Local

Woman goes after Fulton County for crime reward money

ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta woman is going after Fulton County leaders over a nearly-decade old reward for information on a murder suspect.

It was 2003 when Janis Jones said she was almost run off the road by another driver. 

"I was very scared. I didn't know what was going on. I knew the person was trying to do something, and the only thing I could think of was hurt me," she said.  

When she arrived home, she found out the person who tried to run her off the road was Kenneth Reese, the same man who had just shot and killed Fulton County police officer Aaron Blount. 

Jones said she called police and gave them information the helps lead to his capture. He later confessed to the Blount's slaying.  Unbeknownst to Jones, there was a $38,000 reward for information about Reese. 

District Attorney Paul Howard said Jones is entitled to half of the reward money because there were several other people who came forward with information.  The state of Georgia gave Jones her portion of the reward money, but Fulton County hasn't given her a dime, and it's been several years. 

Jones has now hired attorney Jennifer Knight to help. 

"Here we have a police officer who was killed and if they're not willing to follow through with the reward they promised for a police officer, then why would any other member of the community rely on any other reward on any on armed robbery of any other type of crime?" Knight said.

A representative for the county commissioners told Channel 2 Action News they are looking into the matter and will get back to us.  Knight said they are planning to file a lawsuit to get Jones' portion of the reward money next week.