
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 25, 1990                   TAG: 9005250115
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE SHENANDOAH BUREAU
DATELINE: WARM SPRINGS                                 LENGTH: Medium

DEEDS QUITS SHERIFF'S PROBE

Bath County Commonwealth's Attorney R. Creigh Deeds has surrendered his role in an investigation of the county sheriff, saying his continued involvement could damage other cases.

"I want to be able to work with them [the Sheriff's Department] in two or three other matters that are pending right now," said Deeds, who would have had to decide whether to prosecute Sheriff James Bryan Jr. "I've got to work with the sheriff and his investigators every day."

Bryan is alleged to have charged items to the county that he bought for personal use, according to Cecil Handy, special agent in charge of criminal investigations for the state police in Salem.

State police also were investigating allegations of a conflict of interest involving Bryan and his wife and son, both of whom have worked at the Sheriff's Department, Handy said.

Police have declined to elaborate on the allegations or say where they originated.

J.T. Oliver, also a state police investigator, said Thursday the investigation is complete but declined to comment on the findings. "We'll have to wait and talk to the commonwealth's attorney who's handling it, see what his feelings are," Oliver said.

A special prosecutor, Commonwealth's Attorney Raymond Robertson of Staunton, has been appointed by Circuit Judge Duncan M. Byrd Jr. to take Deeds' place in the investigation.

"I have not looked at the papers yet, and I really don't know anything about it and don't have any comment on it," Robertson said Thursday.

Bryan was unavailable for comment Thursday afternoon. He has previously declined to comment on the investigation.

Deeds, who also has declined to comment on the investigation, said he stepped aside because he felt his role in the investigation could hurt his working relationship with the sheriff.

He said his decision should not be seen as a comment on the state police's findings. "The special prosecutor can either decide to prosecute, he can decide to drop the whole thing or he can decide to investigate further," Deeds said.

by CNB