LAWMAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DISTRICT ATTORNEY LAWSUIT AGAINST
DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Dublin-Laurens County Drug Unit Officer's Suit Alleges Slander, Libel

An officer of the Dublin-Laurens County Drug Unit has filed suit
against District Attorney Ralph Walke alleging slander, libel and
breach of duties/responsibilities as district attorney. Christopher
Brewer filed suit against Walke, both individually and in his
official capacity as district attorney, through Savannah attorney
Derek J. White. The suit alleges that "as a result of Walke's
inaccurate perception of (Brewer's) testimonies in legal proceeding,
(Walke) has told members of the community that he would not prosecute
any criminal cases that involved any investigations or arrests
performed by (Brewer)" and that "on March 13, 2002 (Walke) told
(Brewer's) employer and supervisors that (Brewer) had committed
perjury on at least six different occasions and subsequent to the
alleged statements (Walke) had (Brewer's) supervisor retrieve
warrants prepared by (Brewer) from (Walke's) office because (Walke)
refused to prosecute the warrants solely because they were prepared
by (Brewer)." The reasons behind Walke's alleged statements and
actions are not known by Brewer or his attorney. "That's what we're
trying to find out," said White. "We do think it will come out in
discovery." White said Laurens County Sheriff Kenny Webb has not made
any move to remove Brewer from his job, but he feels sure if the
district attorney won't prosecute Brewer's cases it will eventually
affect his job. "The sheriff is responsible to the people of Laurens
County," said White. "Why should the sheriff keep him on the payroll?
Down the line of course I think Mr. Brewer would be released." White
explained that if any case Brewer brings to the district attorney
won't be prosecuted, then criminals can commit those crimes without
worrying about punishment. "Not only has Mr. Brewer's professional
character been attacked but the people of Laurens County will have to
pay," said White. White said the district attorney has the right to
choose which cases he prosecutes on behalf of the people. The suit
also indicates that Walke allegedly made statements that Brewer is
"involved in illegal activities with attorneys in the Dublin Judicial
Circuit" and that Brewer, as well as other deputy sheriffs on the
drug unit, were "receiving monies, illegally, to insure that certain
cases would not be prosecuted." Brewer has been a deputy with the
Laurens County Sheriff's Department for more than 10 years. He has
been a member of the Interstate Criminal Enforcement Team and Drug
Unit for at least four years, according to a Laurens County Sheriff's
Department spokesman. Efforts to reach Walke and Brewer before
presstime failed. The suit shows that on April 18, 2002 Brewer
requested Walke correct and retract the libelous and slanderous
statements. Walke received the request on April 19, 2002 and on April
23 declined to retract his "libelous and slanderous statements"
concerning Brewer. The lawsuit was filed May 17, 2002 - 28 days after
Walke received notice of Brewer's request. Attached to the law suit
is also a letter from Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker's office
addressed to White dated April 23, 2002, stating that Walke has "no
intention of retracting" any statements he allegedly made since "none
of the statements were defamatory or libelous in any fashion." The
letter also states that Senior Assistant Attorney General John C.
Jones would be representing Walke and all correspondence should be
directed to him. Efforts to reach Jones before presstime also failed.
The suit alleges Walke committed libel by "printing false information
about (Brewer's) professional character and being; writing false
information about (Brewer's) professional character and being; and by
providing false information about (Brewer's) professional character
and being to others for public dissemination." The suit also implies
that as a direct result Brewer was "personally and professionally
humiliated, embarrassed and upset. His peace of mind, happiness, and
feelings were irreparably wounded as a direct and proximate result of
defendant placing him in a false light before the public; his peers;
and most importantly, his employer." The suit goes on to allege Walke
committed slander when he "imputed to (Brewer) his involvement in
illegal activities, with attorneys and other members of the Laurens
County Sheriff's drug unit, crimes punishable by law; charging
(Brewer) with committing perjury, a crime punishable by law; and
making charges against (Brewer) in reference to his trade and
profession, calculated to injure him therein; and providing the above
false information to others for public dissemination." The suit also
alleges Walke breached his duties and responsibilities as district
attorney "by failing to prosecute any and all criminal activities
properly brought to (his) attention by (Brewer) as a peace officer;
by imputing to plaintiff, as a peace officer, acts of perjury; by
imputing to plaintiff, as a peace officer, the committing of crimes
punishable by law; and by disseminating false information about
plaintiff, as a peace officer." White said Walke has 30 days to
answer the suit then a "discovery" will take place. A discovery is
the process of gathering all information before trial, usually within
a period of six months. White said Brewer filed the suit to protect
his reputation, his future and his family. He said Brewer hasn't
considered any monetary gains he may receive from the suit. "It's not
the money," said White. "We haven't even talked about money. It's his
job he's trying to save. He's trying to keep a roof over his family's
head by keeping a job."