KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Story courtesy of WVLT) – Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen has asked for an independent review after a Democratic commissioner was accused of voting in the ongoing Republican primary.
Allen said the Knox County Republican Party requested that the DA’s Office pursue criminal charges against sitting Democratic county commissioner Courtney Durrett. Allen, who is a member of the Republican Party, said if the DA’s Office directly made a decision on this matter, it could lead people to question whether the decision was influenced by politics.
In a letter to the chairman of the Knox County Republican Party, Allen said she is requesting the Executive Director of the District Attorney’s General Conference to appoint a District Attorney Pro Tem to review the complaint and “make any prosecutorial decisions independently of this Office.”
“After review of the request and the surrounding circumstances, I have determined that this matter should not be evaluated by this Office due to the appearance of a conflict of interest and the importance of maintaining public confidence in the impartial administration of justice,” Allen said.
Allen added an independent reviewer will be in the best position to look at the information and determine whether prosecution with be legally and ethically appropriate. She said she believes this is the right decision for the matter at hand.
“This referral should not be interpreted as a conclusion that criminal conduct either did or did not occur. Rather, it reflects the principle that public trust is best served when politically sensitive matters involving organizations with which the elected District Attorney has an affiliation are reviewed by a neutral and detached authority,” Allen said.
According to Allen, the DA’s Office remains committed to transparency, fairness and equal enforcement of the law.
