By Joe Johnson
Deborah Gonzalez, district attorney for Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties, has allegedly committed another violation of the so-called Marsy's Law, which gives a victim the right to be apprised and consulted as the offender’s case moves through the court system.
Gonzalez already has been found to have violated the law four times in the past four years.
This fifth violation has been alleged by Watkinsville attorney Kevin Epps, who represents a sheriff’s deputy who was assaulted by a prisoner at the Clarke County Jail in April.
Auston Gantt had been detained without bail on aggravated assault and related charges until August, when Gantt’s attorney successfully argued for bail and a judge set it at $5,000.
Gantt was subsequently released from custody when a family member posted a property bond.
Epps said that his client was not informed about the hearing, and that the deputy would have testified in opposition to bail if given the opportunity.
On Thursday Epps filed a motion in Superior Court requesting that a hearing be held on the matter.
“While all Marsy’s Law violations are unacceptable, this one is even more egregious since it involves the malicious attack of a law enforcement officer who was working to protect Athens-Clarke County,” the attorney said to Classic City News.
Earlier this month when Superior Court Judge Lawton Stephens determined that Gonzalez had violated Marsy’s Law a fourth time since taking office in 2021 he ordered the DA and her staff to complete the Victim’s Bill of Rights course that’s provided by the Georgia Prosecuting Attorney’s Council.
“DA Gonzalez says she supports law enforcement,” Epps said. “However, when given a situation to protect a law enforcement officer by alerting her that the attacker was being released back to the jail where she works and into her community, DA Gonzalez woefully failed her basic responsibilities to this victim.
“With this now being the fifth Marsy’s Law violation by DA Gonzalez, the citizens who are thinking about casting a vote for her must strongly question if she has the basic skill set to perform the essential duties of a district attorney in protecting victims.”
A hearing on the motion filed by Epps had yet to be scheduled as of Friday.
Total incompetance !!!