Prosecutors: Wife of Accused Murderer Did Not Plant Implement of Escape

COURT HOUSE — Prosecutor Robert Taylor announced July 2 that charges were dismissed against Cheryl Carty, wife of accused murderer George Carty, III, after a piece of sharp plastic found in the pocket of her husband’s civilian clothing turned out to have accidentally broken off from a hanger — not planted in his pocket by her, as prosecutors first believed.
Cheryl Carty was arrested June 30 after prosecutors said a sharp piece of plastic and a note were allegedly found in clothing she dropped off June 26 at the Cape May County Correctional Center for her husband to wear for his arraignment here June 27.
George Carty, III, 50, is accused of first-degree murder in the 1982 death of John Attenborough, his former supervisor.
The edged piece of clear plastic, referred to at various times as either Plexiglas or glass, along with a handwritten note, was found in the clothing when Sheriff’s Officers searched it prior to George Carty appearing in the courtroom, they said.
The dismissal is the end result of a series of events that have unfolded since June 26.
In between a long list of cases, prior to George Carty being brought into the courtroom June 27, Sheriff’s officers requested a sidebar with Superior Court Judge Raymond Batten, prosecutor Rob Johnson, and defense counsel David Stefankiewicz, during which they spoke for approximately five minutes. Batten later explained to counsel and those present in the courtroom that he had denied a request from Carty to appear in his civilian clothes for the scheduled arraignment, taking into consideration Sheriff’s officers concerns that granting such a request would set a precedent in other matters that would require extraordinary security precautions.
Carty later appeared for his arraignment in his prison uniform.
Shortly after 2 p.m., detectives from the Prosecutor’s Office responded to the Sheriff’s Department located at the courthouse and took possession of the piece of plastic and note, which were found in a shirt pocket belonging to Carty.
Cheryl Carty was located later that day, and charged with providing implements of escape, a crime of the second degree, and lodged in Cape May County Correctional Facility in lieu of $7,500 bail; she subsequently posted bail and was released.
Taylor said in a July 2 press release that during the interview with Cheryl Carty, she admitted to authoring and secreting the handwritten note that was found in his shirt pocket but denied knowledge of the edged instrument, which he said was discovered within the folded, handwritten note.
Taylor said additional information was gleaned from the Sheriff’s Department July 2 concerning the accidental breaking by a staff member of a plastic hanger on which the clothing had been delivered. That, along with independent corroborative information “has clearly established that the edged piece of clear plastic found in the breast pocket of the shirt is part of the broken hanger,” he said in the release.
Contact Avedissian at (609) 886-8600 Ext 27 or at: savedissian@cmcherald.com