Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones is raising concerns about whether some criminal cases are being thoroughly investigated before arrests are made and publicized. Jones said incomplete investigations, insufficient evidence and public statements about suspects can complicate prosecutions and threaten a defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial. Jones said her concerns came to a head in March, when she emailed Chatham County Sheriff Richard Coleman about two investigations handled by the sheriff’s office. “My issue is not with the [Chatham County] sheriff. My issue is with the process,” Jones told WJCL 22 News on Friday. “I need to make sure that the collection of evidence is preserved so that we can have a fair and just trial.” WJCL 22 News requested an interview with Coleman about Jones’ concerns, but did not receive a response. One of the investigations Jones emailed Coleman about involved a video showing a person being beaten in Pooler outside a Walmart. Jones said the incident happened years before the video circulated online, making it especially important for investigators to verify when and how the recording was made, identify the people shown and determine what happened before and after the recorded encounter. Emails obtained by WJCL 22 News show an assistant district attorney told the Chatham County Sheriff's Office investigator handling the case that a preliminary hearing had revealed “foundational gaps in evidence.” The prosecutor requested…
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