endangerment.

Henry County Sheriff William Maddox has said the charge stemmed from an incident during which Jones choked a 15-year-old boy until he passed out.

White said he asked the council to reinstate his client’s pay or completely reinstate him as an officer with the police department until the criminal charge is resolved. White said if his client was found guilty by a district court judge, they planned to appeal the decision to the circuit court level for a jury trial. White said there has been no trial date set for the charge.

White said it’s his understanding the Abbeville City Council did not initially vote to confirm the police chief’s decision. He said they apparently only voted on the issue at the appeal hearing Tuesday.

“They have certainly opened the door for possibly civil litigation for wrongful termination in that they did not follow their own policy,” White said.