Barrow County, GA - September 20, 2007 - Home Owners Opposing Power-line Encroachment, Inc. (HOPE of Georgia) has learned that off duty law enforcement Officers are intimidating citizens facing the threat of eminent domain by members of the power industry. Recently a Georgia citizen was subjected to an unlawful and false arrest by a for-hire off duty Barrow County Sheriff's Deputy.

It is a fact that on May 2, 2007, 60 year old Georgia citizen, Nellie Sue Worley, female, widowed, Gwinnett County school system employee was arrested in her own Barrow County home for attempting to be present during the survey process for a proposed easement. The easement is to construct a high-voltage 230kV transmission line on her property. Review of the police report filed by Deputy Bush of the Barrow County Sheriff's Department clearly shows Ms. Worley was within her constitutional rights and did not violate state or federal laws by seeking to remain on and to move freely about her own property.

"The details surrounding this and other violations of a Georgia citizen's property rights as well as their civil liberties by false imprisonment are more than unsettling. It is unfathomable to think that in her own home, this 60 year old lady was arrested, handcuffed, taken away in a patrol car, strip searched, deloused, clothed in inmate attire and jailed until her family obtained her release by posting bail several hours later", said HOPE Chairman Mike Carter. A month later the Barrow County District Attorney dropped all charges against Ms. Worley.

Ms. Worley's rights were obviously violated; HOPE has learned that Worley's counsel Donald C. Evans with the firm Vaughan & Evans, LLC has filed a complaint on her behalf with the Barrow County Clerk of Court this morning. This complaint alleges tortuous and illegal actions were perpetrated by the named defendants in this case and ask that a jury determine the damages. Several citizens that complained of mistreatment and alleged intimidation by Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) and/or agents working on they're behalf have contacted HOPE regarding this proposed transmission line and want to see justice in all of their cases.

Representatives with HOPE plan to meet with Georgia's Governor and the leadership in both Georgia's House and Senate to encourage and assist them in drafting stronger citizen friendly laws that still allow for needed improvements to our infrastructure. Georgia's leaders must display additional courage and support further legislative changes to prevent the power industries' continued preferential treatment that fosters an environment of abuse and intimidation of upstanding property owners in Georgia.

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