CLAYTON COUNTY, Georgia – Following the exclusive interview and report by The Atlanta Press about the former secretary for Clayton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jeffrey Turner being charged with false statements and false report of a crime, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says they are still investigating those threatening letters and the Clayton Judicial Circuit District Attorney has recused her office from the investigation.
The threatening letters were received by both Chairman Turner and his former secretary, Katrina Holloway, on June 27, 2022. According to the arrest warrant affidavit obtained by The Atlanta Press, the GBI said Holloway purposefully provided the GBI “false and fictitious information” by accusing the former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill of being behind the letters. The GBI says it was actually Holloway who sealed and mailed the threatening letters to herself and her boss.
Both Holloway and Clayton County Commissioner Felicia Franklin told The Atlanta Press that they now believe Chairman Turner was behind his own threatening letters.
Watch The Atlanta Press Exclusive interview with Holloway
Clayton County Commissioner Alieka Anderson came forward, speaking on the Rashad Richey Morning Show after The Atlanta Press’s original reporting.
“We’re not taking this lightly. We’re also finding out that there are other layers to this investigation of possible corruption that is coming out of the office based on things that we’re hearing from our employees, and many others,” Anderson said on the radio show Tuesday morning.
Anderson wouldn’t specify on News & Talk 1380 WAOK what exactly she meant by other things to come from this investigation, saying, “There are employees that I don’t want to really speak about because, again, there are whistleblower laws that protect our employees. But I just want you all to know that our job as commissioners is to protect our citizens, our employees. And we’re going to make sure that we protect them to the highest degree of the law.”
Anderson said on the radio show that she believes justice will be served and that she never believed the former sheriff was behind the letters.
“This was a Jussie Smollett situation,” said Anderson on WAOK, referring to the fabricated threatening letters.
Franklin previously told the Atlanta Press that the timing of the threatening letters was suspicious, leading her to believe Turner was behind them. She said she forwarded information and evidence to the GBI for investigation, but they did not pursue those leads.
“I’m not here to call anyone a liar,” said Franklin on WAOK. “But I will tell you this. It is evidence that in June that this came up, that I presented it to the entire board, the DA, Solicitor General, and every other outlet that I felt would need to know because we were concerned about our safety as commissioners. And those emails were forwarded not only to the GBI, but the only one that I had to send them to was the [GBI’s Public Relations Officer].”
Franklin shared emails with The Atlanta Press where she detailed the timeline to the GBI that she felt would implicate Turner in the letters, including screenshots that she said could only be traced back to a high-level operations manager within the county.
“There have been several allegations made by Clayton County officials of alleged evidence that will implicate more people in this investigation. So far, no evidence has been provided to the GBI,” said the GBI in a statement released to The Atlanta Press. “Once the investigation is complete, it will be given to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia or the assigned conflict prosecutor for the case.”
Holloway exclusively told The Atlanta Press before she turned herself in that she regrets accusing former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill of being the person behind those letters, when now she’s convinced it was her former boss who was the mastermind behind the alleged scheme.
“I’m so regretful that I allowed myself to get caught up,” Holloway said. “I honestly thought [Hill] did [send those letters] and I feel terrible that I accused a person of writing it that had nothing to do with it whatsoever.”
Turner has denied these claims, previously releasing this statement to The Atlanta Press: “I vehemently deny the allegation being made by Dr. Holloway. The GBI conducted a thorough investigation into the matter and then issued warrants as the result of their findings. I am a 23 year law enforcement veteran and now chairman of Clayton County and take these matters seriously. I would never intentional do anything that would disgrace my name or standing in the community I work, live and play in. I do plan to pursue civil action against Dr. Holloway I will not allow anyone to lie on me or scandalize my name.”
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