Columbus County DA, Jody Greene’s attorney speak after resignation
COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Less than a week after Jody Greene was sworn in as Columbus County Sheriff, he has resigned –– again.
On Wednesday, during a hearing to remove Greene from office, his attorney, Michael Mills, announced Greene’s plans to resign from the current term as sheriff when the hearing began.
This is the same thing that happened in October, when District Attorney Jon David filed a petition to remove Greene from office due to alleged racist remarks Greene made in 2019. “The state was prepared to call witnesses today to into evidence in the form of multiple exhibits, to include audio tape recordings, to prove by clear and convincing evidence that Jody Greene had done precisely what we’ve alleged he has done,” Jon David said.
Last week, Jon David filed a petition for Greene’s removal and permanent disqualification from the office of Columbus County Sheriff on the same day Greene was sworn in.
Greene’s resignation became effective immediately Wednesday morning. “The same petition resurrected itself again and he finds himself in this ordeal,” said Michael Mills, Jody Greene’s attorney. “Since then, there have been several investigations ongoing, of which Jody’s denied all wrong in those investigations, but they still take an emotional and economic toll on him, his family. The proceedings –he felt were disrupting the Sheriff’s Department and he loves Columbus County. Therefore, he wanted to put this behind him.”
Some of the other allegations included in both petitions for removal filed against Greene claim he engaged in a sexual relationship for months with a detective at the sheriff’s office, partaking in the act in his office, in his county-issued Dodge Durango, at a shooting range in Columbus County and at Greene’s house in Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina.
“Sadly, when the SBI got involved, we learned that this phone call was merrily the tip of the iceberg,” David said. “There was other inflammatory allegations that came to light and courtroom is the place where we prove allegations. It’s one thing to make allegation, it’s another thing to prove them.”
Investigation into potential criminal conduct is still ongoing.“Nothing about Jody Greene resigning today changes the fact there is a comprehension investigation which is ongoing and will persist again into the future, not just against Jody Greene but deputies under his command,” said David.
Captain Kevin Norris will become acting sheriff until county commissioners can appoint one. WWAY has reached out to a spokesperson for Columbus County for a comment on their next steps, but have not yet heard back.
