Famed Highwaymen artist Willie Daniels, retained the firm of Kirschner & Garland, P.A., to represent him in connection with a domestic battery charge lodged against him by the Fort Pierce Police Department. The State “picked up” the charges by filing an Information against Daniels on July 8, 2005. After conducting a thorough investigation into the underlying facts, Attorney Jeffrey H. Garland announced “ready for trial” at the first docket call on September 12, 2005.

The State initially moved for a continuance. However, Garland pointed out that the 90-day speedy trial period expired on September 12th. Based on the fact that Florida law allows for an additional fifteen (15) day “recapture period”, County Judge Clifford H. Barnes set the case for jury trial on September 21, 2005. Rather than try the case, the State elected to terminate the prosecution by announcing a “Nolle Prosequie”(dismissal).

Willie Daniels is one of the original group of African-American landscape artists who collectively hve been referred to as “The Highwaymen”. The “Highwaymen” name was coined by Gary Monroee in his book The Highwaymen, Florida’s African American Landscape Painters, (University Press of Florida, 2001).