Questions Raised in Dekalb Bullying Probe

Atlanta, GA – The county's 3-month long probe into school bullying is coming under fire. Some are saying the investigation hasn't been transparent enough and now lacks credibility.

Sue Heslup is a long-time resident of Dekalb and the mother of two former students.

"There was a lot of information that was never shared, a lot of information withheld, a lot of parents in the dark...That's what I think people are upset about."

She says her main issue is that the county has yet to produce a written report on the suicide of 11 year old, Jaheem Herrera.

Dale Davis, the spokesman for Dekalb schools, says that any findings from the case are technically private. He says it's because the county's lead investigator - Judge Thelma Moore - is actually considered an attorney.

"The facts are these, Judge Moore's report is not public record, it is protected under attorney-client privilege."

But Jim Walls disagrees.

Walls is the editor of the news website, Atlanta Unfiltered, and has followed the investigation since the beginning.

He says Moore wasn't initially hired as an attorney. Originally, she was hired as an independent investigator.

"The superintendent had said he was going to have an independent investigation done, if she's now an attorney representing the school district, then whatever investigation she made is no longer independent."

Walls has been repeatedly turned away in his requests for information. He says Dekalb has only released Judge Moore's invoices, which for June alone totaled 165,000 dollars.

School spokesman Davis says in lieu of a written report, the county is offering a video recording of Judge Moore's May press conference.

"Ultimately when the investigation is concluded that in which we are legally bound to release, we will."

But Walls and others believe that without a written report, it'll appear Dekalb is just trying to cover itself from a potential lawsuit.

Gerald Griggs is the attorney for Herrera's mother and says this is exactly what's happening.

"Basically there's a brick wall being built. It indicates it's the school district's investigation, not some independent arbiter trying to search for truth."

Griggs wants the state to take over the investigation immediately.

Judge Moore could not be reached for comment.

Jonathan Shapiro, WABE News.