Authorities nearing end of investigation

Billy Hobbs, The Union-Recorder, Milledgeville, Ga.
·2 min read
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Jul. 15—An investigation into allegations of possible criminal wrongdoings in the Baldwin County Superior Court Clerk's Office in Milledgeville is nearing its end, The Union-Recorder has learned.

Mary Chandler, special agent in-charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 6 Office in Milledgeville, told the newspaper that agents with GBI's Office of Special Investigations is wrapping up the investigation.

Chandler could not say when the probe would end, although she said it was expected to be completed soon.

No one has been arrested in connection with the investigation.

Agents from the local GBI office have assisted fellow GBI agents from the OSI office during the investigation.

Once the probe has officially ended, the case file will be delivered to the office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and then be forwarded to an attorney handling the case in the AG's office.

A special prosecutor has been assigned the case since Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney T. Wright Barksdale III recused himself almost immediately after he sought an independent investigation be conducted within the Baldwin County Superior Court Clerk's Office. The prosecutor's request for the state law enforcement agency to investigate the office was based on several allegations and his belief that a crime had taken place.

At the time, Barksdale said he had received credible information concerning allegations of possible criminal wrongdoing within the criminal section of the Baldwin County Superior Court Clerk's Office.

Some of the allegations involved sentencing documents, court orders, and other official documents that were either filed inappropriately, not filed or altered in some way.

"I have a good faith basis to believe this has potentially impacted defendants' rights, criminal histories, and/or parole eligibility," Barksdale said before the GBI began its investigation.

Kimberly Murphy Brown, who had been serving as chief deputy clerk in the office and overseeing criminal matters within the office, resigned shortly after the GBI began looking into the allegations.

As chief deputy clerk, Brown worked under Baldwin County Superior Court Clerk Mitch Longino.