The trial for three former White City employees continued on Monday where two directed not guilty verdicts were granted, and one was denied.
This case involved the city’s former city manager, police chief and a police officer. In 2016 the former city manager Jane Richards, her husband and police chief David King, and police officer Blake Scheff were charged with three counts of violation of racketeering influence and corruption organizations following an investigation by the GBI. The three were indicted by a grand jury in 2019.
The state accused the three of filing trumped up charges against unlikely defendants and then charging them excessive fines to reduce the charges to misdemeanors. On Monday following several weeks of trial, and the state having submitted all of its evidence, the defense attorneys for all three defendants made motions for not guilty directed verdicts. These requests asked that the judge not allow the case to move forward due to a lack of evidence. Two not guilty directed verdicts were granted for former police officer Blake Scheff, and former City Manager Jane Richards.
However, the directed verdict for former chief David King was denied and will now continue trial on June 26th.
Both cases for Scheff and Richards have now concluded following these directed verdicts. We will have more information on this case in the coming days.