Billy rescinds retirement plan

Escambia County (Ala.) District Attorney Steve Billy, who announced in late September that he was retiring Jan. 1, has now rescinded that retirement and will continue to serve as the county's district attorney.

Also, a complaint was filed last week with the Alabama Bar Association seeking an investigation into Billy's actions that led to the arrest and dismissal of charges against four people.

Billy, 67, said he contacted State Sen. Greg Albritton Friday to tell him that he had changed his mind and was not going to retire at this time.

"Circumstances change," Billy said Monday. "I had a lot of people encourage me to stay in office, from law enforcement and victims' family members, especially the murder cases now pending."

Billy said when dealing with victims he develops a relationship and after receiving calls from those victims' families he made the decision to withdraw his retirement.

"I've got a lot of unfinished business to tend to," Billy said.

Billy was first elected as the county's district attorney in 2004 and took office in January of 2005. He has since run unopposed and is currently serving his fourth six-year term.

Billy's current term does not end until 2028. When asked if he planned on staying in office for the full term, Billy said he had not made up his mind.

"There's just some unfinished business I want to see through, so I'll make that decision at a later date," Billy said.

Charles Jackson, wife of Escambia County School Board Member Cindy Jackson, said paperwork had been filed last week with Alabama Bar Association's disciplinary commission requesting an investigation into Billy's actions that led to the arrests of his wife, Sherry Digmon, Don Fletcher and Ashley Fore. All charges were later dismissed by the attorney general's office. The four have also filed a lawsuit in federal court against Billy and Sheriff Heath Jackson seeking damages for violating their rights.

"Billy's prosecution of Digmon, Jackson, Fletcher and Fore were baseless, retaliatory, politically motivated and an abuse of office," Charles Jackson said the complaint to the bar association reads. "Their arrests and the seizures of their phones were obvious violations of clearly established First and Fourth Amendment law. Billy knew this, but he believes himself to be the law in Escambia County, so he did not care to follow the actual law. Steve Billy should never be allowed to practice law again in the state of Alabama."