Sheriff Woolfork Doesn’t Resign Before Deadline
JACKSON, Tenn- Sheriff David Woolfork’s parking spot was empty on Monday afternoon; but his attorney said it’s not because he resigned, although a deadline was set for 5 p.m., Monday. “He made the decision that he’s not going to resign just because the Commission wants him to resign,” Mark Donahoe, Woolfork’s attorney said. County Attorney, Steve Maroney, said he will move forward at the County Commission’s instruction with an ouster lawsuit against Sheriff Woolfork. “I’ll start the process immediately after receiving the letter from the clerk,” Maroney said. Last Monday the County Commission voted to give the Sheriff seven days to resign, based on an independent investigation into sexual harassment claims by two female deputies, Sharon Sangster and Lisa Balderrama. “We don’t feel there is a basis for the ousting process,” Donahoe said. Maroney disagrees. Because the clerk’s office closes at the same time of Sheriff Woolfork’s deadline, Maroney said he’ll likely begin filing the ouster lawsuit on Tuesday. In the meantime, because no criminal charges have been filed, the Sheriff will remain in office. “The sheriff plans to show up and do his job and run the department like he has for the last 20 years,” Donahoe said. Maroney said the ousting process could take months. He doesn’t expect a verdict to be reached until sometime next year.
