STEPHENS COUNTY GRAND JURY FINDS USE OF DEADLY FORCE LEGALLY JUSTIFIED

Earlier this morning, the Stephens County Grand Jury returned a
presentment concerning the officer-involved shooting death of Jonathan Ayers.

"On Dec. 15, the grand jury convened in special session to review the
matter of the officer-involved shooting death of Jonathan Ayers which
occurred in Toccoa, Stephens County, Ga., on Sept. 1, 2009," the
presentment states.

The grand jury reviewed the entire investigative file of the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation and heard testimony from six witnesses,
including Commander Kyle Bryant, Mountain Narcotics Criminal
Investigation & Suppression Team (NCIS); Agent Chance Oxner, Mountain
NCIS; Special Agent in Charge Mike Ayers, GBI; Special Agent Megan
Miller, GBI; Agent Billy Shane Harrison, Mountain NCIS; and Charles
J. (Joe) Key, expert in police use of force.

The grand jury stated in the presentment that they "had adequate time
to completely review the GBI case file in its entirety."

The grand jury presentment concluded with the following findings:
"After careful consideration of the evidence in this case, we the
grand jury make the following findings:

"Concerning the investigation conducted by the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation, we find that the investigation was very thorough,
complete, unbiased and well presented.

"Concerning the actions of the officers involved in the death of
Jonathan Ayers on Sept. 1, 2009, we find that the use of deadly force
by Agent Billy Shane Harrison was legally justified based upon his
objectively reasonable belief that such use of force was necessary to
prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or others.

"Based upon this finding, we the grand jury believe that the officers
involved in this incident would be immune form criminal prosecution
pursuant to Official Code of Georgia Annotated 16-3-24.2, the
presentments state.

The Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney's office will be
releasing the investigative file to The Northeast Georgian in the near future.