Trial halted, defendant goes free

The trial of a Westminster man charged with grand larceny and breaking into pickup trucks four years ago ended today when the judge granted the second of two defense motions for acquittal. A court officer quoted trial Judge Cordell Maddox of the Oconee General Sessions Court that, although the prosecution did its best, there just wasn’t enough evidence. So Maddox’s ruling allowed defendant Tony Mitchell Mulkey to go free. The two-day trial was stopped short of allowing the trial jury to take the case to their room for deliberations.