!['Gonna get [her] back in check': Mayor acquitted of beating daughter unconscious has harsh words for her, says he's going to be 'man of the house'](https://internewscast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Gonna-get-her-back-in-check-Mayor-acquitted-of-beating.jpg)
Left: Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. speaks at a press conference in Atlantic City, N.J., on Jan. 15, 2020 (AP Photo/Wayne Parry). Right: La’Quetta Small (Atlantic City Public Schools).
The courtroom drama surrounding Atlantic City’s Mayor Marty Small Sr. came to a close with a jury’s decision to acquit him of serious charges including assault and verbal abuse against his teenage daughter. Small, who has maintained that the allegations were politically charged, emerged victorious and relieved.
Last year, Mayor Small, aged 51, faced accusations of aggravated assault, issuing terroristic threats, and endangering a child’s welfare. His wife, La’Quetta Small, aged 48, was also implicated with charges related to child endangerment. However, after a lengthy trial that spanned over a week, jurors declared him not guilty of all charges on Thursday.
As the verdict was announced, Mayor Small left the courthouse triumphant, surrounded by supportive well-wishers. He expressed his joy and remarked on the significance of the verdict, stating, “The entire Atlantic City was on trial, and this is a win for everyone.” His comments underscored the broader implications he believed the case held for the community.
Throughout the ordeal, both Marty and La’Quetta Small have staunchly denied any misconduct. Despite the legal battle, Mayor Small successfully secured reelection, attributing the charges to adversarial political forces that he felt were targeting him and his family.
In his public remarks, Mayor Small also took a moment to address matters concerning his daughter, though details on this remain limited. The acquittal marks the end of a challenging chapter for the Small family, allowing them to move forward from the allegations that once cast a shadow over their lives.
He also spoke about his daughter.
“My daughter’s lost right now, but like I said, when we win this case, we’re gonna get things back on track as the man of the house. If I can be the man of the city, I can be the man of the house, and I’m gonna get my daughter back in check,” he said.
La’Quetta Small’s case remains ongoing.
As Law&Crime previously reported, the abuse is alleged to have happened over “multiple occasions” in December 2023 and January 2024.
“During one incident, on Jan. 13, 2024, Marty Small, Sr. is alleged to have hit his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom causing her to lose consciousness,” prosecutors wrote in a statement. “Another incident on Jan. 3, 2024, alleged that Marty Small, Sr., during an argument with his daughter, continuously threatened to hurt her by ‘earth slamming’ her down the stairs, grabbing her head and throwing her to the ground, and smacking the weave out of her head.”
Prosecutors said La’Quetta Small repeatedly punched her daughter in the chest, leaving bruising. In another incident, she allegedly dragged the girl by her hair before beating her with a belt on her shoulders, which left marks. She also punched the girl in the mouth during an argument, prosecutors claim.
Philadelphia NBC affiliate WCAU obtained an arrest affidavit that laid out more of the case. The girl reportedly admitted she had previously invented abuse claims because she was upset they wouldn’t let her go out friends, but she photographed her injuries and sent the photos to her boyfriend, who gave them to prosecutors. Prosecutors also obtained voice recordings of arguments between her and her parents, the affidavit reportedly said. She also allegedly said she did not feel safe at home.
Marty Small, a Democrat, was elected mayor in 2019 after a 15-year stint on the city council. La’Quetta Small became Atlantic County Schools superintendent in 2022, the first Black woman to hold the position. She’s worked in the school system for over 20 years, her biography said.
