New Jersey Governor Questions Indicted Atlantic City, NJ Mayor
Full disclosure.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is my friend and I respect him very much. He’s a decent, fine man. It has never mattered that we happen to be registered with different political parties.
Governor Murphy has been keeping his “political powder” dry for many months about Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and the serious child abuse criminal charges that Small faces.
Governor Murphy took a decided approach to give both Marty and La’Quetta Small every benefit of the doubt, even after they were both direct criminally charged by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
However, it was a bridge too far when an Atlantic County Jury handed down multiple criminal counts of endangering the welfare of a child, making terroristic threats and aggravated assault charges levied against Marty Small.
Yesterday, Governor Murphy took a measured public position that Small should evaluate whether Small can still effectively lead Atlantic City government following his indictment on multiple serious criminal charges.
This is how the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced the criminal indictments of Marty and La’Quetta Small yesterday:
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Marty Small, Sr., 50, and his wife, La'Quetta Small, 47, of Atlantic City, NJ were both indicted for second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Marty Small, Sr. was also indicted for third-degree Terroristic Threats, and third-degree Aggravated Assault. It is alleged that during the months of December 2023 and January 2024, the defendants physically and emotionally abused their 15/16-year-old-daughter on multiple occasions. During one incident, on January 13, 2024, Marty Small, Sr. is alleged to have hit his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom causing her to lose consciousness. Another incident on January 3, 2024, alleged that Marty Small, Sr., during an argument with his daughter, continuously threatened to hurt her by "earth slamming" her down the stairs, grabbing her head and throwing her to the ground, and smacking the weave out of her head. Another incident involved Marty Small, Sr. punching his daughter repeatedly in her legs causing bruising. It is alleged that La'Quetta Small, during one incident, punched her daughter multiple times on her chest leaving bruising. Another incident alleged that La Quetta Small dragged her daughter by her hair then struck her with a belt on her shoulders leaving marks. Another incident alleged that La'Quetta Small punched her daughter in the mouth during an argument, said the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Marty Small continues to remain defiant and has stated that he will not resign from office.
Outrageously, the Atlantic City board of Education has refused to take proper disciplinary action regarding La’Quetta Small.
La’Quetta Small has not been suspended, pending the disposition of her criminal charges.
Should the Atlantic City Board of Education continue to fail to act, the New Jersey commissioner education should immediately step in and suspend Small.
It’s simply not workable, for a superintendent of public schools to remain on active duty while facing serious child abuse charges.
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