Baldwin County Attorney and Podcaster Harry Still found "Not Guilty"

May 22, 2026 – BAY MINETTE, Ala. – A Baldwin County jury found prominent attorney Harry Still III "not guilty" of assaulting Bay Minette City Councilman Matt Franklin in a one day trial in which the defense rested without calling any witnesses pr presenting any evidence.

The prosecution's case was mortally wounded when during cross examination Franklin appeared to contradict both his own prior statement and the testimony, he delivered just an hour earlier with prosector on multiple points. In closing arguments Still's attorney, Clayton Tartt, said that Franklin "lied" and misled in the statement he wrote for the police – the statement based on which the Bay Minette police (who are hired by Franklin and the city council) made the decision to arrest and later prosecuted Still.

The City of Bay Minette was represented by city prosector William E. "Liam" Scully III. Scully narrowly lost his race for District Judge in Tuesday's Republican primary.

The altercation between Franklin and Still (in which both men sustained minor injuries) began inside Franklin's downtown real estate office and ended in the street with Franklin on the ground and in an 'arm bar' by Still. The defense successfully argued that Still's actions were self-defense.

"Not Guilty! Thank you to the people who knew it all along," said Still on social media afterwards. "And thank you God for the United States of America and this jury of my peers. I have no confidence in the system, but my belief that Baldwin County is full of good, honest people was reinforced by these twelve people I may never see again and I will never be able to repay. And that's the beauty of this Country. Pay it forward."

Still had previously been found guilty by a Bay Minette municipal court judge – appointed by Franklin and the city council. Still could have accepted that misdemeanor verdict and moved on with his life. Instead, he demanded a jury trial in Baldwin County Circuit Court.

Scully postponed the politically charged jury trial until after his primary election.

On September 4, 2025, Still entered Franklin's office with legal work related to a real estate closing for a mutual client.

The prosecution entered as evidence an audio recording of the conversation and the resulting assault.

Still was there to see Franklin's business partner realtor Mark Frenette, but Frenette was not in the office. Franklin, who was seated at his desk, phoned Frenette who worked out the details on the real estate closing that both he and Still were working on via a short teleconference.

Still and Franklin then had two properties that the city owned and if they were going to come on the market. Still made some comments about his opposition to the city limiting the public's access to public buildings.

The conversation then shifted to the aftermath of the city's recent mayoral elections. Franklin had supported incumbent Mayor Bob Wills while Still (who had unsuccessfully run against Wills himself in 2020) was a supporter of the successful challenger Joshua Brown – the city's first Black mayor.

Franklin accused Still of saying that Brown was his "boy."

Still denied that and said, "That's racist."

Still asked Franklin if he was still supporting the city attorney. Franklin said that he was and asked Still who he was supporting for the role. Still replied: "I don't know, but it won't be a member of the d**k sucking lollipop guild we have now!"

"Get the F**K out of here!" an enraged Franklin then screamed.

"Ok, thanks, Matt," Still replied as he began started walking towards the door.

Franklin testified that he then got out from behind his desk across his office and pursued Still.

Franklin by that point clearly in an uncontrolled rage then yelled a string of obscenities at Still and said "I should have knocked your head off." Still does not respond to any of these insults and curse words as he walked to the door, leading his dog on his leash and carrying a folder full of his attorney's legal papers.

Franklin never denied that Still was leaving in fact he said that Still, "had cracked the door."

At that point Franklin claimed that Still turned and grabbed him in a bear hug and threw him out the door. Franklin claims never to have hit Still. He also claimed on the stand that he never got angry – even when calling Still "a fat p***y."

Franklin admitted that he grabbed Still's dog.

On the tape Franklin said, "I am going to kill your dog."

At his point Still had Franklin in an arm bar and was applying pressure.

"I am going to kill you," Franklin can be heard on the recording.

None of the details about him directing profanities were included in the sworn statement that Franklin wrote for the Bay Minette police. All of this is known only because Still was recording the whole conversation so are facts that Franklin could deny on the stand.

Still is the cohost of the Heart of Dixie Podcast with the Alabama Gazette's Brandon Moseley and comments from Franklin about the mayoral administration transition would potentially have been good fodder for the podcast. It wound up exposing Franklin's statement to the police as being fraudulent.

After Franklin's testimony, Scully called Baldwin County attorney Vincent Belucci who claimed he saw Still "stomp on" Franklin.

On the stand, Belucci said that he did not see whether Still stomped on Franklin's head or shoulder.

Tartt suggested that all Bellucci saw was Still's leg go up and down and not any stomping – a suggestion that Bellucci disagreed with.

Bellucci can be heard on the recording saying, "Harry stop it – that's enough."

Bellucci testified that he did not see any of the start of the battle and did not know who started the altercation.

The prosecution rested its case and brought no more witnesses.

The defense had planned to put Still on the stand but made the decision to rest their case as they felt the prosecution failed to prove it's case.

Tartt asked Baldwin County Presiding Judge Clark Stankoski to issue a summary judgement in favor of the defense. Stankowski declined deciding to send the case to the jury.

After five minutes of deliberation the jury returned it's "not guilty" verdict.

"The hardest part about this case was convincing my client not to testify," Tartt said afterwards.

Still has maintained throughout this that he was viciously attacked by Councilman Franklin. A point that he reiterated over the phone to the Alabama Gazette.

Following the altercation, Still attempted to report his having been assaulted by Franklin to the Baldwin County Sheriff's office. Instead, Still (who claims to be the victim) was arrested by the Bay Minette Police Department acting solely on Franklin's written statement. Franklin did not know that Still had a recording of the incident when he wrote his account.

The Bay Minette police made a press release at the time of the arrest. According to WKRG TV in Mobile – the news agency that took the lead in reporting this case – the release "stated that Still has a history of aggressive behavior, targeting elected officials."

This narrative was expounded on by Franklin's close political ally – and then the still the Mayor – Bob Wills.

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

Wills – like the Bay Minette Police – were relying on Franklin's written statement. That statement lost much of its credibility after Still produced the recording.

Generally, in misdemeanor assault cases like this where the combatants have no prior convictions bond is granted immediately. In this case, Bay Minette ignored Still's side of the story, jailed Still, and held Still overnight while they sought to have him declared mentally unfit.

Even after having received tape evidence that contradicts much of Franklin's written statement, Scully and Bay Minette refused to drop the charges and prosecuted him in their municipal court where the council appointed municipal judge found against Still.

Still's decision to demand a jury trial in circuit court was ultimately successful.

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