DA SECURES ASSISTANCE WITH CASE

Mountain Judicial Circuit district attorney Brian M. Rickman has
secured the assistance of two prosecutors - one a sitting district
attorney and the other, a district attorney emeritus - to help with
the review of the investigative report from the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation regarding the death of Jonathan Ayers in Stephens County.

The two separate prosecutors will also assist in any further legal
proceedings involving this matter, Rickman said.

Rickman, will remain in charge of the case while the DA's office
reviews the investigative file and conducts any follow-up
investigation deemed appropriate.

A final decision as to presenting the matter to a Stephens County
grand jury for review can be expected in the coming weeks, according
to Rickman.

The district attorney's office, on Nov. 5, received a copy of the
investigative report from the GBI, which had been conducting an
investigation into the officer-involved shooting that occurred Sept.
at the corner of Broad and Currahee streets.

Prior to moving forward, Rickman said his office consulted with the
family of Jonathan Ayers to allow their voice to be heard on the issue
of whether a different circuit District Attorney's office should be
brought in to handle the case.

"This office will not comment specifically at this time on what was
discussed and with whom," Rickman said, "but the decision to move
forward with this process was not made until such time as the family
of Jonathan Ayers was allowed to have significant input into the
decision of whether or not recusal was appropriate."

Rickman was closely involved in the creation and operation of the
Narcotics Criminal Investigation and Suppression (NCIS) team, which
was conducting an investigation into drugs and prostitution when its
officers were involved in Ayers' shooting.

He is not chairman of the NCIS board as reported by The Record last
week. Frank Andrews, sheriff of Rabun County, is board chairman.
Rickman is a board member.

"The District Attorney's Office is unable to make any comment on the
specific content of the Investigative file or the facts of the
investigation, as this matter remains pending and active," said Rickman.