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    Tyria Goines
    The document summarizes the process of presenting the case of Brandon Keathley to two separate grand juries in Richmond County, Georgia. It explains that the first grand jury recommended indictment in March 2020 before proceedings were halted due to COVID-19. In October 2020, the defendant was notified that the case would be presented to a second grand jury in December. The grand jury returned an indictment. It defends the process as following the law and rejects claims the case was politically motivated.

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    Press Release

    Uploaded by

    Tyria Goines
    7K views1 page
    The document summarizes the process of presenting the case of Brandon Keathley to two separate grand juries in Richmond County, Georgia. It explains that the first grand jury recommended indictment in March 2020 before proceedings were halted due to COVID-19. In October 2020, the defendant was notified that the case would be presented to a second grand jury in December. The grand jury returned an indictment. It defends the process as following the law and rejects claims the case was politically motivated.

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    The document summarizes the process of presenting the case of Brandon Keathley to two separate grand juries in Richmond County, Georgia. It explains that the first grand jury recommended indictment in March 2020 before proceedings were halted due to COVID-19. In October 2020, the defendant was notified that the case would be presented to a second grand jury in December. The grand jury returned an indictment. It defends the process as following the law and rejects claims the case was politically motivated.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    7K views1 page

    Press Release

    Uploaded by

    Tyria Goines
    The document summarizes the process of presenting the case of Brandon Keathley to two separate grand juries in Richmond County, Georgia. It explains that the first grand jury recommended indictment in March 2020 before proceedings were halted due to COVID-19. In October 2020, the defendant was notified that the case would be presented to a second grand jury in December. The grand jury returned an indictment. It defends the process as following the law and rejects claims the case was politically motivated.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 1

    OFFICE OF THE

    DISTRICT ATTORNEY
    NATALIE PAINE
    AUGUSTA JUDICAL CIRCUIT
    BURKE, COLUMBIA AND RICHMOND COUNTIES

    735 JAMES BROWN BLVD., SUITE 2400 706-821-1135


    AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 30901 FAX 706-821-1237

    December 2, 2020

    As required by Georgia law, the matter of Brandon Keathley was presented to a Grand Jury for review in
    March of 2020. At that time, the Grand Jury requested that the case be presented for indictment. This
    fact was both published by the Grand Jury in their March 10, 2020 presentment and publicized by the
    media. Four days later, the Judicial State of Emergency was declared due to COVID-19, which shut down
    all Grand Jury proceedings as of March 14, 2020. The State of Emergency was lifted at the end of
    September and once my office was given the dates that Grand Jury would resume by the Chief Judge,
    we sent a letter to Brandon Keathley. By law, the District Attorney is required to provide a law
    enforcement officer with 20 days advance notice of any Grand Jury proceeding where their on duty
    conduct is called into question. Mr. Keathley signed for his receipt of that notice on October 28, 2020.
    On December 1, 2020, the second Grand Jury was presented with the case.

    The Richmond County Grand Jury is comprised of 23 citizens of Richmond County who have the
    opportunity to hear all of the evidence in a case before determining whether or not there is probable
    cause to believe a crime has been committed. It should be noted that two separate Richmond County
    Grand Juries were presented with the facts of this case. The first recommended an indictment, the
    second returned one. This so-called “unorthodox approach” was required by the legislature in 2016
    when Georgia Law was changed regarding Grand Jury inquiries into law enforcement conduct while on
    duty. The law regarding notice and procedure was followed to letter of the law and if the Sheriff
    disagrees with that process, he should address it with the legislature. While it is unfortunate that the
    Sheriff of Richmond County takes issue with the citizens of Richmond County reviewing the conduct of
    his officers, it is shameful to suggest that this was politically motivated.

    In fact, the case was presented to the first Grand Jury long before the election. The officer received
    notice regarding the second Grand Jury date prior to the date of the election as well. It was going
    forward before anyone knew the outcome of the election. The assertion that I would falsely accuse a
    law enforcement officer for some insignificant act of his employer is simply ridiculous and false.

    My oath requires that I uphold the letter of the law without fear, favor or affection, which I have and
    always will do.

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