Pubdate: Fri, 09 May 2003 Source: Augusta Chronicle, The (GA) Copyright: 2003 The Augusta Chronicle Contact: http://www.augustachronicle.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/31 Note: Does not publishing letters from outside of the immediate Georgia and South Carolina circulation area Author: Sandy Hodson FORMER POLICEMAN LEAVES FEDERAL PRISON AFTER ACQUITTAL RULING A former Richmond County sheriff's officer convicted of a federal drug crime walked out of prison a free man Thursday afternoon. The release of Joseph Ellick, 35, came less than 24 hours after the federal judge who presided over his trial granted Mr. Ellick's request for an acquittal. Mr. Ellick was convicted Sept. 23 of a single count of attempt to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. He was tried with another former Richmond County sheriff's officer, Ralph Tyrone Williams, 37, whose appeal is pending. As Chief Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. noted in his written opinion, only one witness, convicted drug dealer Ernest Smith, provided evidence against Mr. Ellick that led to his conviction. Judge Bowen said he found that testimony insufficient for a conviction. "Without corroboration, (Mr.) Smith's testimony is a meager resource upon which to base a sentence of more than four years without parole," Judge Bowen wrote. Mr. Smith cooperated with investigators and secretly taped conversations with Mr. Ellick that prosecutors said were discussions about stealing cocaine from a Columbia, S.C., drug dealer. But, Judge Bowen wrote, the law requires more than just conversation - the accused must take some step toward committing a crime. Mr. Ellick, who worked as a deputy for seven years before leaving the department in 2001, was acquitted of conspiring with Mr. Williams to possess cocaine. A charge that accused Mr. Ellick of neglecting to file a police report in exchange for cocaine was dropped by prosecutors. Mr. Ellick was sentenced to 57 months in prison, and Mr. Williams was sentenced to 292 months. Mr. Ellick had been in custody since September. He was released from a federal prison in Butner, N.C., on Thursday afternoon, a prison employee confirmed. Mr. Ellick's attorney did not return a telephone message seeking comment. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth