Chatsworth man sentenced to 5 days in jail for defacing Confederate veterans monument
Sep. 19—A Chatsworth man has been sentenced to five days in jail and the balance of 12 months on probation after pleading guilty to defacing a public monument in connection with the spray-painting of the Confederate veterans monument outside the Murray County courthouse in July, according to District Attorney Bert Poston.
Ryan Dean Nichols must also pay court costs and surcharges, perform 60 hours of community service work, complete alcohol and/or drug abuse treatment and submit to random alcohol/drug screens as directed by probation.
Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 938 erected the monument more than 20 years ago.
A Chatsworth Police Department incident report said that around 9:17 a.m. on July 19 an officer responded to a report "that someone has damaged one of the stone monuments in front of the Superior Court building located at 121 N. Third Ave."
The officer found someone had painted a vulgarity on the Confederate veterans monument outside the courthouse.
The monument is of stone and consists of three sections. On one side the seal of the state of Georgia is engraved. In the middle "C.S.A. 1861-1865" is engraved, and beneath it is a metal plaque saying the monument is "dedicated to the men of Murray County who served the Confederate States of America." On the other side, the seal of the Confederate States of America is engraved. On the bottom is engraved, "This monument made possible by S.C.V. (Sons of Confederate Veterans) Camp 938 and S.C.V. Ladies Auxiliary."
