ATLANTA (AP) – The Georgia governor has suspended a district attorney who was charged with criminal misconduct during his tenure.
Governor Brian Kemp signed an ordinance Monday suspending Chattahoochee District Attorney Mark Jones until his case is resolved or his term ends, whichever comes first.
The Attorney General’s office received the September 7 indictment accusing Jones of attempting to influence a police officer’s testimony, offering bribes to prosecutors in his office, and attempting to influence and prevent a crime victim from testifying.
Jones was not immediately available for comment Tuesday, but has previously denied the allegations.
He took office in January overseeing the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, which serves the Muscogee, Harris, Chattahoochee, Marion, Talbot and Taylor districts in western Georgia.
Under Georgian law, the governor must set up a review commission to determine whether a suspension is appropriate when an elected official is charged with a crime. Kemp appointed a panel last month consisting of Harold Melton, who stepped down as chairman of the Georgia Supreme Court in July, South Georgia District Attorney Joe Mulholland and Cherokee District Attorney Samir Patel.
The panel found that, under Kemp’s order, the indictment relates to Jones’ performance of his duties in a way that negatively affects the public. His suspension took effect immediately, but he will continue to receive his salary for the time being. If convicted and all appeals fail, he will be removed from office.
The indictment charges Jones with double breach of oath by a public official, double attempted breach of oath by public official, double bribery, double manipulation of witnesses, and an attempted perjury charge. All nine counts are criminal offenses.
Jones was tried last month for unrelated crimes. He was charged with first degree damage to property, intrusion into state property and conspiracy related to a video for his May 2020 election campaign. The video contained stunt driving movements, including cars driving in donuts with smoking tires in the parking lot of the Columbus Civic Center.
After the judge ruled the case wrong, the prosecutor said he had decided to drop the charges but hadn’t done so by Monday, according to Ledger-Enquirer newspaper.
Jones is also charged with DUI, reckless driving and injury in another unrelated case following an accident in November 2019 in which police said Jones drove drunk. This case remains pending.
