Judge: Cops didn’t violate slain kids case order

LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) — A judge has ruled that Lexington County deputies didn’t violate a gag order when they released a criminal domestic violence incident report against a man charged with killing his five children.

Local media outlets reported that attorneys for Timothy Ray Jones Jr. asked for a hearing Friday because deputies released a police report from May 2012 where Jones’ wife called deputies to report he threatened to snap her neck, head-butted her and spit in her face. Jones was not arrested.

The couple were separated at the time and went on to have another child before they divorced.

Circuit Judge Thomas Russo said Friday the release wasn’t a willful violation of the gag order, but he may tighten the wording of the order to keep some documents away from the public.