A Special Master appointed by the Georgia Supreme Court has already ruled that Paine had no role in the taping of a suspect in the custody of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and his attorney, which is a serious violation of the suspect’s civil rights. That violation cost the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (and taxpayers) $50,000 in a civil judgment.
The State Bar long ago climbed on the bandwagon of supporting defense attorneys over prosecutors, and it has proven its bias again with the outrageous attempt to destroy the reputation of Columbia County Assistant District Attorney and former Augusta Circuit District Attorney Natalie Paine.
The question that needs to be asked is who is really behind the witch hunt to hurt Paine.
While Paine’s office did have those materials in hand because they were delivered by the Sheriff’s Office, she never once attempted to enter that information as evidence, nor did she use it as a bargaining chip in plea negotiations. In fact, there is no evidence that Paine was even aware that a recording existed that violated attorney-client privilege, according to the Special Master.
The ordeal for Paine has continued for four years, and it is telling that after years of keeping quiet about the matter, the Georgia Bar attempted to release information in 2020 indicating they were going to pursue the matter further. That decision came on the eve of the district attorney election in 2020. According to Paine, ethical complaints from its own membership caused the Bar to wait until after the election to release the material.
The bottom line is that the Georgia Supreme Court will almost certainly rule in favor of Paine when it hears the matter in December. A Supreme Court ruling in contradiction of its own Special Master is rarer than hen’s teeth.
The Georgia Bar knows this, and it is pressing the matter solely to sully the reputation of a woman who has and continues to serve this community by prosecuting criminals in our midst.
The Georgia Bar should not only voluntarily cease its ridiculous witch-hunt but also offer Paine a formal apology.
