Donovan officially resigns, required to give up law license

The former Paulding County District Attorney Richard “Dick” Donovan will spend a year in jail after he took a guilty plea rather than face a trial over several indictments including a birbery allegation, accepting the lesser charge of unprofessional conduct by engaging in malpractice, misfeaseance or malfeasance in office, per a report from Patch.com earlier this afternoon.

Donovan, who was indicted in 2021 on charges following an investigation into his conduct with a former employee, who was later arrested on shoplifting charges that were dropped in a 2019 case in Polk County.

His false statements under oath about sexual harassment claims made by Jamie White and the recordings made afterward are what ultimately led to his major legal troubles.

With his guilty plea before Judge Stephen Schuster, he was sentenced to spend 12 months on probation, was forced to resign officially after being suspended last February, and will lose his law license.

The 76-year-old was first indicted on a count of bribery, violation of oath of office by a public officer and two counts of false swearing.