Grand jury hears Murray County judge case

Former Chief Magistrate Bryant Cochran and Angela Garmley. Garmley's accusations against Cochran initiated a state investigation that led to the judge's resignation.

Photo by Contributed Photo /Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Several Murray County sheriff's officers were bused from Chatsworth to Atlanta on Tuesday to testify before a federal grand jury on allegations against a former chief magistrate and two officers within their department, sources confirmed.

The sheriff's office and federal investigators were mum about the hearing.

Also Tuesday, Murray County Superior Court judges appointed Gale Buckner, commissioner of the state's Department of Juvenile Justice, to replace Bryant Cochran, who resigned as chief magistrate in August.

Buckner, who is from Chatsworth, will take over the position on Nov. 1.

Cochran has been investigated since mid-August after he was accused of asking Angie Garmley to be his mistress and have sex in his chambers before he ruled on her case. Cochran is also being investigated for presigning warrants that officers could use at their discretion.

Cochran has denied making advances to Garmley. But when he resigned, he admitted signing warrants before officers requested them. His attorney, Page Pate, later said the warrants were never used.

Pate said he knew about the grand jury hearing and believes the testimony will clear the former judge's name.

After making her accusations against Cochran, Garmley was arrested on drug charges that were later dropped. Two of the sheriff's office employees involved in the arrest, Deputy Josh Greeson and Capt. Michael Henderson, were fired for lying to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

State and federal investigators are looking into whether Garmley's drug arrest was a setup.

GBI agents told the Chattanooga Times Free Press in late August that they have no reason to believe corruption in the Murray County Sheriff's Office is widespread. But agents have declined to talk about any new details on the case.

Officials with the Northern Georgia District U.S. Attorney's office said they couldn't confirm or deny the investigation or the grand jury hearing, which is standard procedure.