Charges dropped against Baldwin County Attorney Harry Still: Will be reissued

September 29, 2025 – BAY MINETTE, AL. – Prosecutors have dismissed charges that Baldwin County Attorney Harry Still III assaulted By Minett e city councilman Matt. Still is not out of legal jeopardy though.

Still's defense attorney Christine Hernandez made a motion that the charges be dropped with prejudice – meaning that Still could not be charged again.

Bay Minette City Attorney Liam Sculley said that he intends to bring the charges back inserting the word "reckless" in the new filing.

The judge denied Hernandez's motion.

As of press time, Still has not been recharged.

"I was ready for a trial," said Hernandez.

"I was not the one who was not prepared," Hernandez said of Sculley.

Hernandez accused Sculley of prosecutorial misconduct.

"He released my witnesses," explained Hernandez who had planned to defend Still in a bench trial – which was scheduled for Monday. Instead Sculley told the witnesses to go home before the 4:00 trial time and before Hernandez (who was in court in Mobile County earlier that same day in a capital murder trial.

Still was a 2022 Republican candidate for attorney general. He also was a 2020 candidate for Mayor of Bay Minette – challenging outgoing incumbent Bob Wills (Still's former law partner). In a series of podcasts, Still had accused Wills of maintaining an out of control police department (under Chief Al Tolbert). The public scrutiny around those accusations were only amplified when a Bay Minette police officer shot and killed Otis French Jr. during a routine traffic stop over a faulty turn light. Still had publicly endorsed Joshua Brown who defeated Wills in August.

"This is a political prosecution," Hernandez said.

Still is accused of pushing Frankilin to the ground in what prosecutors claim is a pattern of intimidation. Mayor Bob Wills told multiple media outlets that Still pushed Franklin to the ground and repeatedly stomped on him. A charge that Still denies.

"There was no stomping," Hernandez claimed

"This isn't just about one man's behavior-it's about protecting the integrity of our public institutions," Wills told reporters. "We can't allow intimidation or aggression to undermine the work of our elected officials."

Still says that he has taped audio of the whole encounter in which he claims that Franklin threatened to kill both Still and his dog. Still also claims that Franklin grabbed Still's dog (Mr. Roo) provoking Still. Still denies assaulting Franklin.

Hernandez has subpoenaed security camera footage that may have footage of the ncident.

Sculley is a declared 2026 Republican candidate for Baldwin County District Judge.

During the court hearing, Chief Al Tolbert stood at the Judge's right shoulder the entire time, flanked by two Bay Minette police officers. A fourth officer stood to the left of the judge and an additional eight officers were positioned on the back wall facing the judge. Originally the officers guarding the entrance to the building said that family and friends of the defendants would all be barred from the building as well as press. After some discussion this policy – which is not on the sign in front of the municipal court building – was waived. Some observers thought that twelve officers as a show of police force to maintain security at a municipal courtroom was both unprecedented and excessive.

Still was demanding that Tolbert be fired as part of the new mayoral transition in his discussion with Franklin that became heated eventually erupting into the incident that culminated in Still being arrested.

Still is the cohost of the Heart of Dixie Podcast which is often shared in the Podcast section at the Alabama Gazette. He is also the cohost of the Backstory Podcast with citizen journalist and Vietnam veteran Paul Ripp.

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