Mayor, councilman arrested in northwest Georgia town

KINGSTON - Conflict between elected officials and police in the northwest Georgia town of Kingston continues with the arrest of the mayor and a city councilman. <br> <br> Mayor Margo Martin was charged Wednesday with two felonies - influencing a witness and compounding a crime. He also was arrested for being party to a crime. <br> <br> Councilman Billy Sanders was arrested on six charges, including the felony charge of making terroristic threats. <br> <br> He also was arrested for disorderly conduct, selling liquor without a license, selling alcohol to an intoxicated person, maintaining a disorderly house and selling alcohol on Sunday. <br> <br> This is not the first trouble that Martin has had with police in the town of about 800 residents, 47 miles northwest of Atlanta. In 1998, the mayor was charged with driving under the influence. <br> <br> Former Chief Robert Carter filed suit in Superior Court earlier this year saying his rights were violated when he was dismissed in 2000. Carter&#39;s lawyer said he was treated unfairly because he opposed Martin&#39;s political ideas and proposals for the police department. <br> <br> Martin said the current charges have totally been blown out of proportion.