Lawyer appointed for man detained over loud lyrics in Hephzibah

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A man accepted the services of a public defender when he appeared in court Wednesday over his detainment for singing loudly on a Hephzibah street.

Christopher Jefferson previously had requested a jury trial but turned down the offer of a public defender. He ultimately accepted that offer Wednesday.

He’d filed a motion for a change of venue and judicial recusal. According to the judge, his motion was not filed in the correct time frame, and a change of venue is not possible because Jefferson was denied a jury trial. The motion was dismissed.

The public defender asked for a continuance to review video evidence. A continuance was granted, and Nov. 17 is the new court date.

Jefferson’s arrest a few weeks ago was caught on police body cam.

He was initially charged with disorderly conduct, a citation that’s since been amended to violation of the city noise-control ordinance.

Jefferson was arrested after walking down the street singing along to “First Day Out Tha Feds” by Gucci Mane, a song with profanity. That led a Hephzibah police officer to have him in handcuffs about a minute later.

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