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Background
Wanda Spann served as Cobb County Pretrial Court Services Director from 1983 –
2003. She was appointed to this position by the Cobb County Superior Court Judges
Council at age 23, becoming Cobb County’s first African American department head
and judicial appointee.
Mrs. Spann had a stellar career in Cobb’s court system for 23 years but was
unlawfully terminated in May of 2003 by Chief Magistrate Judge Frank Cox, a person
who had absolutely no authority over her or Pretrial Court Services. Spann served at
the pleasure of the Cobb County Superior Court Judges Council according to the
Uniform Superior Court Rules of Georgia.
Cox orchestrated a witch hunt against Spann to remove her from her position. His
plan consisted of deceitful and unethical practices such as accessing Spann’s
computer from a remote site to obtain a letter she was writing to the Superior Court
Judges seeking protection from his constant harassment. Cox was angry because
Spann complained he was trying to force one of her employees to sign a letter he
dictated in the employee's name, which contained lies to circumvent conditions of a
murder defendant's bond. She also complained of his improprieties concerning the
bonds of child molesters and other serious offenders.
On March 19, 2003 Cox was given a memo by Superior Court Judge Mary Staley
which stated that the Georgia Supreme Court had approved for the Chief Magistrate
to have supervisory authority over Spann and her department. This was not true. Cox
used the letter to place Spann under house arrest/suspension.
On May 21, 2003 Mary Staley gave Cox another letter containing similar information
which he used to terminate Spann the following day.
2003. She was appointed to this position by the Cobb County Superior Court Judges
Council at age 23, becoming Cobb County’s first African American department head
and judicial appointee.
Mrs. Spann had a stellar career in Cobb’s court system for 23 years but was
unlawfully terminated in May of 2003 by Chief Magistrate Judge Frank Cox, a person
who had absolutely no authority over her or Pretrial Court Services. Spann served at
the pleasure of the Cobb County Superior Court Judges Council according to the
Uniform Superior Court Rules of Georgia.
Cox orchestrated a witch hunt against Spann to remove her from her position. His
plan consisted of deceitful and unethical practices such as accessing Spann’s
computer from a remote site to obtain a letter she was writing to the Superior Court
Judges seeking protection from his constant harassment. Cox was angry because
Spann complained he was trying to force one of her employees to sign a letter he
dictated in the employee's name, which contained lies to circumvent conditions of a
murder defendant's bond. She also complained of his improprieties concerning the
bonds of child molesters and other serious offenders.
On March 19, 2003 Cox was given a memo by Superior Court Judge Mary Staley
which stated that the Georgia Supreme Court had approved for the Chief Magistrate
to have supervisory authority over Spann and her department. This was not true. Cox
used the letter to place Spann under house arrest/suspension.
On May 21, 2003 Mary Staley gave Cox another letter containing similar information
which he used to terminate Spann the following day.
More:
-Cox had Spann’s office routinely searched to find grounds on which to terminate Spann.
-Cox took all of Spann’s files from her computer.
-Cox gave Spann a memo on March 5, 2003 trying to strip her of her duties, directing all employees to call her by her
first name, not allowing her to speak to County officials, and removing her ability to speak publicly without his presence.
-County Manager David Hankerson transferred key services from Pretrial to the Magistrate Court before Ms. Spann
was terminated rendering her unable to run her department. This was illegal.
-Former Court Administrator Howard “Skip” Chesshire verbally told Cox he had authority over Pretrial Services, which
was not the truth.
-After Cox terminated Spann, he rewarded several Pretrial employees who assisted him in his witch hunt against her
with promotions.
-Hankerson abolished Spann’s position after her termination.
-According to a deposition given by Skip Chesshire in 2005, he stated that an affidavit filed in the case the previous
year was written in his name by Judge Mary Staley with his consent.
-The affidavit, filed in federal court, contained false information, which stated the Supreme Court had approved for the
Magistrate Judge to have authority over Spann and that the Superior Court Judges were not an employer.
-Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker represented the Superior Court Judges in the lawsuit filed by Wanda Spann.
-The Attorney General’s office stated in the suit that the Pretrial Department was approved for transfer to Magistrate
Court by the Georgia Supreme Court in 1985 in accordance with rule 1.2 (b) of the Uniform Superior Court Rules.
Spann presented written documentation from the Supreme Court that did not affirm this statement.
-Baker never withdrew the statement and allowed the case to proceed with inaccurate information.
-Cox had Spann’s office routinely searched to find grounds on which to terminate Spann.
-Cox took all of Spann’s files from her computer.
-Cox gave Spann a memo on March 5, 2003 trying to strip her of her duties, directing all employees to call her by her
first name, not allowing her to speak to County officials, and removing her ability to speak publicly without his presence.
-County Manager David Hankerson transferred key services from Pretrial to the Magistrate Court before Ms. Spann
was terminated rendering her unable to run her department. This was illegal.
-Former Court Administrator Howard “Skip” Chesshire verbally told Cox he had authority over Pretrial Services, which
was not the truth.
-After Cox terminated Spann, he rewarded several Pretrial employees who assisted him in his witch hunt against her
with promotions.
-Hankerson abolished Spann’s position after her termination.
-According to a deposition given by Skip Chesshire in 2005, he stated that an affidavit filed in the case the previous
year was written in his name by Judge Mary Staley with his consent.
-The affidavit, filed in federal court, contained false information, which stated the Supreme Court had approved for the
Magistrate Judge to have authority over Spann and that the Superior Court Judges were not an employer.
-Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker represented the Superior Court Judges in the lawsuit filed by Wanda Spann.
-The Attorney General’s office stated in the suit that the Pretrial Department was approved for transfer to Magistrate
Court by the Georgia Supreme Court in 1985 in accordance with rule 1.2 (b) of the Uniform Superior Court Rules.
Spann presented written documentation from the Supreme Court that did not affirm this statement.
-Baker never withdrew the statement and allowed the case to proceed with inaccurate information.
Four Cobb County Superior Court Judges have stated Judge Frank
Cox had no authority to fire the Director of Cobb Pretrial Court
Services.
Cox admitted in a Federal Court deposition that Pretrial was not a
division of the Magistrate Court during Spann's employment, but
that he made it a division upon the termination of Spann or shortly
thereafter
Cox used false documents and statements from Judge Mary Staley
and former Court Administrator Howard "Skip" Chesshire to illegally
terminate Spann.
Why does this injustice still stand? Why has she not been restored?
Why was she denied her unemployment, retirement, and other
rights?
Cox had no authority to fire the Director of Cobb Pretrial Court
Services.
Cox admitted in a Federal Court deposition that Pretrial was not a
division of the Magistrate Court during Spann's employment, but
that he made it a division upon the termination of Spann or shortly
thereafter
Cox used false documents and statements from Judge Mary Staley
and former Court Administrator Howard "Skip" Chesshire to illegally
terminate Spann.
Why does this injustice still stand? Why has she not been restored?
Why was she denied her unemployment, retirement, and other
rights?
Why has she not received justice in a court of law?
| To read a letter written by Wanda Spann describing her trials and tribulations in seeking justice through the legal system please click here. |
Copyright 2008 Justice for Wanda Spann, All Rights Reserved
