Edwards recuses himself from Baker school lunch fraud case

ALBANY, Ga. — Dougherty Country District Attorney Greg Edwards has recused himself from the school lunch fraud case of Morningside Principal Gloria Baker and her husband, John.

Edwards will hand the prosecution off to South Georgia District Attorney Joe Mullholland who was already handling the case against Doughtery County School Board member Velvet Riggins.

“I have asked Mr. Mullholland to take the Baker’s cases in the interest of consistency and uniformity as the cases are reviewed.” Edwards said. “He will also handle the case of the school board member.”

While stepping aside from prosecuting the school lunch fraud cases, Edwards said Tuesday his office would handle any possible prosecutions that arise from the DCSS CRCT cheating scandal.

In November the Bakers were charged with three misdemeanor counts of falsifying school lunch applications to obtain free lunches for the child. A month later Riggins was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of falsifying lunch applications for her child.

Riggins was also charged with an additional felony count of Offense by a Public Official.

Last month, the School Board hired Macon attorney and Mercer Law School Professor James Fleissner to look into the BOE’s options in pursuing possible fraud within the system’s school lunch program.

Fleissner said Tuesday he is still in the midst of compiling data and making comparisons to similar caes in Charlotte, N.C. and Chicago.

“I plan on being at the next School Board meeting on Feb. 13 where I will present the board with options on how to best look into the matter,” Fleissner said.

Fleissner said that he was not making recommendations to the board, but would only be providing legal options in advance of any possible investigation.

“The Board will have to decide where to go from there,” he said.