Clayton State Court clears multiple cases in Jan. 7 jail calendar; probation orders, pleas and short jail terms issued

Judge Tammy Long Hayward presided over the Clayton County State Court arraignment and jail calendar on Jan. 7, 2025 in Courtroom 304, where the court accepted guilty pleas, imposed short jail terms or suspended balances in several cases, and ordered probation conditions and treatment enrollments for multiple defendants.

The calendar included pleas in two public-intoxication cases for Benjamin Jefferson, a no-contest plea and $100 fine for a traffic defendant, a probation revocation hearing that resulted in supervised return to probation with mandated treatment for Kimberly Bianca Day, and short jail time ordered in at least two revocation matters. Several other matters were continued or reset for later hearings.

The court’s dispositions primarily resolved low- to mid-level misdemeanor and probation matters, with the judge often imposing or reaffirming treatment, community-service, and reporting conditions rather than long custodial sentences. Many defendants received credit for time served when applicable.

In one of the larger docket resolutions, the court accepted negotiated pleas from Benjamin Jefferson on two public-drunk charges and sentenced him to an aggregate 12 months with 30 days to serve and the balance suspended, with the sentences to run concurrently and credit for time served. In a probation revocation for Kimberly Bianca Day (2020CR02905), the judge found delinquency on treatment and financial obligations but—after hearing that Day had passed several random drug/alcohol tests—returned her to probation with a firm order to enroll in and begin completion of an ASAM Level 1 treatment program by the court-ordered date and to resolve outstanding financial obligations.

Other outcomes included: Cedric Otis Bullock entering pleas to obstruction, escape and theft-related charges with the court accepting a no-contest disposition and ordering credit for time served; Henry Lee Carroll III pleading guilty to shoplifting with a suspended fine and probation terms; Courtney Waddell Callahan receiving 30 days in jail on a probation revocation; and Nicholas James Dewberry’s matter being moved to the Jan. 14 calendar so related cases can be resolved together.

Throughout the hearing the judge repeatedly emphasized the connection between substance misuse and public-safety risk and urged defendants with treatment needs to enroll promptly. Probation requests and state recommendations were read into the record and applied in the court’s orders.

Decisions at a glance: - State of Georgia v. Benjamin Jefferson (2023CR07708; 2024CR10418): Pleas to public-drunk counts accepted; each case sentenced to 12 months with 30 days to serve, balance suspended; sentences to run concurrently; credit for time served. (Transcript evidence: factual-basis statements and plea acceptance.) - State of Georgia v. Kimberly Bianca Day (2020CR02905): Court returned defendant to probation but ordered enrollment in ASAM Level 1 treatment and completion steps; court noted $1,140 in arrears and required prompt action on treatment enrollment (sign-up ordered by the dates discussed in court). The probation officer and defense counsel discussed conversion of unpaid obligations to community service where appropriate. (Transcript evidence: probation recommendations and judge’s admonitions.) - State of Georgia v. Cedric Otis Bullock (2024CR10576): Court accepted pleas (no-contest on counts presented), ordered credit for time served since arrest and suspended balances/fines per the state recommendation. (Transcript evidence: police reports and state recommendation.) - State of Georgia v. Courtney Waddell Callahan (2024CR08664): Probation revoked in part; court ordered 30 days in jail with the next matter to be heard later; defendant told to avoid contact with certain persons per bond conditions. (Transcript evidence: revocation petition and probation recommendation.) - State of Georgia v. Henry Lee Carroll III (2024CR10471): Guilty plea to theft by shoplifting accepted; 40 hours community service, $200 fine suspended on completion of terms and theft-prevention course; court offered early termination of probation upon successful compliance to allow defendant to accept employment. (Transcript evidence: factual-basis summary and court order.) - State of Georgia v. Nicholas James Dewberry: Matter reset to Jan. 14 to coordinate resolution with related charges; defendant indicated willingness to resolve if matters run concurrently. (Transcript evidence: counsel request to move date.) - Traffic/Red-light matter (citation dated June 30, 2023): Defendant (identified in transcript as Corningade/Cornegate) entered plea to amended red-light violation; count 1 no-pros; fine $100 ($151.50 with surcharges) with 30 days to pay or follow clerk’s payment instructions. (Transcript evidence: factual-basis and sentencing directions.)

What happened, and why it matters: The session resolved a large portion of a jail calendar composed mainly of probation revocations, traffic matters and misdemeanor pleas. The judge favored treatment and monitored probation conditions where substance use was implicated, while imposing short custodial terms when probation conditions were breached. For defendants with pending related charges, the court commonly reset matters to allow coordinated disposition.

Notable clarifications and figures recorded in court: Kimberly Day’s probation file showed she had 1 month and 11 days remaining on a 12-month probation sentence and that the probation officer reported $1,140 in arrears; the court noted Day had three clean tests during supervision but still ordered ASAM Level 1 treatment enrollment. Jefferson’s two cases carried identical 12-month terms with 30-day active components and concurrent service. Bullock’s charge file listed property value (handcuffs) under $77 in the theft count; the state gave the recommendation that resulted in credit for time served. Carroll was offered termination of probation upon completion of 40 community-service hours, a theft-prevention course and compliance with the court’s no-return-to-store order.

The court also flagged several matters for future hearings or administrative handling: Killian Vierra Adebaugh’s petition was set for a hearing rather than stipulation to the charges; some defendants were confirmed out on bond and thus reset to the arraignment calendar; probation verification and interpreter needs were addressed on some dockets.

Courtroom context: The hearing ran as the 10 a.m. jail calendar and was conducted by Judge Tammy Long Hayward. Probation officers, defense counsel and state prosecutors made recommendations and provided factual recitations for plea acceptance and sentencing. The judge was directive in cases involving child welfare and substance misuse, repeatedly urging immediate enrollment in treatment where recommended.

Provenance: The article summarizes the arraignment and jail calendar proceedings in Courtroom 304 on Jan. 7, 2025, as recorded in the court transcript. Selected excerpts used as evidence include the judge’s opening identification of the calendar, probation recommendations on individual matters, and plea-acceptance and sentencing language read on the record.

Ending: Several defendants remain on future dockets or will return if they fail to meet treatment or reporting conditions; most of the day’s dispositions aimed to tie supervision and rehabilitative conditions to compliance rather than imposing long-term incarceration.