Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

JPs decline action against sheriff, set meeting date

Though the Nevada County Quorum Court members declined to take action, a resident of the county has called for the resignation of Nevada County Sheriff Bobby Carlton.

Donnie Dougan Sr. addressed the justices of the peace with a complaint against Carlton during the monthly quorum court meeting on April 14.

Dougan offered few details as to the reason for his

complaint during the meeting but said that Carlton is not doing what hes being paid for.

I think yall should make sure he does his job, Dougan said.

The complaint stems from the allegation that Carlton, acting in his capacity as sheriff, had the duty to notify the families of two victims involved in an apparent murder-suicide in Nevada County. Dougans son was one of the victims and he told JPs that he heard of the death through a family friend. Dougan asserted that Carlton should have handled the notifications.

Cartlon was not present at the meeting, a fact that some JPs said warranted putting the discussion on hold. Dougan disagreed, saying that Carlton was aware of

Dougans plans to present the complaint and that Carlton should have been present to defend the claim.

Its just one more thing you can add to the list, Dougan said.

Carlton was in Oklahoma on vacation and he answered questions by phone following the meeting.

I have no intention of resigning because I havent done anything wrong, he said.

Carlton said that he and all available deputies were at the crime scene and that he had offered to handle the notifications. He said a state police investigator

on the scene had declined the offer and Carlton said he believed the notifications were being handled by the state police.

I trusted them to do what they said they were going to do, he said.

Dougans complaints were echoed by Tomi Bobo, sister of the second victim, who said she also did not receive formal police notification before she heard about the incident from friends.

JPs put the discussion on hold with plans to meet in special session.