GBI closes investigation into blog post

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GBI closes investigation into blog post

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Wednesday, August 18. 2010

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will not pursue criminal charges against the author who posted a comment on a local blog which Barrow County commission chairman Danny Yearwood perceived as threatening.

Christopher Bish, assistant special agent in charge of the Athens GBI office, said agents thoroughly looked at the situation and discussed their findings with the district attorney’s office before deciding not to proceed with the case.

“After reviewing the facts and verbiage used, we have decided the comment made on the blog falls under First Amendment protections,” Bish said.

Bish said Yearwood has been notified of the GBI’s decision not to pursue criminal charges.

The post in question was titled “Mr. Yearwood” and was authored by an individual using the screen name “Mad as Hell.”

The comment, posted August 6 on the Barrow County Citizen’s Watch “Watcher’s Blog,” was in response to a rumor that Yearwood had proposed closing one of Barrow County’s six fire stations and slashing the Sheriff’s Office budget as cost cutting measures.

For more on this story, see the August 18 edition of the Barrow Journal or click here to read the full story online when you subscribe to our new e-edition.

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#1 Big Boy on 08/18/10 at 10:21 AM [Reply]

IOW, the GBI said Yearwood needs to grow a pair.

Or, at least he needs to stick with the timorous fools who agreed with his asinine opinion that the post constituted a "threat."

#1.1 There, There Poor Babe on 08/18/10 at 12:05 PM [Reply]

So they told him to put his big boy pants on and stop whining!

#2 you'd think... on 08/18/10 at 12:15 PM [Reply]

a guy that was told to go to anger management class - but didn't - would recognize an angry rant as simply that. Another waste of public resources and time caused by the chairman!

#2.1 Annie Omus on 08/18/10 at 01:22 PM [Reply]

Good one!! Made me chuckle!!

#3 another on 08/18/10 at 03:53 PM [Reply]

embarrassment by Yearwood.

#4 funny on 08/19/10 at 03:25 PM [Reply]

I guess this one really did it. Barrow county employees can't access the barrow citizens watch website now that the GBI told him no way. In this day and age, no one can curtail or infringe information flow. People will find ways of getting their voices and opinions out regardless. One thing that yearwoods administration needs to be concerned about is accomplishing county business in a manner that is feasible and sensible. Not by censorship and blocking information mediums

#4.1 Jack Legg on 08/21/10 at 09:49 PM [Reply]

Yearwood is too funny, he is an embarrassment and a failure as well as a three time looser.

#4.2 Please read the entire blog and don't stop at the 1st sentence!! on 08/22/10 at 09:00 AM [Reply]

Actually, yes they can. An employer has EVER RIGHT to limit the scope of what an employee can use a company (or in this case) a county OWNED computer to access. Companies in the private sector do it all the time. You can be fired for skirting or breaching measures to access unauthorized sites (My company logs ALL computer activity and it's reviewed weekly).

If employees want to blog on that website, they are more than welcome to do so on their own time on their own computer, just like in the private sector.

Yearwood doesn't have a leadership style. He manages by bullying and intimidation. But every once in a while he bumps up against something and does the right thing for the wrong reason. This is one of those.

Yearwood needs to look at how he is (mis)managing his resources.

You can either beat you employees down with the proverbial stick so they submit to your will out of fear or you can lead by example and reason and they will submit to your wishes out of respect for your leadership.

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