The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday revoked the law license of the former Paulding Judicial Circuit district attorney after he pled guilty in January to a misdemeanor charge in a case that initially found him accused of bribing a prosecutor, lying and violating a public officer's oath.
The suspended district attorney for Paulding County has pleaded guilty to unprofessional conduct and resigned from his position for allegedly trying to make a deal to get charges dropped for an employee he wanted to have a sexual relationship with.
Paulding County and Cherokee County have both punted case against Jason Benson. Multiple women have said he assaulted and stalked them. He says he's falsely accused.
Paulding County DA suspended by Georgia governor
By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published
(Paulding County Sheriff s Office)
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - Paulding County District Attorney Donald Richard Dick Donovan was suspended on Wednesday, two days after he turned himself into authorities on four felony charges including bribery and making false statements. Donovan was indicted last week by a grand jury.
Gov. Brian Kemp issued the executive order on Wednesday removing Donovan from office until his pending charges are adjudicated. Donovan had already voluntarily stepped aside following his indictment last week, but the order made it official.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said Donovan sought to drop criminal charges against a client of the Cedartown Municipal Court prosecutor to curry favor to have charges dropped for one of his employees with whom he said he desired a sexual relationship. Carr said the dropping of those criminal charges was a bribe.