Bibb County Sheriff David Davis has fired Nicholas Denny, a former deputy and investigator of the year, more than a year after allegations surfaced that Denny provided false testimony accusing a jailer of criminal activity. The case has sparked legal battles and questions about delays in accountability within the sheriff’s office.
Denny was terminated on October 15, 2024, after District Attorney Anita Howard previously reported that his testimony against jailer Kendrell Daniely was not credible. This week, the case gained renewed attention as Daniely filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against both Sheriff Davis and Denny, accusing them of misconduct.
Allegations of False Testimony
The controversy centers on Denny’s claims that Daniely, a Bibb County jailer, supplied a rifle to his brother, who was an inmate. Denny alleged that both men were members of an offshoot of the Crips street gang. Based on these allegations, Daniely was arrested in April 2023 for violating his oath of office and engaging in criminal street gang activity.
However, District Attorney Howard dropped the charges in October 2023, stating that Denny’s testimony lacked credibility. Howard has since refused to prosecute cases relying solely on Denny’s statements.
In Denny’s termination letter, Sheriff Davis criticized the discrepancies between Denny’s grand jury testimony and recorded interviews with Daniely. “These discrepancies illustrate either a willful or negligent misstatement of facts,” Davis wrote.
Fallout for the Accused Jailer
Daniely’s arrest had immediate personal and professional consequences. At the time of his arrest, he was undergoing training at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to become a Henry County police officer. Following the arrest, Daniely was dismissed from his new role, which Sheriff Davis later described as an act of malice.
“The fact that you put forth the effort to arrange for Mr. Daniely’s arrest at a location that would cause embarrassment… demonstrates a degree of malice not appropriate to law enforcement,” Davis wrote in the termination letter.
Questions Over Delayed Action
The firing of Denny has raised questions about why Sheriff Davis waited over a year to take action. District Attorney Howard expressed frustration, stating that the sheriff’s office had sufficient information to act earlier.
“Sheriff Davis and his team had access to sufficient information immediately upon notification of our concerns to make an informed disciplinary decision regarding Mr. Denny,” Howard said.
Sheriff Davis defended the delay, explaining that he waited for transcripts and further details from Howard’s investigation. “It takes time to get all of the things together that we need to make an informed decision,” Davis stated, adding that Denny was reassigned to a “modified role” and barred from leading investigations during the interim period.
