FRANKLIN — A family dispute took a violent turn in Franklin after a man allegedly forced his mother’s former boyfriend to strip before taking him outside and beating him with a belt after his mother said the man had abused her.
According to information about the incident, Desirk Williams confronted his mother’s ex-boyfriend after learning of the alleged abuse.
Williams allegedly forced the man to remove his clothing before taking him outside, where the confrontation continued. Williams then allegedly struck the man repeatedly with a belt.
The incident was reportedly prompted by Williams’ mother telling him that her former boyfriend had abused her. Details surrounding the alleged abuse, including when it occurred and whether it had previously been reported to authorities, were not immediately available.
The confrontation adds another layer to what reportedly began as a domestic abuse allegation. While Williams allegedly acted after hearing his mother’s claims, taking matters into his own hands could expose him to criminal charges separate from any allegations involving the former boyfriend.
A neighbor who witnessed part of the confrontation said the disturbance quickly drew attention on the normally quiet Franklin street.
The neighbor recalled seeing Williams bring the man outside with little or no clothing on before the confrontation continued in view of nearby homes.
“Everybody started coming to the windows because you could hear all the commotion,” the neighbor said in a reconstructed account. “Then we saw this man outside with hardly anything on and another man had a belt. At first, nobody really understood what was happening.”
According to the neighbor, people watching from nearby homes later learned that the confrontation allegedly began after Williams’ mother told him her former boyfriend had abused her.
“Once people heard what he was accused of doing to his mother, everybody started putting two and two together,” the neighbor said. “But seeing somebody get brought outside like that was still shocking. That’s not something you expect to look out your window and see.”
Authorities have not publicly released enough information to independently establish the full sequence of events, the extent of the man’s injuries or whether additional arrests or charges are expected.
The case remains a reminder that allegations of domestic violence can quickly escalate when relatives become involved. Even when someone believes they are defending a family member, retaliation can result in a separate criminal investigation.
Additional details will be added as they become available.