Coweta's County's

seach for a clerk of the Superior Court came to a temporary end this week

when deputy Clerk Cindy Brown was appointed to the position.

The position

became open after last week's stunning development that saw newly elected

Clerk Mary Jane Thompson plead guilty to one count of theft by conversion

and one count of violating her oath of office.

Thompson was

sentenced to five years probation and fined $18,384 for the theft scandal

that rocked the clerk's office earlier this year.

Thompson, who

worked in the clerk's office before she was elected, was indicted on 18

counts, including 13 charges of theft by conversion, four altering public

records counts and a violation of oath of office charge.

Coweta District

Attorney Pete Skandalakis began his investigation into the clerk's office

last February after Clerk of Court Joan Griffies reported missing funds

from her office.

"The very

next day I referred the matter to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

I have steadfastly maintained that politics, primaries and elections were

of no concern to me," he said.

Thompson was

indicted for allegedly converting more than $8,300 of court funds to her

own private use while employed at the clerk's office.

Thompson resigned

from her position last spring and successfully beat Griffies for the clerk's

job in last July's election.

Griffies has

maintained that politics has played no role in the matter and that she

merely wanted to find out where the money went.

Skandalakis

received a report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in October

and determined there was enough evidence to take it to the Coweta County

Grand Jury.

After Brown

was appointed, Probate Judge Mary Cranford announced a special election

will be conducted in March to fill the position. Griffies has not announced

whether she will run for the position.