INDICTED PROSECUTOR SUSPENDS SELF

DA Charged With Abuse Of Witness

A South Georgia district attorney accused of sexually abusing a female
witness has "voluntarily suspended" himself from office while federal
prosecutors pursue the case.

Robert B. Ellis Jr., district attorney for the Alapaha Judicial
Circuit since 1989, has pleaded not guilty to charges and is running
for re-election. The Alapaha Judicial Circuit takes in five counties
in the south-central part of the state.

Under state law, Ellis, 46, will continue to be paid while suspended.
He is alleged to have abused a witness in a 2003 methamphetamine
manufacturing case against her husband and others.

"I steadfastly maintain my innocence to these charges," Ellis wrote in
his letter to Gov. Sonny Perdue last week. "However, I must devote
considerable time and effort to defend against these charges. I
believe it is in the best interest of the Office and the people I
serve that I step aside during the pendency of my case until I can be
cleared of the charges against me."

Ellis was indicted in April by a federal grand jury, and re-indicted
in May, on three counts of civil rights violations, one count of
giving a false statement and one count of witness tampering.

In the latest indictment, Ellis is accused of two counts of civil
rights violations against a Nashville, Ga., woman by "causing her to
engage in a sexual act by using force against her, and which resulted
in bodily injury to her." A third count charges Ellis with violating
the woman's civil rights "by touching her breasts."

He also is charged with making a false statement to an FBI agent when
he denied having sex with the female witness, and witness tampering
for allegedly telling the woman not to talk to investigators.

Ellis submitted the offer to be "voluntarily suspended" after Perdue's
office notified him it was appointing a committee to consider
suspending him.

Perdue spokesman Derrick Dickey said Monday that an interim DA would
be appointed "in the coming weeks" by the governor.

Ellis could not be reached for comment Monday and has declined to
comment on the case through his attorneys.

Ellis' trial was scheduled to start this week in Valdosta but was
pushed to September because he has had recent heart problems,
according to his attorneys. His defense team includes former Georgia
Attorney General Michael Bowers; former DeKalb County District
Attorney J. Tom Morgan; and Valdosta attorney J. Converse Bright.

The indictment charges that Ellis committed the crimes between August
2003 and March 2004.

The Alapaha Judicial Circuit includes Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Cook
and Lanier counties.