WALB is reporting that bond has been denied to former downtown manager Don Buie. The judge apparently denied bond because he considers Buie a flight risk, something Buie’s attorney has denied repeatedly by citing Buie turning himself in. Of course, he took his sweet time in actually doing it too…but that probably seemed irrelevant.
More to follow as it becomes available.
I might get pilloried for writing this, but I believe the prosecutor should recuse himself from this case.
Why?
A few weeks ago, I wrote that it appeared a Channel 10 reporter was receiving information about this case from her husband, a prosecutor. So you have the wife trying the case on TV and the husband trying the case in the courtroom.
To me, it appears to be a conflict of interest.
I have nothing against anyone in this case. I don’t know them. Mr. Cohilas may be a saint, and Mr. Buie may be as guilty as sin.
But I think you would agree that Mr. Buie has a Constitutional right to due process and a fair trial.
I believe at the very least the defense attorney could successfully motion for a change of venue based upon the Cohilas connection.
As you may recall, the conflicts of interest under a former D.A. reached absurd levels, to the point that he was locking up someone who had beaten his father as defense attorney in a wrongful death lawsuit and smearing that person on TV.
I don’t want to see history repeat itself.