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Name:
Franklin, William Joshua
Date of Booking:
07/22/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
Aggravated Assault
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On the 22nd day of July 2026, Deputy J.Reeves responded in non-emergency mode to [REDACTED] in reference to a domestic.
Upon arrival Deputy J.Reeves activated his county issued body camera and made contact with [VICTIM #1] who stated that her husband William Franklin choked her. [VICTIM #1] stated she went to their shared house at [REDACTED] to collect items due to her and William seperating. [VICTIM #1] stated she asked William if he wanted her to wait so he could see their shared daughter to which he stated yes. When William arrived at the property [VICTIM #1] stated he appeared to be upset and began arguing with [VICTIM #1].
[VICTIM #1] stated that while arguing with William she placed in her car seat to leave. [VICTIM #1] went back to the house to grab her house key and observed William trying to remove from the vehicle. When she saw this she ran over to the car and attempted to push William away from the vehicle and William grabbed [VICTIM #1] around the neck and pushed her away from the vehicle knocking her to the ground. [VICTIM #1] stated she stood up and began pushing William away again and he grabbed both of her arms and pushed her away again. While this was going on [VICTIM #1] stated continued to ask her “mommy are you okay”.
[VICTIM #1] was able to get away from William and she got in the vehicle and left the home. [VICTIM #1] wrote a witness statement form detailing this also. Deputy Reeves finished speaking with [VICTIM #1] and went to [REDACTED] to try to make contact with William. William was not on scene at the home. A neighbor who did not want to be identified was asked what he saw and he stated “Man, he choked the sh*t out of her” he also stated he pushed [VICTIM #1] up again a dog crate in the driveway of the home near where her car was.
[VICTIM #1] had visible red marks on her neck which she took photo’s of. These marks were also still visible to Deputy Reeves while he was speaking with her. Deputy Reeves spoke to Magistrate Judge Grubbs and obtained warrants for William for Aggravated assault Strangulation War#(26-EW-004273) and Cruelty to Children 3rd Degree War#(26-EW-004272).
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
7/24/26
WILLIAM JOSHUA FRANKLIN ARRESTED AND CHARGED — TWO FELONY COUNTS FILED
What this means: William Joshua Franklin was arrested and brought before the Magistrate Court of Spalding County on July 24, 2026, at 9:22 AM. He is facing two felony charges: Cruelty to a Child in the Third Degree (Warrant 26-EW-004272) and Aggravated Assault by Strangulation (Warrant 26-EW-004273). The court set bond at $500 on the child cruelty charge and $10,000 on the aggravated assault charge, for a combined total of $10,500. The case was bound over to the Superior Court of Spalding County. Franklin has not been convicted of any crime — these are accusations only.
7/24/26
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ENTERS APPEARANCE FOR WILLIAM JOSHUA FRANKLIN
What this means: On July 24, 2026, attorney Michael C. Brill of The Law Office of Miller, North & Brill PC formally notified the Magistrate Court of Spalding County that he is representing William Joshua Franklin in Case No. 26FAH-1403. This filing, called an Entry of Appearance, officially places Brill on record as Franklin’s attorney, meaning all future court communications will go through him. The document was filed and accepted by the Magistrate Court of Spalding County the same day.
8/3/26
EMERGENCY MOTION TO MODIFY BOND CONDITIONS FILED ON BEHALF OF WILLIAM JOSHUA FRANKLIN
What this means: On August 3, 2026, defense attorney Michael C. Brill filed an Emergency Motion for Modification of Bond in the Superior Court of Spalding County in Case No. 26FAH-1403. The motion asks the court to change one of the conditions of Franklin’s $10,500 bond set at his July 24 first appearance. Specifically, Franklin was ordered as a bond condition to have no contact with his minor child or his spouse. The motion argues that the child would benefit from contact and visitation with Franklin, that there have been no accusations of violence by Franklin toward the child, and that Franklin can provide a stable home environment for visitation. The motion also states Franklin would continue to comply with all other bond conditions, including the no-contact order as it relates to his spouse. A judge has not yet ruled on this request.
9/10/26
MOTION HEARING SCHEDULED
What this means: A motion hearing in the case of William Joshua Franklin has been scheduled for September 10, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Spalding County. This hearing is likely connected to the Emergency Motion for Modification of Bond filed on August 3, 2026. At a motion hearing, the judge listens to arguments from both the defense and the prosecution before deciding whether to grant or deny the request. No ruling has been issued yet.