Murder suspect held on bond
Victim had once sat in witness stand against QuattlebaumBy Brad Bauer
Article Photos
MARIETTA - Just two months ago, Amber Wesley sat at a witness stand in a domestic violence case against the man now charged with her murder.
But between the April 27 incident and the May 28 preliminary hearing, Wesley's account of the abuse had changed substantially. The new account led to charges being dismissed against Noal D. Quattlebaum.
Prosecutors say it wasn't the first time Wesley, 21, of 85 Lang Farm Road, Marietta, had recanted a statement to police concerning altercations with Quattlebaum.
On Tuesday, Quattlebaum, 22, was charged with strangling Wesley after an argument at their Lang Farm Road mobile home. He is being held on $250,000 bond in the Washington County Jail. A Friday arraignment is scheduled in Marietta Municipal Court.
"A lot of people think the judges and the system let this guy out, let him continue," said Assistant County Prosecutor Kevin Rings. "But Amber Wesley really tied our hands and kept us from going after Noal Quattlebaum."
Quattlebaum appeared in court via teleconference on Wednesday for an arraignment. He indicated he did not have an attorney, but that his parents were making those arrangements.
Judge Janet Dyar-Welch continued the hearing to 1 p.m. Friday.
Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said a preliminary autopsy report "did not reveal any surprises."
"What we do is take the crime scene, the statements and the autopsy and try to reconstruct everything to make it match what we believe really happened," Mincks said. "So far we're not finding any major inconsistencies."
The sheriff declined to elaborate on a possible motive or what caused the fight that ended in Wesley's death.
Quattlebaum left the Lang Farm Road residence Tuesday afternoon and went to his parents' residence in Waterford. Deputies said he told his parents he had killed Wesley and they contacted police.
According to investigators, Quattlebaum admitted strangling Wesley with his arm and belt, killing her after she had hit him in the face with a coffee cup.
The Marietta Times on Wednesday reviewed records of Wesley's domestic violence report from earlier this year and a recording of the May hearing.
In a written statement, Wesley told police Quattlebaum "drew back his fist and hit (her) in the middle of the forehead, causing (her) nose to be swollen and red."
On the witness stand, Wesley told Welch she was the primary aggressor. Wesley said she was accidentally struck in the face by a door as she attempted to keep Quattlebaum from leaving.
"When I got hit in the face, it was by the door, and at first I assumed he hit me," she said.
Welch put the hearing on hold for several minutes, cautioning Wesley at length about the change to her story. Welch told the young woman she could be subject to criminal charges, including perjury. Welch also seemed concerned about possible abuse in the future.
"Maybe you wish things could have been different or handled differently," Welch said. "Maybe you think things can be smoothed over and this will go away.... But you are creating trouble for yourself."
Wesley maintained her earlier account to police might have been inflated by her anger with Quattlebaum. At the time, she thought he had taken money out of her checking account. She testified there was a banking error and that he didn't take her money.
Rings continued the hearing in hopes of the case being bound over to a grand jury for possible indictment.
Under further questioning, Wesley said she was not aware until after Quattlebaum was arrested that a second domestic violence charge is elevated to a felony-level offense, punishable by up to 18 months in prison.
In the end, without a victim or another witness, Welch determined there was not enough probable cause, dismissed the case and ordered Quattlebaum be released from jail.
"The judge went over and above the call to make sure this young woman knew she had the right to speak to someone about this," Rings said. "There was nothing else the judge could do."
Two years earlier, Rings said, Wesley came into his office and pleaded for leniency on behalf of Quattlebaum, who was charged with offenses surrounding another domestic incident.
On Jan. 7, 2006, Wesley reported Quattlebaum had threatened her and that he had punched several doors and walls at their apartment. Based on the threats, Quattlebaum was arrested for domestic violence and Wesley was granted a protection order, according to court records.
A week later, Wesley had moved to a new residence and came home to find Quattlebaum had broken into her home and was waiting for her.
Wesley reported she was thrown to the ground and Quattlebaum broke her telephone. Quattlebaum was charged with domestic violence, aggravated burglary and violating a protection order.
Rings said Wesley came to him saying she had exaggerated her account of the incidents and that she needed Quattlebaum because she was pregnant with his child.
Rings agreed to dismiss the felony-level offenses in exchange for a guilty plea to at least one of the domestic violence cases.
"It wasn't just at her request," Rings said. "She is the victim in the case and she is backpedaling. She would make a great initial statement to police but then she would come back and say she was just angry and that she made it sound worse than it really was."
Writer Evan Bevins contributed to this story.
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Parent
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07-25-08 9:00 AM
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I think the state should have stepped in and after the 2nd domestic violence charge they took over and made them stay away from each other. If they had a child together the court should have granted custody to one or the other and visitation rights to the other. An abused woman isn't in her right mind to decide these things for herself. The abuser could have told her if she didn't cooperate with him he would harm her or her family. He's already been abusing her.
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Wildcat
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07-24-08 8:41 PM
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Maybe the domestic violence laws should be broadened just a bit.
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Cousin
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07-24-08 3:11 PM
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I think it would be both
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mamabayer
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07-24-08 3:06 PM
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She had every opportunity to keep him away from her. It sounds to me that they must have liked the violence. Sometimes people just don't know any better. Who knows? Could it be the way they were brought up or just society?
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Cousin
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07-24-08 2:45 PM
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Were not in there place in though we read about the court. We still don't know about it. And they have family to raise the kids on both sides
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REALLYDISTURBED
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07-24-08 2:43 PM
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How else would you describe them? He beat her.....she beat him..... multiple arrests and court appearances, now the world has to raise their kids. Neither one would ever do anything to help themselves or their children.
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Cousin
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07-24-08 12:59 PM
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Why do they have to be dirtbags
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REALLYDISTURBED
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07-24-08 8:04 AM
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Dirtbags...plain and simple. God help the children involved. Hopefully they won't turn out like their parents.
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