Three elected officials in a suburban Atlanta county have been acquitted on charges that they tried to illegally steer a contract for janitorial work at a county building.
Jurors on Friday returned verdicts of not guilty on the charges against Douglas County Commission Chairwoman Romona Jackson Jones, County Commissioner Henry Mitchell, Douglas County Tax Commissioner Greg Baker and businessman Anthony Knight, WAGA-TV reported.
Prosecutors had alleged that the three officials in 2018 had tried to influence a contract that benefitted S&A Express, a business owned by Knight.
Jones and Mitchell had been suspended from office by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2023 and will now resume their posts. Baker was never suspended because a panel that looked into the charges against him recommended to Kemp that he remain in office while charges were pending.
Jones described the verdict as “amazing.” She has been running for reelection this year despite her suspension and said the verdict improves her chances of beating a Republican opponent.