City leaders apologize to man wrongly charged

Markeith Milner, the 23-year-old Columbus man wrongly charged with the April murders of two Hispanic men in a home invasion, received an apology and $31,200 from the city at Columbus Council's meeting Tuesday.

Wearing a tan suit, Milner stood before Columbus Council with attorney Frank Martin as Mayor Jim Wetherington and Police Chief Ricky Boren formally apologized for the 13-day incarceration.

"I'm stating today and using this as a public forum to say that Markeith Milner was not involved in this crime," Boren said.

Wetherington echoed the words as he sat in the mayor's chair.

"Occasionally, we do make mistakes, but we try to correct them, and I commend Chief Boren for coming forward and saying that a mistake was made -- we arrested the wrong man," Wetherington said.

Milner was wrongly arrested in April and charged with the murders of Marcelo Rivera and Isaias Bartolon, who were shot to death April 8 at Winterfield Mobile Home Park on 29th Avenue. Police later dropped the charges and arrested four others in connection with the crime -- Cassinova Houston, 17, Thomas Houston, 20, Jessie Willis, 20, and Raymond Baker, 20.

Milner said the city's efforts didn't make up for the mistake, though Martin said the council's action goes a long way in overcoming the embarrassment and damage done to his client's name.

Milner's picture, fingerprints and record for the case will be expunged from Columbus Police Department records, Martin said.

"We're real pleased because it only took two weeks from when we approached the mayor with this matter," he said. "This case is really not about money. It was more about trying to redeem his name."

Martin said he went to Wetherington and told him he didn't want a lawsuit or a legal situation akin to the Kenneth Walker litigation -- an ongoing civil suit that stems from the December 2003 shooting death of Walker by former Muscogee County Sheriff's Deputy David Glisson.

The amount given to Milner is a low figure, Martin said, and was sought in the spirit of compromise.

"Mr. Milner's going to try to go back to somewhat more of a normal life," Martin said.

Staff writer Brian McDearmon contributed to this report