COURT HOUSE – Prosecutor Robert Taylor June 30 announced the arrest of Cheryl Carty, 49, of Cape May Court House, wife of accused murderer George Carty, 50, after a sharp piece of glass and a note were found in clothing she dropped off June 26 at the Cape May County Correctional Center for her husband to wear for an arraignment here June 27.
Taylor said in a release that a piece of sharp plexiglass, along with a handwritten note, was found in the clothing when Sheriff’s Officers searched it prior to George Carty appearing in the courtroom.
In between a long list of cases, prior to Carty being brought into the courtroom, Sheriff’s officers requested a sidebar with Superior Court Judge Raymond Batten, prosecutor Rob Johnson, and defense counsel Dave 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., according to the release, detectives from the Prosecutor’s Office responded to the Sheriff’s Department located at the court house and took possession of the piece of glass and note, which were found in a shirt pocket belonging to Carty. The contents of the note are not being released at this time, prosecutor Taylor said.
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.