PELL CITY — The presiding St. Clair County judge recused himself from a case involving the alleged murder of a father by his son.

Judge Charles Robinson announced in court Wednesday he was recusing himself from the murder case involving Robert “Bob” Carleton, 48, of Pell City, who is accused of the murder of his 67-year-old father, William “Bill” Randolph Carleton Sr.

Robinson said he is recusing himself from the criminal case, because he is hearing a civil case involving a land dispute between the Carleton family.

Robinson said he also has health problems, and his doctor told him he needed to lower his stress.

Pell City attorney Van Davis said the defense will proceed with its self-defense case. Davis and Pell City attorney Erskine Funderburg are representing Carleton.

“It doesn’t change anything with the way we’ll proceed with the case,” Davis said.

Attorneys say it could take a couple of months before a new judge is appointed by the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts.

“Both sides are ready to move this case forward,” Funderburg said. “Once we get a new judge, we’ll get a new schedule and move forward.”

Last year, the St. Clair County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case at the request of members of the Carleton family.

In December, the Alabama State Attorney General’s Office appointed Madison County District Attorney Robert L. Broussard of Huntsville “or his designated assistant district attorney” to prosecute the murder case.

Madison County Assistant District Attorneys Jay Town and Tim Gann are prosecuting the case for the state.

“We’re confident in our case,” Town said. “We’re proud to come down here and help out.”

He said the state is also ready to move forward with the case.

“From our perspective, this case is fairly straight forward,” Town said. “We feel like the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department did a great job. (Former investigator and currently a captain with the Sheriff’s Department) Billy Murray did a great investigation. They did the right thing by taking it to a grand jury.”

The defendant was indicted in June 2009 after a St. Clair County grand jury found he intentionally caused the death of another individual, his father.

According to testimony heard in the preliminary hearing last year, Carleton told authorities he shot his father once with a shotgun in self-defense.

He told investigators his father reached for a .22 caliber Winchester rifle in a gun rack of the ATV the father was driving.

The victim also had a Glock .40 caliber pistol in his possession, which was wrapped in a towel.

St. Clair County Coroner Dennis Russell said shortly after the alleged murder that the victim died from a gunshot wound to the head.

The shooting happened March 2009 on an access road to the family’s farm property, on Wolf Creek Road South and about four-tenths of a mile north of the Camp Creek Road intersection.

There was an apparent ongoing dispute between the father and son about the family property. Just prior to the alleged murder, Robinson ruled in a civil case that the son could have access to the family farm for hunting and fishing.

Carleton has remained free on a $250,000 bond. According to conditions of his bond, he must have no contact with the Carleton family, other than his mother, wife and son. He must also remain off the family’s estate, which is involved in litigation.

State court officials say murder is a Class A felony punishable by 20 years to life in prison because a firearm was used in the alleged murder.