ATLANTA — On Monday, Judge Glenda Hatchett was ordered to pay legal fees to the Georgia Sheriff’s Association after she withdrew a lawsuit against the GSA related to her sexual battery by a former sheriff.
Now, 11 sheriffs, including nine from the metro Atlanta area, have issued a formal letter to the Executive Board of the GSA, expressing their opposition to the decision for Hatchett to pay.
They argue that pursuing financial penalties against a documented victim is harmful and contrary to the values of law enforcement.
“We are writing to express our deep concern and moral opposition to the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association’s recent legal action seeking damages and attorney’s fees from Judge Glenda Hatchett—a survivor of a documented and adjudicated incident of sexual battery,” the letter to the GSA board says.
The sheriffs argue in their letter that seeking financial penalties from a victim sends a chilling message to survivors of sexual violence, potentially deterring them from coming forward.
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Bleckley County Sheriff Kris Coody pleaded guilty to sexual battery against Hatchett in 2023 and resigned from his position in 2024.
While Hatchett withdrew her lawsuit against Coody, the GSA pursued damages and attorney’s fees against her, saying in a statement that her lawsuit against the organization was frivolous, despite acknowledging that Coody’s assault on the judge was wrong.
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“First and most importantly, the assault on Ms. Hatchett should never have happened and every sheriff and our Association staff continue to recognize the resulting trauma she suffers. This deplorable act was committed in a public space by an intoxicated individual who happened to be the elected sheriff of Bleckley County,” the GSA said in a statement, in part, shared with Channel 2’s Karyn Greer.
Still, the association filed for legal fees and damages in June.
The letter emphasizes that demanding attorney’s fees from a sexual assault survivor, especially when the offender was a high-ranking law enforcement officer, undermines the principles of justice and accountability.
“Just because you can… doesn’t mean you should,” the sheriffs wrote. “This course of action sends a chilling message to survivors of sexual violence in Georgia and beyond.”
The sheriffs urge the GSA to withdraw their claim for attorney’s fees and to publicly reaffirm their support for victims of sexual violence, framing the issue as a moral imperative.
The letter was signed by sheriffs from multiple counties, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Fulton, Henry, and Rockdale, in the metro area. The sheriffs of Burke and Muscogee counties also signed onto the letter.
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