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Drug charges dropped in Athens case
By KELLY SIMMONS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/15/06
Athens — The Clarke County solicitor has dismissed drug charges against the owner of an Athens house where a University of Georgia student was partying in the hours before he died in January.
Records show that misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and drug related objects against Gene Whitner Milner III were dismissed because of "insufficient evidence," according to the solicitor's office. Solicitor Mo Wiltshire was not in the office Friday and could not be reached for comment.
UGA police chief Jimmy Williamson said Friday he was not aware that the charges were dropped.
He declined to comment further.
Milner and his father own a house that Lewis Fish visited the night before he died from a toxic mix of alcohol, cocaine and heroin.
No one was charged in Fish's death. However, the investigation led to charges against seven men who were at the house that night.
One was charged with felony possession of heroin; the rest with misdemeanor drug or alcohol charges. Milner, who was not in Athens the night of the party, was charged in connection with items found in the house.
Four of the men charged with misdemeanors are scheduled for arraignment Tuesday, according to the solicitor's office.
Milner could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
The Atlantan was barred from Clarke County in January after a string of alcohol-related arrests.
He attended UGA in the fall of 2004 and spring, summer and fall of 2005.
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