Douglas County corruption trial: Jury Selection nears completion
Lawyers pick jury in Douglas County bid rigging trial
Potential jurors are still being whittled down in the Douglas County bid rigging trial against suspended County Commission Chair Romona Jackson Jones, suspended County Commissioner Henry Mitchell, Tax Commissioner Greg Baker and businessman Anthony Knight.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - Lawyers are inching closer to seating a jury to hear evidence in a Douglas County political corruption trial.
Suspended Douglas County Commission Chair Romona Jackson-Jones, suspended Commissioner Henry Mitchell, current Tax Commissioner Greg Baker, and small business owner Anthony Knight are accused of conspiring to rig a bid for a Douglas County cleaning contract.
Attorneys are working with five panels of potential jurors to whittle them down to eventually hear evidence in the case. Since Monday, a handful of court watchers who are not directly related to the defendants have been present.
"We've been having a problem here in Douglas County," exclaimed Caesar Gonzales, a Republican candidate for Douglas County Commission Chair.
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Gonzales says he'll check in periodically to stay updated on the proceedings. He is the Republican nominee for the Douglas County Commission Chair position. If Jackson-Jones beats the charges, they will face each other on the November ballot.
Jackson-Jones has already won her Democratic primary for another term in office. Earlier this year, she defeated Tarenia Carthan, a former county commissioner, with 55% of the vote to Carthan's 45%.
Gonzales states that he won't change his campaign's approach. Although he's tired of county officials making negative news, he asserts that he'll not rush to judgment.
"I'm going to reserve judgment and let the jury decide on guilt or innocence," said Gonzales.