Post by WaTcHeR on May 6, 2006 12:57:14 GMT -5
05/6/2006 - State Attorney General Thurbert Baker will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of misconduct at the DeKalb County Police Department.
The move comes at the request of DeKalb County District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming, said Baker's spokesman, Russ Willard.
Keyes Fleming confirmed her office had asked for a special prosecutor, but neither she nor the attorney general's office would give details on the investigation.
"It is a very sensitive matter and because it is under investigation, I can't give the specifics," Keyes Fleming said Monday.
Keyes Fleming recused herself because of "a conflict" that arose during an investigation that her office was conducting of the police department, according to an April 19 letter to the state attorney general's office. But Keyes Fleming's letter did not go into details of the investigation, nor did it elaborate on the conflict.
Keyes Fleming said her office has turned over all of its files on the department to the attorney general's office.
Police officials declined to comment.
"We're just learning about it," police spokesman Jason Gagnon said.
In a statement, county attorney William Linkous said he had no comment on "these matters of the past."
"We are continuing to move forward with our progressive agenda, building sidewalks, resurfacing streets, preserving land, improving infrastructure, and keeping taxes low for the citizens of DeKalb County," he said.
Keyes Fleming's office had been investigating at least two cases involving the DeKalb County Police Department.
In one of those cases, the district attorney's office was looking into how police handled an incident in which a former police officer was accused of stabbing her boyfriend in April 2005.
On Feb. 27, officer Jamilia Davis pleaded guilty to family violence battery and criminal trespass. A judge sentenced her to probation and she was later fired from the police department.
The district attorney's office had also been looking into whether someone in the department improperly tipped off DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones about a woman's rape allegations against him. Keyes Fleming dropped the rape investigation in October, but said the investigation into how police handled the case was continuing.
The move comes at the request of DeKalb County District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming, said Baker's spokesman, Russ Willard.
Keyes Fleming confirmed her office had asked for a special prosecutor, but neither she nor the attorney general's office would give details on the investigation.
"It is a very sensitive matter and because it is under investigation, I can't give the specifics," Keyes Fleming said Monday.
Keyes Fleming recused herself because of "a conflict" that arose during an investigation that her office was conducting of the police department, according to an April 19 letter to the state attorney general's office. But Keyes Fleming's letter did not go into details of the investigation, nor did it elaborate on the conflict.
Keyes Fleming said her office has turned over all of its files on the department to the attorney general's office.
Police officials declined to comment.
"We're just learning about it," police spokesman Jason Gagnon said.
In a statement, county attorney William Linkous said he had no comment on "these matters of the past."
"We are continuing to move forward with our progressive agenda, building sidewalks, resurfacing streets, preserving land, improving infrastructure, and keeping taxes low for the citizens of DeKalb County," he said.
Keyes Fleming's office had been investigating at least two cases involving the DeKalb County Police Department.
In one of those cases, the district attorney's office was looking into how police handled an incident in which a former police officer was accused of stabbing her boyfriend in April 2005.
On Feb. 27, officer Jamilia Davis pleaded guilty to family violence battery and criminal trespass. A judge sentenced her to probation and she was later fired from the police department.
The district attorney's office had also been looking into whether someone in the department improperly tipped off DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones about a woman's rape allegations against him. Keyes Fleming dropped the rape investigation in October, but said the investigation into how police handled the case was continuing.