Spicer said some of the confusion may stem from an incident in 2000, when the appraisers in Lowndes County mistakenly assessed the buildings, including the house that Norton resides in. Part of the property on which the home is located is in Lowndes County, but the majority is in Lanier. She said the mistake happened when the property was transferred to Charles Norton, the sheriff’s father, from his mother.

Attorney Bob Wilson, who represents the sheriff, stated that Norton is a lifelong resident of Lanier County, has paid taxes, registered his vehicle, and registered to vote all in Lanier County under his current address.

“The evidence that we would have presented today (Tuesday) is abundantly clear and shows that the Sheriff lives inside Lanier County,” Wilson said. “This is politics, pure and simple, but let’s play politics fair.”

Wilson stated that evidence would have been presented from both the Lanier and Lowndes County Assessor’s Offices and the Regional Development Center, which is responsible for drawing county line boundaries, showing that the 148.25 acres of Norton’s property on which his home is located is within Lanier County limits.