Atlantic City's mayor was acquitted on all counts in his child abuse case Thursday.
"Thank you, Jesus!" Marty Small screamed. "Thank you, jury!"
The jury needed only a short playback of testimony Small gave about what happened during "the tussle with the broom" between him and his daughter to come back with an acquittal.
"I did not, I repeat did not beat my daughter with a broom," the mayor said in testimony from Friday that was replayed for the jurors just before noon.
Small was accused of knocking the girl out with a broom during an argument sparked by her refusal to go to a peace walk in the city.
The jury started the day asking to hear Small's testimony about what happened during a Jan. 13, 2024 argument between him and his daughter after she refused to go to a peace walk.
Court staff spent time isolating both the mayor's direct testimony and cross-examination about the incident, but the jury didn't need it.
As the video got to the part where Small explained how he tussled with his daughter over the broom and she fell backward, the jury forewoman raised her hand.
"We're good," she said.
Judge Joseph Levin asked if they needed anymore.
Briefly whispering among themselves, the jurors all agreed they were ready to return to deliberations.
Minutes later, they sent word that they had a verdict.
Small exited the courtroom with his many supporters and motioned them to come with him, asking the media to give them privacy.
Outside the courthouse, he addressed the case and what it has been like to be portrayed as a child abuser and have the media drag him, his wife and their close friend, Constance Days-Chapman "through the mud."
"I’m not an abusive man," he said. "I never have and I never will. My daughter’s lost right now, but like I said, when we win this case, we’re gonna get things back on track."
Small said he has no doubt that the family can move past this.
"If I can be the man in my city, I can be the man of my house," he said. "I’m gonna get my daughter back in check."
Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds said the girl had been notified of the verdict, but could not comment on her reaction beyond that.
"I would ask that everyone please pray for peace for that family. Pray for peace for the daughter," he said during a news conference following the verdict. "I can't imagine what her life is going to be like now that this is over. I pray for her to have peace in her life, and for people to show her love.
"Because this case was really determined by a jury who did not believe her," he added.
Reynolds said he does not think this should deter others from coming forward about alleged abuse.
He said the girl was brave for coming forward, especially considering the backing her father has, which was illustrated by more than 40 character witnesses taking the stand on the mayor's behalf.
"I hope that other victims see this victim as a beacon of light and hope that, regardless of the outcome, people will listen to you," he said. "And our office, under this administration, will absolutely listen to the victim."
The teen — who turns 18 next month — has not been living with her parents since before they were indicted last year.
Small testified that his daughter was living with her boyfriend — identified publicly as E.L. due to his age — who the Smalls blamed for the issues with their daughter.
"He's her daddy now," Small testified.
The teen boy did not take the stand at the trial, although he was the one who made the audio recordings of the battles within the home, and testified in pretrial hearing when the defense attempted to have those tapes barred.
Asked whether having the boyfriend testified was being rethought due to the outcome, Reynolds said his office discussed things after the verdict and agreed "we would not do anything differently."
In the end, it seems it was Small himself taking the stand in his own defense that may have been the deciding factor for the jury.
"There’s not a man in this world that deserves this more than Marty Small,” said attorney Jordan Barbone, who did most of the research in the defense's case. "He’s the only man I know who could stand strong through all this, represent his city, put the city on his back. His family came every day and supports him. He deserves every bit of this.”
Barbone's father, Lou Barbone, was the lead attorney at trial, noting it was special to try the case with his son and see the kind of good work he does.
“The great city of Atlantic City had my back," Small said.
He noted that despite the charges looming at the time, he got 63 percent of the vote in the primary and 65 percent to win re-election in November with numbers he said were an Atlantic City record.
"Atlantic City knows bullsh-- when they see it, and the jury knows bullsh-- when they see it," he said before promising that next week he will get into the elements of the case “when I address this piece of sh— prosecutor.”
The words "great day" were shouted out several times after the verdict.
"It is a great day," Lou Barbone said. “It’s absolute proof the system works. It’s absolute proof that honest men like Marty Small are vindicated."
