Sheriff bounced in scandal

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ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia's governor suspended the sheriff of the state's largest county only hours after a retired federal prison administrator was sworn in to take charge of the overcrowded jail.

Gov. Sonny Perdue acted Friday on the recommendation of a three-member panel that he appointed to investigate charges of mismanagement by Fulton County Sheriff Jackie Barrett, who announced last week that she would take vacation and other accrued time off beginning Aug. 1 until her term expires Dec. 31.

Elected in 1992, Sheriff Barrett has the distinction of being the nation's first black female sheriff.

The panel, made up of the state attorney general and two sheriffs, said it found reason to believe that Sheriff Barrett violated her duty when she invested $7.2 million in public money in risky ventures, disregarding customary governmental safeguards. About $2 million was lost.

Panel members said they also found reason to believe that she violated state ethics laws by accepting contributions above the limit and by failing to make timely campaign-disclosure reports.

"We've been dealing with this far too long, and, yes, I did believe we need to move on, heal this situation, ... and move forward," said Mr. Perdue, a Republican.

The jail, which houses more than double the 1,400 inmates it was designed to hold, will be run by John Gibson, who ran the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. The sheriff's duties will be handled by former FBI agent Theodore Jackson.

Sheriff Barrett's paid suspension starts tomorrow and will last for 60 days. Mr. Perdue can add 30 more days to the suspension and told reporters to assume that he would.

Atlanta is the county seat of Fulton County.