Georgia mayor acquitted of charges that he intentionally stashed gin in a ditch for prisoners

THOMSON, Ga. (AP) — The mayor of a small Georgia town is back in charge after a jury acquitted him of charges that he intentionally left a bottle of gin in a ditch for a state prison work crew. McDuffie County jurors on Tuesday found Thomson Mayor Benjamin “Benji” Cranford not guilty of two felony charges. No one disputes that Cranford bought the liquor on June 3 and then drove directly across a road and dropped the bottle in the ditch. Prosecutors alleged the deposit was an intentional act. But Cranford’s defense lawyers suggested the bottle fell out of Cranford’s SUV after he opened the door while fiddling with his Bluetooth wireless connection.