Federal judge jailed after alleged domestic dispute

By Eliott C. McLaughlin and John Branch, CNN

 

 

A federal judge spent the night in an Atlanta jail after being charged with misdemeanor battery in an alleged domestic violence incident involving his wife.

U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller, 55, of Montgomery, Alabama, was charged with battery physical harm-family violence after Atlanta police responded to the downtown Ritz-Carlton hotel shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday.

"Officers spoke to the victim, who stated she was assaulted by her husband, Mark Fuller," an Atlanta Police Department release says. "Officers observed injuries to the victim. She was treated on scene by (paramedics) but refused to be transported to the hospital. Mr. Fuller was not injured."

The judge arrived at the jail about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Fuller appeared before Chief Magistrate Judge Stephanie Davis via video conference from the Fulton County Jail on Monday morning, said Fulton County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan.

Fuller's next court date is August 22 for a probable cause hearing, Flanagan said.

There was no plea entered Monday because it was a bond hearing, public defender Melissa Nelson told CNN.

Nelson didn't expect to obtain more information on the case, she said, because Fuller is hiring a private attorney, whose name wasn't immediately available.

Davis granted Fuller a $5,000 signature bond and he walked out of the jail before noon, Flanagan said.

Fuller was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama in 2002.