In the heart of Fort Valley, Georgia, 57-year-old Alton Cotton was a beloved figure, known for his warm personality and remarkable spirit. A man with a learning disability, he had dedicated over two decades of his life to the Kay Center, a nonprofit organization for individuals with developmental disabilities. There, he was not just a member of the landscaping crew but also a celebrated athlete, having won the Special Olympics Athlete of the Year award in 1995 and competed in the Special Olympics World Games in 1999. His presence was a familiar and comforting part of the community, making the events of Saturday, February 22, 2020, all the more tragic.
On that afternoon, a verbal altercation erupted between Cotton and another man, 46-year-old Dereckson Clark, on Troutman Avenue. Despite onlookers encouraging Clark to walk away from the dispute, he instead retrieved a revolver from his vehicle. Returning to the confrontation, Clark expressed his frustration, stating he was tired of being bothered by Cotton. He then fired the gun, striking Cotton. The 57-year-old was rushed to a local hospital with a gunshot wound but succumbed to his injuries. In the hours that followed, Dereckson Clark turned himself in to the Peach County Sheriff's Office.
The community mourned the loss of a man described by his niece as someone who seemed 'invincible' and was a staunch defender of others at the Kay Center. The center planned to create a picture board to honor his memory, a testament to the positive impact he had on those around him. The legal process moved forward, and in November 2020, a Peach County grand jury indicted Clark on charges including murder.
During his trial in June 2021, Dereckson Clark claimed he had acted in self-defense and that the firearm had discharged accidentally. However, the jury found him guilty of murder. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving at least 30 years. An additional five-year sentence was given for the possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. A subsequent appeal of the conviction was denied, upholding the court's decision and bringing a close to the legal chapter of a story that left a community grieving the senseless loss of one of its cherished members.
