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Special Prosecutor to Examine Incident Involving DeKalb Commissioner

September 25th, 2012

The Georgia Attorney General’s office says it will name a special prosecutor in the next two days to look into an incident involving DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson.

Based on a DeKalb County Police Department Internal Affairs report, DeKalb Solicitor-General Sherry Boston asked the Attorney General’s office earlier this week to appoint the prosecutor.

That person will decide whether an investigation is warranted against any of the parties involved in a July incident at a Glenwood Road bar.

According to police reports, Commissioner Watson appeared drunk and accused a bartender of stealing his wallet. The off-duty DeKalb police officer working security at the bar told Watson not to drive and called for a supervisor. The report says Watson drove away from the bar but returned a short time later and had someone else drive him home.

Among the possible issues: whether the commissioner drove under the influence and whether police should have charged him with DUI.

The Attorney General’s office says it will appoint a prosecutor who has experience with the pertinent legal issues. It will be up to the special prosecutor to decide what the exact issues are, whether they should be investigated, and who would conduct such an investigation.

Commissioner Watson has not returned phone calls asking for comment.