“The presumption
of innocence is a cornerstone of our Nation’s legal system. Whether
you are a Sheriff, doctor, housewife or homeless person, every
American is afforded this right. We have a process designed to insure
that any person accused of a crime is capable of being judged within
the confines of our Judicial system. The posting of the letter
detailing this case by members of the Graves County Sheriff’s
Department is a blatant attempt to try Sheriff Redmon through the
media and to influence the court of public opinion.
The fact that Election Day is drawing
near should not be lost on anyone. Make no mistake, this letter was
posted for political gain without consideration to the ramifications
its contents would have on the pending criminal case. This is
troubling not only from Sheriff Redmon’s perspective but also to
the Prosecutor who is diligently trying to perform the duties asked
of him.
As previously stated, Sheriff Redmon has been and will continue to be cooperative in this process. We only ask that he be afforded the same protections under the law that any other citizen enjoys. The Sheriff and his family sincerely thank the people of Graves County for their continued support.”
Deputies said the purpose of Tuesday's letter was to make the public aware of what has happened and is happening with the Graves County Sheriff's Office. The letter was signed by all deputies and court security officers that wished to sign it.
Redmon recently entered a not guilty plea to charges of official misconduct and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. He was indicted on those charges in August, and is accused of stealing hydrocodone from the sheriff department's drug drop box.
A judge has ruled that Redmon can continue to perform his administrative duties as sheriff, but can't perform any law enforcement duties until his case has ended.