Report: Abernathy helped inmate get early release

ATLANTA - A report out Tuesday says a member of the Georgia parole board helped former state Senator Ralph David Abernathy III win early release for a prison inmate. <br> <br> The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports in Tuesday&#39;s editions that board member Betty Ann Cook says she had no idea Abernathy was accused of being paid for his influence when she moved up the inmate&#39;s parole date. <br> <br> The newspaper reports that officials said Cook failed to document Abernathy&#39;s request. <br> <br> Abernathy - who served about a year of his four-year prison release for misappropriating state money - was arrested Friday on charges of violating his parole. <br> <br> The State Board of Pardons and Paroles says Abernathy is suspected of taking 35-thousand dollars from friends and relatives of two inmates to hire an attorney to seek their early release from prison. The people who complained to authorities say Abernathy never hired a lawyer. <br> <br> Abernathy denies any wrongdoing. <br> <br> Cook said in a prepared statement that she made her decision based on ``the thorough review of all aspects of the case.&#39;&#39; She says Abernathy never told her he took a fee to speak to her. <br> <br> Alecious Dolan Robinson was released five months early because of Cook&#39;s request. He was in prison on auto theft charges. According to Cook&#39;s statement, Robinson already was scheduled to be released from the Atlanta Transitional Center when Abernathy first approached her in October 2001.

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