Charge Dropped In Citronelle Tongue Case

The case of the man accused of cutting out his own tongue and lying to police is back in the news again.

In court today, the prosecution dropped the charge of false reporting. According to an investigator, it's part of a strategic move by the state!

Mike Crocker is still charged with theft. Investigators testified that he stole more than 200,000 dollars from Vulcan Industrial Services in Mount Vernon and that he owned 10% of that company.

An investigator said in court that the company was losing money and had been for some time. State testimony revealed that Crocker was supposedly funneling money into another account for personal use. Investigators say they found invoices for a home fence and a washer and dryer.

Crocker's attorney, Skip Brutkiewicz, says he hasn't seen proof of purchases and this case doesn't belong in criminal court. "My client opened up an account in the name of the business and wrote checks for the business! He's entitled to do that. He was running the business. This is a civil case! The only reason they have brought this case, in my opinion, is because they can't solve the homicide case of a guy that worked at Vulcan. They think my client had something to do with it and he did not."

Brutkiewicz is referring to is the unsolved murder of Stephen O'Neal Perret. Perret was found shot to death in a work truck near his Citronelle home on August 17, 2007. Perret was Crocker's neighbor and the plant manager at Vulcan.

Crocker is the only known suspect in the murder case but has not been charged!

Perret's family drove over from Louisiana and quietly listened in court.

Mike Crocker's theft case now goes to the Grand Jury. Crocker is out on bond.