Malik Brown was released from the Bibb County jail after posting a $1,300 bond less than two hours after he was arrested Friday afternoon following a Thursday attack on Telegraph photographer Woody Marshall at Macon City Hall, according to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

Brown was arrested after being questioned by Macon police, said police spokeswoman Jami Gaudet.

Brown, 28, is charged with one count each of simple assault and battery.

Following a news conference held by state Sen. Robert Brown, D-Macon, on Thursday, Malik Brown attacked and injured Marshall as he tried to take pictures of the senator as the lawmaker left the building. The incident was captured on video by several local media outlets.

Both Malik Brown and the senator made statements to Macon police Friday. After Malik Brown gave his statement, he was notified by police to return to its Detective’s Bureau.

He turned himself in to authorities and was transported to the Bibb County jail without incident following his arrest about 2 p.m. He posted bail at 3:55 p.m.

According to a police news release, Sen. Brown told police Malik Brown got no direction from him, and that his actions were his own.

According to a report by WMAZ-TV, Sen. Brown said he was threatened with death. Gaudet spoke to two detectives and Brown did not discuss a threat with them.

While Sen. Brown did not return calls from a Telegraph reporter Friday afternoon, he did address the matter on Friday’s NewsTalk Central show in the morning.

On the show, Brown said Malik Brown was not part of his paid staff, did not play a role at the news conference and was not a bodyguard.

Malik Brown’s father, C.J. Brown, who was at the news conference, has been friends with the senator for about 30 years, dating back to the lawmaker’s days at Mercer University. The two are not related, but call each other brothers, the senator said.

C.J. Brown was one of two men who accompanied the lawmaker to the news conference, Sen. Brown said on the show.

After arriving late to the conference, the senator issued a brief statement and left quickly, he said. When it was over, Marshall followed him to take a picture of him leaving.

According to Brown, Marshall bumped into him and apologized. Then Brown continued walking away.

Video of the incident shows Malik Brown shoving Marshall into a wall in the City Hall lobby. On the City Hall porch shortly after, Malik Brown is seen slamming Marshall into a pillar, then shoving Marshall down into a metal railing.

Marshall gave a different account of the incident Thursday.

“As I was trying to go around (Sen.) Brown, he pushed me -- gave me a hip check to the left,” Marshall said. “The next thing I know, the guy in the red shirt was on me.”

Marshall was hospitalized and released from Coliseum Northside Hospital on Thursday for an injury to his right shoulder.

Because he was so intent on leaving quickly, Sen. Brown said, he did not know who had attacked Marshall when he was contacted about the incident in his office later.

“What happened that day was reprehensible,” Brown said on the show. “That is not something I sanction, that is not something I condone. I think that is absolutely wrong, no matter who is at fault.”

Brown called the Thursday morning conference to address controversial comments he made on a taping of WMAZ-TV’s “Close-Up” program earlier in the week. While some interpreted the remarks to refer to the Ku Klux Klan, Brown said they actually referred to sexual trysts among Republican leaders. He did not answer questions from reporters after the conference.

According to records from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Malik Brown was arrested and released Nov. 5 for battery, criminal trespass/entry and criminal trespass/damage. He was also arrested Dec. 14 on charges of driving on a suspended or revoked license and not wearing a seat belt.

To contact Andrea Castillo, call 256-9751.