Trial Set For Atlantic City Mayor, Wife In Child Abuse Case

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — The trial for the New Jersey mayor accused of child abuse is set to begin less than a week after Election Day, where the embattled official is up for re-election.

Mayor Marty Small Sr. will head to trial on Nov. 10, according to court records; Election Day falls on Nov. 4.

The trial against Small's wife, Atlantic City School Superintendent La'Quetta Small, will begin Dec. 1. The couple appeared for a pre-trial conference Monday, where the trial dates were set. The Smalls both filed motions to dismiss, which the judge previously rejected.

The Smalls are accused of physically and verbally abusing their teenage daughter; the mayor is also accused of witness tampering.

The mayor is accused of threatening to hurt his daughter by "earth slamming" her down the stairs, grabbing her head and throwing her to the ground, and smacking the weave out of her head, during an argument on Jan. 3, 2024. In another incident, he is accused of punching her repeatedly in her legs causing bruising.

His wife is accused of punching her daughter multiple times, leaving bruises on the girl's chest in one incident, and punching her in the mouth during an argument. La'Quetta Small also is accused of dragging her daughter by her hair then hitting her with a belt on her shoulders leaving marks.

Marty Small also faces witness tampering charges as he is accused of telling his daughter to "twist up" a story and say she tripped and fell in her room when her head was injured, officials said. This is in reference to a Jan. 13, 2024 incident, where it is alleged that Small hit his daughter in the head with a broom repeatedly, causing her to lose consciousness.

Both of the Smalls rejected plea offers, according to NJ.com.

Previous Reporting:

• Drop Child Abuse Case Against Us, NJ Mayor & Wife Say: Reports
• Atlantic City Mayor, Superintendent Indicted In Abuse Of Daughter
• Atlantic City HS Principal Who Didn't Report Child Abuse Indicted
• Atlantic City Mayor, Superintendent Abused Teen Daughter: Prosecutor