Pubdate: Mon, 27 May 2002 Source: Courier Herald, The (GA) Copyright: 2002 Courier Herald Contact: http://www.courier-herald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2132 Author: Stephanie Miller LAWMAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DISTRICT ATTORNEY LAWSUIT AGAINST DISTRICT ATTORNEY Dublin-Laurens County Drug Unit Officer's Suit Alleges Slander, Libel An officer of the Dublin-Laurens County Drug Unit has filed suit against District Attorney Ralph Walke alleging slander, libel and breach of duties/responsibilities as district attorney. Christopher Brewer filed suit against Walke, both individually and in his official capacity as district attorney, through Savannah attorney Derek J. White. The suit alleges that "as a result of Walke's inaccurate perception of (Brewer's) testimonies in legal proceeding, (Walke) has told members of the community that he would not prosecute any criminal cases that involved any investigations or arrests performed by (Brewer)" and that "on March 13, 2002 (Walke) told (Brewer's) employer and supervisors that (Brewer) had committed perjury on at least six different occasions and subsequent to the alleged statements (Walke) had (Brewer's) supervisor retrieve warrants prepared by (Brewer) from (Walke's) office because (Walke) refused to prosecute the warrants solely because they were prepared by (Brewer)." The reasons behind Walke's alleged statements and actions are not known by Brewer or his attorney. "That's what we're trying to find out," said White. "We do think it will come out in discovery." White said Laurens County Sheriff Kenny Webb has not made any move to remove Brewer from his job, but he feels sure if the district attorney won't prosecute Brewer's cases it will eventually affect his job. "The sheriff is responsible to the people of Laurens County," said White. "Why should the sheriff keep him on the payroll? Down the line of course I think Mr. Brewer would be released." White explained that if any case Brewer brings to the district attorney won't be prosecuted, then criminals can commit those crimes without worrying about punishment. "Not only has Mr. Brewer's professional character been attacked but the people of Laurens County will have to pay," said White. White said the district attorney has the right to choose which cases he prosecutes on behalf of the people. The suit also indicates that Walke allegedly made statements that Brewer is "involved in illegal activities with attorneys in the Dublin Judicial Circuit" and that Brewer, as well as other deputy sheriffs on the drug unit, were "receiving monies, illegally, to insure that certain cases would not be prosecuted." Brewer has been a deputy with the Laurens County Sheriff's Department for more than 10 years. He has been a member of the Interstate Criminal Enforcement Team and Drug Unit for at least four years, according to a Laurens County Sheriff's Department spokesman. Efforts to reach Walke and Brewer before presstime failed. The suit shows that on April 18, 2002 Brewer requested Walke correct and retract the libelous and slanderous statements. Walke received the request on April 19, 2002 and on April 23 declined to retract his "libelous and slanderous statements" concerning Brewer. The lawsuit was filed May 17, 2002 - 28 days after Walke received notice of Brewer's request. Attached to the law suit is also a letter from Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker's office addressed to White dated April 23, 2002, stating that Walke has "no intention of retracting" any statements he allegedly made since "none of the statements were defamatory or libelous in any fashion." The letter also states that Senior Assistant Attorney General John C. Jones would be representing Walke and all correspondence should be directed to him. Efforts to reach Jones before presstime also failed. The suit alleges Walke committed libel by "printing false information about (Brewer's) professional character and being; writing false information about (Brewer's) professional character and being; and by providing false information about (Brewer's) professional character and being to others for public dissemination." The suit also implies that as a direct result Brewer was "personally and professionally humiliated, embarrassed and upset. His peace of mind, happiness, and feelings were irreparably wounded as a direct and proximate result of defendant placing him in a false light before the public; his peers; and most importantly, his employer." The suit goes on to allege Walke committed slander when he "imputed to (Brewer) his involvement in illegal activities, with attorneys and other members of the Laurens County Sheriff's drug unit, crimes punishable by law; charging (Brewer) with committing perjury, a crime punishable by law; and making charges against (Brewer) in reference to his trade and profession, calculated to injure him therein; and providing the above false information to others for public dissemination." The suit also alleges Walke breached his duties and responsibilities as district attorney "by failing to prosecute any and all criminal activities properly brought to (his) attention by (Brewer) as a peace officer; by imputing to plaintiff, as a peace officer, acts of perjury; by imputing to plaintiff, as a peace officer, the committing of crimes punishable by law; and by disseminating false information about plaintiff, as a peace officer." White said Walke has 30 days to answer the suit then a "discovery" will take place. A discovery is the process of gathering all information before trial, usually within a period of six months. White said Brewer filed the suit to protect his reputation, his future and his family. He said Brewer hasn't considered any monetary gains he may receive from the suit. "It's not the money," said White. "We haven't even talked about money. It's his job he's trying to save. He's trying to keep a roof over his family's head by keeping a job." - --- MAP posted-by: Josh