Barrow Journal

Linn Jones, wife of former District Attorney Tim Madison, was sentenced in Banks County Superior Court Friday to 180 days in a women’s detention center on theft charges. She was also fined $500 and will have to perform 250 hours of community service.

Meanwhile, Madison has surrendered his Georgia Law License. The Georgia Supreme Court approved the voluntary surrender Monday. Madison moved to give up his license in February.

Jones sentencing last week effectively ends an extraordinary state investigation into the Piedmont Judicial Circuit DA’s office. Madison was sentenced earlier this year to six years in jail on theft charges and former ADA Brett Williams was fined on misdemeanor charges.

Jones was charged with having conspired to defraud the county government by submitting payroll hours for times when she didn’t work. Jones was on both the Jackson County and Banks County DA payrolls at the same time.

According to documents presented in court last week, Jones claimed that she was working at the same time evidence proved she was out of state.

Jones’ attorney said she “accepts full responsibility for her actions” and is “sorry for what she did.”

In her only comment to the court, Jones said, “I would like to tell the court I’m sorry, sir.”

The scandal surrounding the DA’s office was uncovered by The Jackson Herald in early 2007. A series of investigative stories were published in March 2007 questioning Madison’s handling of various government funds. Madison subsequently resigned as DA in June 2007 and was indicted in August 2007.

The assistant district attorney pulled into a scheme to take money from Banks County pled guilty Tuesday to misdemeanor charges of being party to a crime.

Former ADA Brett Williams was fined $500 and given 12 months probation and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service on a misdemeanor charge. The action stems from the theft case made against former Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tim Madison.

Williams was originally arrested on felony charges of theft in connection with the case against Madison. On Tuesday, the felony charges against Williams were dismissed. [Full Story »] 

Former Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tim Madison was transferred Monday morning to the Georgia Diagnostic Center in Jackson, located in central Georgia.

Madison, who was sentenced to serve six years following a guilty plea in Banks County Superior Court last week, turned himself in at the Banks County Jail Saturday morning, sheriff Charles Chapman said. [Full Story »] 

It was the lack of an apology that apparently angered the judge the most. Superior Court Judge Robert Mallis strongly chastised former District Attorney Tim Madison for not apologizing to the young assistant he pulled into his theft scheme. The judge then sentenced the former District Attorney to serve six years in prison and six years on probation. Prosecutors had asked for eight years in jail.

Madison was also ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution for the money he took from the Piedmont Judicial Circuit. The majority of the funds were taken from Banks County. Madison must also serve one year in an alcohol treatment program.

Madison will turn himself into the Banks County Jail at 9 a.m. Saturday. The Georgia Department of Corrections will determine where Madison will be housed during his prison sentence. Officials with the state have already discussed placing Madison in a federal prison for his own safety.

[Full Story »]