Pubdate: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 Source: Ledger-Enquirer (GA) Copyright: 2004 Ledger-Enquirer Contact: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/enquirer/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/237 Author: Jim Houston Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/kenneth+walker DECISION ON WALKER CASE NOT LIKELY BEFORE AUGUST Case Load, DA's Contested Election Cited As Reasons The investigation into the shooting of Kenneth Walker won't be taking its next step until some time in August. Dougherty County District Attorney Kenneth Hodges, who was assigned the case in March by Attorney General Thurbert Baker, originally anticipated completing the investigation within 90 days. That would have meant possible presentation of the case to the Muscogee County grand jury the first week in June. But Hodges now is not expected to reach that stage until at least the first week in August, about five months after Muscogee District Attorney Gray Conger gave him the case files. Conger said he recused himself from the case due to previous ties he and his staff had with Muscogee County Sheriff's Deputy David Glisson, who fatally shot the unarmed Walker during a drug investigation last December. Hodges has indicated the activities of his own office's criminal case load, plus a contested election for his office, made it impossible to meet that optimistic timetable. On June 3, the prosecutor said he expected to be prepared to reach a decision on a course of action within 60 days. Among the options facing Hodges are: Present the case to the Muscogee County grand jury, which would decide whether the shooting of Walker was a criminal act. Reach an independent conclusion that the case involves no criminal act and will not be presented to a grand jury. Determine that the case should be presented to a grand jury in another jurisdiction, due to possible prejudice among potential grand jurors in the Columbus area due to extensive publicity about the case. Hodges has refused to discuss details of the case, commenting only on his expected timetable for conclusion. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin