Henry County Prosecutor Richard Shields announced additional charges in the murder case of Clinton Police Officer Gary Michael Thursday.
35-year-old William Grant Noble
Charges against William Noble, who is alleged to have provided the firearm in the shooting have been amended. In addition to tampering with physical evidence, Noble is also now charged with hindering prosecution, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and fraudulent purchase of a firearm.
His wife, 35-year-old Brandie Brandie Noble, been charged with hindering prosecution, and four counts of the endangering the welfare of a child.
The charges allege that the Nobles returned to their home to find Officer Michael’s accused murderer, Ian McCarthy, armed with an assault rifle. They’re further accused of harboring McCarthy in their home in the presence of four children under the age of seventeen, while at the same time knowing that an intense manhunt was underway in the immediate area. The charges contend the children were subjected to a substantial risk of serious physical injury or death.
William Noble is also accused of purchasing a firearm used in the murder with the intent to immediately transfer it to McCarthy after representing that the purchase was for himself.
McCarthy was charged last week with first degree murder in the shooting of Michael during the traffic stop. He’s alleged to have jumped out of his car and fired at the officer before driving a few blocks, crashing the car and fleeing on foot.
Before dying, Officer Michael returned the gunfire, wounding McCarthy. McCarthy was arrested after a two-day manhunt.