An Alabama sheriff is avoiding testifying in two lawsuits by citing her Fifth Amendment right and saying she could face prosecution for unspecified crimes.

Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin cited the need to avoid self-incrimination to delay sworn testimony in two civil lawsuits.Franklin’s lawyer, William Gray, tells the Decatur Daily the sheriff could be charged with offenses related to taxes.

But he says nothing criminal has been found yet.

A lawsuit filed by Glenda Lockhart claims Franklin and others conducted an illegal search and hacked computers in retaliation for a blog post critical of the sheriff.

A lawyer for Lockhart, Brandy Lee, says Franklin believes she can do whatever she wants. Lee is frustrated by the delays.

The other suit involves Franklin’s financial ties to a used-car business.
(Associated Press, copyright 2018)

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