Judge's conviction tossed

A federal judge has thrown out the conviction of a Clinch County magistrate judge charged with perjury and making false statements. The order overturns a July jury verdict that found Linda C. Peterson lied to a grand jury and to federal authorities. They were investigating alleged corruption in Georgia's Alapaha Judicial Circuit. Lawson ruled that prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence at Peterson's trial to sustain a conviction. Peterson has been suspended since her trial ended.

(Associated Press)

South Georgia Sheriff acquitted

A federal jury in Valdosta has acquitted Clinch County Sheriff Winston Peterson of perjury and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors accused Peterson of tipping off then-Superior Court Judge Brooks E. Blitch III to the identity of an FBI informant. The sheriff also was accused of lying to a grand jury about conversations he'd had with Blitch about the federal investigation. Blitch has since resigned from the bench and was indicted in July on federal corruption charges. Peterson has remained on the job since a grand jury indicted him last year.

(Associated Press)

FBI arrests former judge for corruption

FBI agents have arrested a former Superior Court judge in South Georgia's Clinch County on fraud, conspiracy and extortion charges. Former judge Brooks Blitch the Third was one of the most powerful politicians in rural Clinch County, near the Florida border. He was a judge for 28-years in the Alapaha Circuit until he resigned in May to avoid state judicial misconduct charges. Now, he's under arrest and on his way to a court in Macon, where he faces an initial appearance after being indicted in a wide-ranging corruption.

Also charged in the case are former state court judge Berrien Sutton, his wife, Lisa Sutton, and two-others, including an attorney. The charges stem from an investigation that revealed secret payments to local officials. Today's arrest is only the latest bad news for the Alapaha Circuit. In recent years, two-Sheriffs, a magistrate judge and a court clerk have pleaded guilty to or demanded their day in court to fight serious charges, not all of them related.

Judge found guilty of perjury

A federal jury in Valdosta has convicted a Clinch County magistrate judge of perjury and making false statements to federal investigators. Magistrate Judge Linda C. Peterson faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines after being found guilty Monday. Prosecutors said she lied under oath to a grand jury when she denied having ever suggested to criminal defendants that they hire her father as a bail bondsman. She was also charged with making false statements to FBI agents investigating possible corruption in the rural south Georgia county.

Judge resigns to end corruption probe

A south Georgia judge accused of misconduct will resign. State Court Judge Berrien Sutton of Clinch County will step down June 1st. Sutton is under investigation for allegedly appointing non-lawyers to hear criminal cases, pressuring another judge to help a business associate, and signing an illegal court order to collect court fees that were distributed to county officials. The state's case against him will close after he steps down.

Judge resigns amid scandal

A south Georgia judge accused of misconduct says he will resign. Clinch County Superior Court Judge Brooks E. Blitch III faced charges he oversaw thousands of dollars in illegal payments to county employees and ordered the early release of convicted felons. The 73-year-old says on June 30th he will resign and not seek re-election after nearly 28 years on the bench.

Insecticide killed cattle in south Georgia--GBI on case

35 cattle that died on a Clinch County farm recently ingested an insecticide. Test results back from the state Department of Agriculture show three of the dead cattle had aldicarb in their system. Aldicarb is sold under the brand name Temik. It is an insecticide used on numerous crops.

From Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin:

"We tested feed from the trough where the cattle had eaten and found aldicarb. We also did a composite sample of ten unopened bags from the same lot of feed. This sample did not contain any traces of the insecticide," said Commissioner Irvin.

"This appears to be an isolated incident. The GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) will investigate to determine if there was any criminal wrongdoing or if this was just a horrible accident. There was never any danger that any of the poisoned cows would get into the food chain," said Irvin.

The GBI was called into the case within the first 48 hours. Agent in charge of the investigation Jamie Karnes says they're looking at whether there was criminal intent in the poisoning.

"At this stage we're still going through information and identifying people that we might need to talk with for various reasons to get a better idea for what may have occurred, and for what reason".

The cows were buried accordance to state regulations with oversight by the state Department of Agriculture.

State Ag officials investigate death of cattle in south Ga

The death of more than 40 cattle on a south Georgia farm is being investigated by the state’s Department of Agriculture. A department spokesperson confirms a probe is underway, but with no further details. The Lanier County sheriff’s office received a call Sunday that cows were falling dead on a family farm on the Clinch county side of the border with Lanier county. Authorities estimate 44 cows died suddenly. The farm has been placed under quarantine--the cattle were buried following state specifications.

FBI surveilling judge

The FBI has been spying on a south Georgia judge. Federal prosecutors say agent have been conducting electronic surveillance on Clinch County Superior Court Judge Brooks Blitch. Blitch is under investigation for alleged misconduct. He has not been charged with any crimes, but faces accusations of ordering illegal payments to county employees and ordering the early release of imprisoned felons.

Clinch County payment scandal resolved

Two Clinch County employees will avoid federal prosecution by resigning their jobs and repaying 45-thousand dollars to the county.

Acting Courts Clerk Melinda Davis will resign her job by the end of October. Deputy Patricia Suggs has resigned her post as well. The two women were among five employees of the south Georgia county who took monthly payments kept off the books, and never reported for taxes. County records show the payments were ordered by judge Brooks Blitch III, funded by a 10-dollar surcharge on court fees. Blitch has not been charged with any crime.

Another county employee last month pleaded guilty in federal court to a scheme to deliver payments to himself and four others totaling 73-thousand dollars.

County clerk guilty of illegal payments

A former southeast Georgia county clerk has pleaded guilty to stealing money for himself and other employees. Daniel Leccese resigned Friday from his Clinch County post. Federal investigators say he is the first of many they could prosecute for conspiring with Superior Court Judge Brooks Blitch. Investigators say Blitch ordered the payments to county employees that were kept off county books and never reported to tax authorities.

Federal investigation into judge-ordered payments

A federal investigation is underway of more than 67-thousand dollars in payments made to some Clinch County employees--ordered by a Georgia Superior Court judge.

Records indicate that since 2001, judge Brooks Blitch the Third arranged for monthly payments to three county employees. An order signed by Blitch indicated the money came from an extra ten dollars in court fees from criminal cases heard in Superior and State court. A report says the payments were kept off the books and not reported for tax purposes.

Clinch County commissioners alerted state authorities to the payments after a court clerk revealed information on the matter in January.

Weekend rain helps wildfires

Southeastern Georgia got a much-needed soaking this weekend. Tropical Storm Barry dropped as much as six inches in Ware, Charlton and Clinch Counties. Those counties have been fighting wildfires for nearly two months. The rain was not enough to put the fires out but they are now 85% contained.

Southeast Georgia gets new hospital

Clinch County east of Valdosta has a new, state-of-the-art hospital. The 25-bed Clinch Memorial Hospital opened doors yesterday in Homerville. The hospital has a telemedicine connection that allows doctors to access medical specialists across the state. It also includes a picture archiving system that allows doctors to e-mail radiology images to radiologists anywhere in the world. The hospital is Homerville’s fourth largest employer and officials hope it will bring more growth to Clinch County.