A former LaFayette City Councilman testified Wednesday that, despite his complaints, city officials refused to rein in Police Sgt. Sam Parker.

Max Morrison, who was on the council for 17 years, said he told the city manager and police chief that Parker had dragged his then-wife by her hair to the bedroom and handcuffed her to a bed. He said he told of another incident where Parker allegedly choked his wife and put a gun to her head.

But he said City Manager David Aldridge and Police Chief Charles "Dino" Richardson took no action.

Former Councilman Morrison testified on the eighth day of the trial in which Parker is charged with killing his third wife, Theresa, whose body has never been found.

The witness said he told the pair, "I have a little problem with the city paying Sam Parker to rough up his wife." He said Parker was in uniform and on duty on both occasions in 1989 when he allegedly attacked then-wife Keila.

He said Chief Richardson, who died in 2006, told him, "I don't need to be injecting myself into a pending divorce."

The witness said he also complained when a constituent told him that Parker had placed a black and white skull and crossbones tag on his police vehicle shortly after shooting and killing a man holding a child hostage. He said "that constituency feels it is being used to intimidate that community." He said the tag was taken off.

Former Councilman Morrison, asked why he did not go to other police authorities, said Parker "left her alone after that."

His wife, Terri Morrison, said she received a call from Keila, described as her best friend, saying Parker had choked her and put the gun to her head.

She said Keila "was crying hysterically." She said Parker took the phone from Keila and she said she told him, "Don't hurt her, Sam." She said he told her he wouldn't.

She said she wanted to go over to be with Keila, "but Max was afraid for my safety."

The witness said Keila and her daughter came and spent the next few nights with them.

Tabitha Thomas, who was formerly married to Theresa's brother, Richard, told of having trouble getting him to pay child support after they divorced. She said she called the sheriff's office and asked an officer to serve a warrant on him.

She said she then received a call from Parker that night - Nov. 11, 2004. She said she was in the shower, but her husband told her it was a call she needed to take.

She said Parker told her she needed to stop sending officers after Richard, "and, if I didn't stop, he said, 'I will kill you, I will kill your children and I will kill your husband. And no one will ever see you or your children or your husband again."

She said Parker also said, "I've killed before and I'm not scared to kill again."

He was upset because the last time the officers had gone after Richard, they had torn up his (and Theresa's) mother's house in the search, it was stated.

Ms. Thomas said later she was driving near the police station and Parker was standing outside by the gas tanks. She said he pointed at her as she drove by.

She said the family moved away from LaFayette to get away from him.

The jury from Bartow County also heard testimony from three officers from Panama Beach, Fla., about an incident in which Parker fired a shot at Theresa at a restaurant parking lot on April 27, 2003.

Laura Buchanan said the officers were called to the Continental Condos by a tearful Theresa Parker and found Sam Parker in room 107. She said Theresa was outside and "was extremely upset and scared."

She said Parker was sitting on a bed and was extremely agitated. She said he identified himself as a police sergeant from Georgia.

Officer Buchanan said Parker would mainly ignore her and another officer and only speak to the senior officer. She said he was abusive to that officer also.

She said Parker said he was getting very tired of Theresa, saying she would call police when they had marital problems.

The witness said they found a Glock weapon under a pillow. She said Parker at first would not tell where he had placed a .38 revolver, but they finally found it in a bag.

She said Parker at one point asked her if he had ever shot anyone. She said he talked about a double homicide, about a victim with legs broken and crash victims.

She said he told her that every time he looked at his badge, he "basically wanted to throw up" and said he had thoughts of killing himself. He said he was due to "see a shrink next Thursday."

She said the officers could not prove that he had fired at Theresa.

Sgt. John Deakins said Parker was very intoxicated. He said he had a strong odor of alcohol and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot.

He said Parker told the officers, "I can't believe you treat one of your own like this."

He said his mood was constantly changing - going "from being cooperative to downright nasty."

The witness said Parker called all of the officers names. He said, "It was demeaning - especially coming from another police officer."

He said Parker at one point said he "wanted to blow his brains out." He said he might handcuff himself to Theresa and do it in front of her. He said, "If I had the guts, I'd shoot her too."

Sgt. Deakins said when he was alone with Parker that he asked him "some strange questions."

He said Parker asked if he ever thought of killing himself and wanted to know if he had seen heads blown off, seen dismembered body parts or seen dead bodies.

When Parker was placed in the back of a squad car, he started screaming and bashed his head against the glass shield. He was shouting, "I have no business being in police custody."

Parker was kept at a mental facility for a 72-hour observation period.

He was not charged and was welcomed back to the LaFayette Police Department with no sanctions.