The former DeKalb County Schools superintendent, Devon Horton, was granted bond by a DeKalb County court after his arrest on charges of assault and child cruelty. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, Horton is accused of assaulting his wife in the presence of their 5-year-old son, was set a $25,000 bond—$20,000 for aggravated assault and $5,000 for third-degree cruelty to children.
During his court appearance, Horton wore an orange jumpsuit and did not speak. The alleged incident took place over the weekend at his home in Smoke Rise, after police responded to a domestic call. Horton's wife testified that she did not fear for her life and said Horton was under significant stress, as per Decaturish. Despite her testimony, the judge prohibited Horton from in-person contact with his wife but allowed virtual communication and arranged visits with their children through a third party.
The bond hearing follows Horton’s federal indictment for a kickback scheme during his tenure at Illinois’ Evanston/Skokie School District 65. He faces charges of wire fraud, tax evasion, and embezzlement, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Terence Campbell, one of Horton’s attorneys, described Horton as a “loving and devoted father” and noted that his wife did not want to press charges, as reported by Decaturish. Campbell also stated that no evidence was presented at the bond hearing indicating who contacted the police, according to Decaturish. The judge set the bond citing concerns that the situation could become deadly, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations, which included strangulation.
