WORTH CO., GA (WALB) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has launched an additional investigation into suspended Worth County Sheriff Jeff Hobby over a possible illegal recording device.
According to the Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, On February 26, the DA's office was notified of a possible recording device in the attorney-client interview room at the Worth County Jail.
A report from the office says it was installed at the direction of now suspended Sheriff Jeff Hobby.
District Attorney Paul Bowden and Interim Sheriff Bobby Sapp took steps to ensure that no more interviews between clients and their attorneys were recorded until the system could be analyzed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit.
Currently, the GBI has an ongoing investigation into the possible illegal recording of privileged attorney-client interviews.
The DA's office is taking steps to notify all attorneys whose clients' cases may possibly be affected by the ongoing investigation.
A lawsuit was filed against the Worth County Sheriff's Office after a controversial search of students at Worth County High that claimed Hobby had a "target list" with 13 students suspected of having drugs.
Attorney Mark Brimberry explained Georgia Law explicitly prohibits a person recording a conversation in which he or she is not a party to.
But it's obviously illegal to record a privileged conversation between an attorney and their client.
"That's wrong, it should not have happened. We're talking about a recording device which they know when they put it in there and they certainly turned it on they knew they were violating the law," said Brimberry.
Attorney Brimberry said any case that was discussed in that attorney-client interview room at the Worth County Jail will now be very difficult to prosecute.
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