07/25/08 - Savannah
$500,000
Bond Set in Savannah Shooting
By: Keli
McAlister
The Savannah
business man accused of murdering one of his employees makes
his first court appearance Friday morning. Charles Ken
Qualls, 52, faces a first degree murder charge in the death
of Charlie Garrard, 27, of Counce. A judge set Qualls' bond
at $500,000. His attorney Curtis Hopper says he will appeal
the bond amount. He hopes to have it lowered to at least
$30,000.
According to Savannah police, on Tuesday, Qualls shot Garrard once in the head as they sat in his truck outside of the Savannah Furniture Exchange. Garrard's mother, Paulette Harris, says her son had worked for Qualls at the downtown business since he was nine or 10 and looked to him as a father figure. Harris says she believes the two might have argued over money before the shooting.
Both Garrard's family and the Qualls family were present at Friday's arraignment.