The troubling truth about Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones.
SANCTIONED BY
A FEDERAL JUDGE
CRITICISM FROM
SAVANNAH LEADERS
ETHICS
SCANDALS
Can We Trust a District Attorney Sanctioned by a Federal Judge?
Shalena Cook Jones has been sanctioned by a federal judge for misleading the court in a workplace discrimination lawsuit. Our District Attorney should be upholding the law, not breaking it. The judge called her behavior "fabrications" and a "mockery" of the justice system in 50 page order.
Can we really trust someone like this to represent us? It’s time for integrity in the DA’s office.
SHALENA COOK JONES SANCTIONED
“A federal judge sanctioned Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones on Thursday, issuing an order that called her attempts to evade an April deposition in a sexual discrimination lawsuit in which she is a defendant “utter nonsense built on fabrications.”
U.S. District Judge R. Stan Baker of the Southern District of Georgia ruled Cook Jones in default in the case. The complaint, brought by a former assistant prosecutor in Cook Jones’ office, Skye Musson, alleges Cook Jones’ fostered a “bro culture” upon taking over the DA’s office in January 2021 and that Cook Jones denied Musson a promotion because of her gender.”
[AJC, 11/2/2023]
“Federal Judge R. Stan Baker, in a 50-page order, hammered the Savannah DA with tough sanctions. One sentence in the order basically tells the story: ”Cook Jones repeatedly and willfully disregarded her discovery obligations and the Court’s Orders even after the Court modified its deadlines to accommodate her.”
Baker’s order went on to declare that Cook Jones provided false information to the court and that she is to be punished.
The judge ordered the prosecutor’s responses to a discrimination lawsuit to be deleted from the court record and the DA is ordered to pay all plaintiff’s costs, fees and expenses. Perhaps The Current website best sums this case up: “For the next 49 pages, Baker set out a detailed timeline of transgressions and even more direct language to back up the ruling. While the order doesn’t end the case itself, it sets up problems for Cook Jones in fighting the rest of the case and down the road in other proceedings, not to mention credibility with voters.”
[James Magazine, 11/3/2023]
The Savannah District Attorney has been sanctioned by a federal judge for mishandling a sexual discrimination case filed against her and her office.
Daily Mail, 10/30/2023
The Savannah District Attorney has been sanctioned by a federal judge for mishandling a sexual discrimination case filed against her and her office.
Cook Jones took over the office in Georgia in January 2021. That same month, Musson said that she expressed an interest in taking over the office's Guns and Gangs unit. The role went to a 'less qualified, heterosexual male' named Christian Stolfe, the lawsuit alleges.
...Musson continued to plead for the role only to be told that they needed a man in the office in order to deal with 'male officers, their demeanor and behavior.' Musson said that Cook Jones fired her in April 2021 and framed her departure as a resignation...
...In another section of her lawsuit, Musson said that another prosecutor was fired because of her ongoing friendship with the plaintiff. In his ruling, Judge Baker called Cook Jones excuses for not appearing 'utter nonsense built on fabrications.'”
[Daily Mail, 10/30/2023]
Can We Trust a District Attorney Sanctioned by a Federal Judge?
Ever since assuming office under the pretenses
of Criminal Justice Reform, Savannah
Progressives and Elected Democrats have panned the Chatham County District Attorney as ineffective...
citing lack of cooperation with Law Enforcement...
“Mayor Van Johnson on Tuesday accused Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones of prioritizing her reelection bid over seeking justice following Jones’ recent dismissals of five murder cases” [AJC, 8/27/2024]
“Elected officials, particularly Black Democrats, criticize Shalena Cook Jones, a restorative justice champion”...
...Shalena Cook Jones, a Black Democrat, also benefited from influential Black political leaders either backing her campaign or withholding their support for her opponent.
Now, with Jones’ reelection looming, those same leaders have publicly criticized her performance. Three Black elected officials, including Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, have publicly chastised Jones in recent weeks. Several other current and former officeholders have held their criticism. but say they won’t endorse her in the November election.”
[AJC, 9/10/2024]
“Savannah Mayor Van Johnson shared frustrations over Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones' decision to dismiss six murder cases in Savannah. A question at the mayor's weekly press conference revealed communication issues between the two and the city's police department.”
[WJCL, 8/27/2024]
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said he’s not interested in Jones’ excuses because she has the resources and support of the city.
He also said it’s a topic he has already addressed with her...
