DISTRICT ATTORNEY RESPONDS TO SUIT FILED BY OFFICER

Dublin District Attorney Ralph Walke said Thursday he wanted to respond
to a lawsuit filed against him by a member of the Dublin-Laurens County
Drug Team to assure the people of this circuit he will continue to
perform his duties as district attorney in a manner that is both legal
and ethical.

Walke said in a press conference he believed the lawsuit filed against
him both personally and as District Attorney by Laurens County Sheriffs
Deputy Christopher Brewer stemmed from an investigation began by the
"Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Sept. 13, 2000 of allegedly illegal
activities on the part of the law enforcement officers arising from an
incident on July 9, 1999 related to a drug investigation."

Brewer filed suit against Walke Monday alleging Walke had committed
libel and slander against him as well as breached his contract as
district attorney because he refused to prosecute any case investigated
by Brewer. Walke said he could not "in the interest of justice,
prosecute cases based on testimony of incredible and or uncooperative
witnesses."

"Unless we enforce the laws to apply to everyone, we cannot achieve
justice," said Walke. "Where it has come to my attention that any
officer's credibility is tainted or suspect, it is my sworn duty to
report that problem to his or her superiors."

He said the GBI as part of its investigation had requested certain law
enforcement officers to take a polygraph concerning their involvement in
the July 9, 1999 incident relating to a drug investigation and that it
is his understanding only one agreed to take the test.

Walke said the investigation has been delayed two years because of the
failure of local officers to cooperate. Walke then called on Laurens
County Sheriff Kenny Webb to press his officers involved in the
investigation to cooperate with the GBI and submit to the polygraph
test.

Webb said this morning he felt it was improper for him or anyone else to
discuss a case where litigation is still pending, but he felt his office
had been very cooperative with the GBI.

"As far as any of our officers not being cooperative with the GBI,
that's a question that should be addressed to the GBI," said Webb. "I
think you'll find the length of time the case has taken to investigate
had nothing to do with us being uncooperative." In fact, Webb said, "I'm
the one that asked them to investigate the thing to start with."

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Eastman Office Agent in Charge Lee Sweat
confirmed "there's nothing that the sheriff's office has done to cause
any delay in our investigation."

Although Webb would not say which drug investigation took place on July
9, 1999, because "litigation is still pending on that case too," The
Courier Herald files show that on that day Thomas Clinton Coleman, owner
of Coleman Pharmacy in East Dublin, along with his wife Sue and a
juvenile, were arrested at 355 Trinity Road by the Dublin-Laurens Drug
Unit.

A large amount of prescription drugs were found at the location, along
with between $52,000 and $55,000, The Courier Herald files show. In
September 2000, a former Laurens County Sheriff's deputy was charged
with one felony county of theft by taking in association with the
investigation involving Coleman's residence.

Doug Reed, 23, of 920 Bedingfield Avenue, Rentz, was accused of theft by
taking while executing a search warrant at Tommy Coleman's residence on
July 9, 1999, The Courier Herald files show.

Sweat would not comment on that case except to say that "we've been
conducting an investigation and addressing issues that came up. We've
referred to (the DA's office) for prosecution the defendant in the
original request we had in that case." Sweat did confirm that Reed was
the defendant he was referring to.

Brewer's suit against Walke shows 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)."

Brewer's attorney Derek J. White of Savannah said Tuesday neither he nor
Brewer knew why Walke refused to prosecute any cases prepared by
Brewer.

In Thursday press conference Walke explained why he could not prosecute
some cases. "I cannot, in the interest of justice, prosecute cases
based on testimony of incredible and or uncooperative witnesses."

A criminal prosecution often rests solely on the ethical reputation and
the credibility of the arresting or investigating officer. If a judge
or a jury has reason to doubt the testimony of that officer, there will
be no conviction," Walke said.

Walke said he was making the statements "to respond to public concerns
that have arisen as a result of this lawsuit and to explain the
circumstances regarding the relationship between my office and certain
members of the local drug squad, which undoubtedly has created the
current situation."

"I have long been dissatisfied with the work of certain elements within
the local drug squad," said Walke. "Some of the officers assigned to
this unit have not cooperated with my office in the prosecution of cases
initiated by them. Further, their conduct has led to the judicial
dismissal of some criminal cases and to civil actions filed against
Laurens County for money damages. The taxpayers of this county will
bear the ultimate responsibility and expense of defending and resolving
any judgments that may result."