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ATLANTA - Dougherty County District Attorney Kenneth B. Hodges III of Albany
was named Monday as the prosecutor to take over the homicide case involving
the Dec. 10 fatal shooting of Kenneth B. Walker by a Muscogee County deputy
sheriff.The appointment of Hodges, 38, was announced by Georgia Attorney General
Thurbert Baker, who received the case after Muscogee County District Attorney
Gray Conger stepped aside."Ken Hodges was my first choice to handle this
matter," Baker said in a news release. "I have absolute confidence in his
ability to
make the right decisions."Baker said the Albany prosecutor has demonstrated
during his career "the willingness to make the tough call in a high-profile ca
se" and can be expected to do the right thing, regardless of "what may be
politically expedient."In a telephone interview, Hodges said he has received the
Walker case file. The file includes the six-volume Georgia Bureau of
Investigation report of the shooting of Walker by Deputy Sheriff David Glisson,
who was
fired Feb. 19 by Muscogee Sheriff Ralph Johnson.Glisson fatally shot an unarmed
Walker, 39, after a stop along Interstate 185. Before being stopped, Walker
and three friends -- Warren Beaulah, Anthony Smith and Daryl Ransom -- had been
riding in a gray GMC Yukon seen leaving Northwoods Apartments on Armour Road.
The apartment was under surveillance by Metro Narcotics Task Force agents,
according to official accounts.The men were ordered from the vehicle by a group
of Sheriff's Department Special Response Team members called in to assist the
task force. Moments later, Walker was shot twice in the head. He was
pronounced dead about four hours later at The Medical Center.Hodges offered no
estimate
of how long it would take him to prepare the case. He said he expects it will
take "some time" to complete his review of the Walker file."I'll review the
file and meet with the victim's family," he said. "Of course, I'll also discuss
possible options with defense lawyers, but it's too early to make a decision
as to what will happen.Hodges said he cannot say whether he will take the case
to a grand jury. If that happens, it will go before the Muscogee County grand
jury in Columbus, he said.Hodges won't be working the case alone. Dougherty
Chief Assistant District Attorney Greg Edwards will assist, Hodges said.Conger
praised the attorney general for choosing Hodges, calling his fellow district
attorney an "excellent choice" to handle the controversial case.Conger stepped
aside from the case Feb. 20, hours after receiving the GBI report on Walker's
death. Conger said at the time that he wanted to avoid the appearance of bias
or favoritism.Conger said he is confident in Hodge's ability."He's a very
fine district attorney and recently had a big role in the case against the
former
sheriff in Dekalb County and that conviction," Conger said. "We're lucky to
have him on this case."Glisson's attorney, Richard Hagler, said he respects
Hodges' past work."I have dealt with Mr. Hodges before in a professional
capacity
and have every respect for him," Hagler said. "I look forward to working with
him."
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