“I need her to win because if she loses, we lose as a community, and I think I’ve done everything I can possibly do,” he said. That includes sending a letter back in May to address any issues with Jones. “Telling her if there are any of our officers impeding you from doing what you need to do. Let me know. I’ve never heard from her regarding that, so the fact that you’re telling me that is news to me,” Johnson said.
[WTOC, 12/22/2022]
The Chatham County District Attorney is more focused on politics in Atlanta, and less oversight for her office than doing her job at home.
Savannah DA Embroils Office in Atlanta Political Process by Advocating for Less Oversight Of Her Office
From Georgia Public Broadcasting: “Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones on Friday criticized a newly formed state commission empowered with investigating and disciplining locally elected prosecutors across Georgia.
In the Democrat's first remarks regarding the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission since its members were due to begin their terms in July, Jones criticized the PAQC and the legislation behind it — signed into law in May by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp at the Chatham County Sheriff's Office — as government overreach.”
[GPB, 7/25/2023]
AJC: [There are] ‘Doubts in Savannah’s Black community’ [about the DA’s performance]:
“Calls for Jones’ ouster are widespread among Black constituents, the council members say. Leggett and Bryan hear complaints that the district attorney’s approach has made their communities less safe...
...A consistent complaint about Jones involves a lack of communication. Brenda Johnson, whose son was killed in 2015 in a still-unsolved case, said the district attorney’s office has stonewalled her. Fatima Davis, whose daughter was gunned down in July 2023 outside a convenience store, said the last communication she received from the DA’s office was an email telling her the suspect charged in the case was being released on bond. She said she was not consulted before the bond hearing, a courtesy many district attorneys extend to families of victims.
The accused in that case, a 17-year-old male, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. He is scheduled to appear for a mental competency hearing in September.
“It’s really like a slap in the face. We look at the justice system to serve justice, and when that doesn’t happen it now looks like justice is on the accused’s side,” Davis said during an emotional phone interview. “I’m depressed. I have anxiety. I really miss my daughter. I just don’t know what to do.”
[AJC, 9/10/2024]
The Savannah District Attorney is embroiled in Ethics Scandals
after State Ethics Commission is Prompted
to File Complaint Against Her Due to Lack of Transparency.
WSAV HEADLINE: Chatham County District Attorney fails to file financial disclosures
“Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones is under fire once again.
This time, it’s not former members of her staff, or even state house Republicans raising questions. It’s the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, otherwise known as the State Ethics Commission.
They say she’s failed to file several financial disclosures since 2020, which was revealed today at the Chatham County courthouse during a preliminary state ethics hearing. The penalty she’s agreed to, according to her representative, is $3,000 in fees.”
[WSAV, 12.8/2023]
WJCL HEADLINE: Chatham's DA fined $3k for ethics violation
“Chatham County’s district attorney must pay thousands of dollars for several campaign and personal finance violations from her previous election.
Candidates for any public officer have to submit campaign contributions reports, which list who gave what, and personal finance disclosure which list how much they own. Georgia's State Ethics Commission said DA Shalena Cook Jones hasn't filed several since being elected top prosecutor in 2020. This comes just less than 11 months before her next election.
Despite being cited for not submitting the documents, state officials claim she still hasn't turned them in. Something they took issue with.
[WJCL, 12/8/2023]
State Ethics Commission Unilaterally Opens Ethics Investigation into Savannah District Attorney; fines her thousands of dollars due to lack of transparency [Original Ethics Complaint, filed on 9/6/2023]
Due to incompetence and mismanagement, the Savannah District Attorney has lost dozens of seasoned Prosecutors, leaving the office short staffed.
Due to these staffing shortages, and lack of convictions, county and federal officials have been left to do the work she should be doing.
Countless Trials Delayed After Mass Exodus of Staff
The DA’s perceived poor performance prompted city government leaders to partner with the U.S. attorney in 2022 to hire their own prosecutor to pursue gun crimes that could be charged at the federal level. In two years on the job, the special assistant U.S. attorney has issued 32 indictments, handled 28 plea agreements and is currently managing 44 active criminal cases.
[AJC, 9/10/2024]
The Current: More than ‘three dozen prosecutors’ have left the District Attorney’s office because of District Attorney’s incompetence.
Since Cook Jones took office in January 2021, at least three dozen prosecutors have left the office to work elsewhere or retire. The majority resigned, according to staff lists obtained by The Current.
Several who left were experienced prosecutors who tackled serious crime cases. These staffing challenges led to the demise of the special victims unit...
[The Current, 5/16/2024]