Granville names interim sheriff as investigation continues

Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins has agreed to step aside while he faces criminal charges of obstruction of justice. Wilkins, who is accused of urging someone to kill a deputy he thought was about to expose his alleged use of racially offensive language, said through his attorney that he "looks forward to exoneration and resumption of his duties."
Posted 9/23/2019, 10:54:48 PM

NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL

NEWS.

>>> GLENVILLE COUNTY SHERIFF IS

OFF THE JOB THIS EVENING AND

WILL BE UNTIL HIS CASE MAKES

ITS WAY THROUGH THE COURT

SYSTEM.

SHERIFF BRINDELL WILKINS AGREED

TO A SUSPENSION AS THE CHARGES

THAT HE URGED SOMEONE TO KILL A

FORMER DEPUTY PLAY OUT.

GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US.

>> WE HAVE HAD CREWS IN

GRANVILLE COUNTY SINCE 7:30 AM.

OUR AARON THOMAS IS LIVE NOW TO

TELL US ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS

AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO

RESIDENTS.

>> Reporter: SHERIFF WILKINS'

ATTORNEY RELEASED A STATEMENT

SHORTLY AFTER THAT EMERGENCY

MEETING. THE SHERIFF DENIES THE

ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING BUT

HAS AGREED TO GO ON SUSPENSION.

WE SPOKE WITH SEVERAL RESIDENTS

WHO ARE REACTING TO THIS NEWS.

>> I HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE

THAT ALL THE TIME BUT SOMETIMES

IT DON'T MEAN NOTHING.

WHEN YOU ARE THE SHERIFF.

>> Reporter: SEAN SMITH SAYS HE

WAS SHOCKED THE ALLEGATIONS.

A GRAND JURY INDICTED WILKINS

ON TWO COUNTS OF OBSTRUCT

FOLLOWING A 10 MONTH

INVESTIGATION BY THE STATE

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.

ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS, THERE

IS A RECORDING OF WILKINS AND

INTO HAVE A FORMER DEPUTY

KILLED.

THE FORMER DEPUTY THREATENED TO

RELEASE RECORDINGS OF THE

SHERIFF MAKING RACIAL SLURS.

>> IF YOU ARE THE TOP OFFICIAL,

IMAGINE WHAT THOSE UNDER YOU

ARE DOING.

>> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATION

IS THE TALK OF THE TOWN BUT

OTHER RESIDENTS PREFER NOT TO

DISCUSS THE INVESTIGATION.

THOSE WHO KNOW THE SHERIFF TELL

ME HE IS A GOOD MAN WHO HAS

DONE A FINE JOB.

WILKINS' ATTORNEY SAYS HE HAS

DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS OF

WRONGDOING AND HAS AGREED TO

THE SUSPENSION WHILE HE

PREPARES FOR TRIAL.

SHERIFF WILKINS LOOKS FORWARD

TO EXONERATION AND RESUMPTION

OF HIS DUTIES.

SMITH PREFERS HAVING A LAW

ENFORCER WHO SETS A BETTER

EXAMPLE.

>> IT IS BAD IF THE SHERIFF IS

DOING SOMETHING THAT BAD.

>> Reporter: YOU CAN SEE THE

SHERIFF'S NAME IS STILL

ATTACHED TO THE WALL.

THE SHERIFF IS DUE IN COURT ON

OCTOBER 9 AND CHIEF DEPUTY

SHERWOOD BOYD WILL FULFILL ALL

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