Man who had calls with attorney monitored is acquitted

<p>An Athens man, whose case brought attention to a phone system that allowed police and prosecutors to eavesdrop on privileged conversations at the county jail, has been acquitted in a home invasion robbery.</p><p>A Clarke County jury on Thursday found Christopher Wade, 41, not guilty of charges of armed robbery, aggravated battery, burglary and two counts of aggravated assault.</p><p>Wade, a former wide receiver for the University of South Carolina's football team, had been arrested along with Tomi Chamberlain. Police accused the two of forcing their way into an apartment in February 2003, tying up and beating a resident and stealing cash.</p><p>But in a June 17 hearing, Wade's defense attorney, Jeffrey A. Rothman, asked for a mistrial after learning that a prosecutor monitored calls concerning trial strategy between Wade and his former attorney, Adrian Patrick.</p><p>The hearing revealed that police and prosecutors have had access to a computerized system that records all outgoing calls from the jail, except to the University of Georgia Legal Aid and Defender Clinic, which has a secure line.</p><p>Superior Court Judge David Sweat denied Rothman's motion for a mistrial because the phone-monitoring practice was well-posted in the jail. But Sweat said he was "very disturbed" to learn of the eavesdropping practice.</p><p>Sweat later met with two other judges, who all signed an order demanding that the sheriff's office remedy the system.</p><p>Rothman said he was "very pleased" with Wade's acquittal, especially in light of the eavesdropping revelations that came out in the case.</p><p>Co-defendant Chamberlain pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of burglary in April 2003. She was sentenced to one year in prison and nine years of probation.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2866444)</p>