Fannin Co Judge has 2nd thoughts
The Fannin County District Attorney has dropped the felony charges against Mark Thomason, publisher of the Fannin Focus, and attorney Russell Stookey.
The AJC’s Rhonda Cook is reporting:
Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney Alison Sosebee dropped today the three felony charges brought against the publisher of a local weekly newspaper and his attorney that were brought based on their efforts to see public documents. Attached to the motion to drop the case is a letter from the judge at the center of the criminal charges brought almost two weeks ago.
Reportedly Chief Judge Brenda Weaver, who had requested the criminal charges, had second thoughts about pursing a case.
But this saga may continue as the Society of Professional Journalists filed a complaint with the Judicial Qualifications Commission where Weaver is the Commission Chair and called on Attorney General Sam Olens to investigate the matter of bringing criminal charges based on an open records request.
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IrishPat
Patrick Malone is a Business Advisor and Leadership Mentor headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia. He co-hosts Mountain Daybreak and Mountain Mornings, weekday news programs, and hosts This Week in Blairsville a weekend program on WJUL/WJRB. He is a mentor in Union County High School, serves on his church council and writes a monthly column on leadership in the animal healthcare industry.
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This judge still deserves sanctions for trying to intimidate the press in a move worthy of a banana republic. Arresting the publisher and reporter with an overnight jail stay before being allowed to post bail. Then this is followed by stipulations for drug screening to remain free on bail not usually required of a non-drug or alcohol related offense. This is followed by bringing them back in to pee with deputies on hand to take them back to jail in anticipation of the pee changing colors. None of this smacks of intimidation at all does it?
Fannin County or Hazzard County??? Find someone qualfied to run against both andsweep them aside as soon as possible!