Who is Felicia Franklin? Wiki, Biography, Husband, Kids, Age, Family, Education, Net Worth

Felicia Franklin (born on 15 June 1972, Age: 51 years old) is a Georgia county commissioner who made headlines in September 2023 when she was found passed out on a sidewalk outside a sports bar and later became combative with the police and the paramedics.

She claimed that she was drugged by someone at the bar, but the police investigation and the hospital tests revealed that she had cannabis in her system and no traces of any date rape drug.

She was fired from her position by the Clayton County Board of Commissioners in October 2023 and is now suing the county for wrongful termination. Here is everything you need to know about Franklin, her personal and professional life, and her controversial incident.

Personal Life, Education, and Family

Felicia Franklin was born on June 15, 1972, in Atlanta, Georgia. She is 51 years old as of November 15, 2023. She graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration. She also holds a doctorate in education from Argosy University.

She is married to James Franklin, a retired Army veteran and a businessman. They have three children: James Jr., Jasmine, and Jaden. They live in Jonesboro, Georgia, and are active members of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Professional Career and Achievements

Felicia has a long and diverse career in public service, education, and business. She started her career as a teacher and a principal in the Clayton County Public Schools system. She then worked as a director of operations and a regional vice president for a national education company. She also founded and operated her own consulting firm, Franklin Educational Services, which provided training and coaching for educators and administrators.

She was elected as the District 3 Commissioner of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners in November 2020, defeating the incumbent Sonna Singleton Gregory. She became the vice chair of the board in January 2021. She was the first African American woman to hold that position in the county’s history. She was also the chair of the finance and audit committee and the vice chair of the public safety and transportation committee.

As a commissioner, she advocated for economic development, infrastructure improvement, public safety, and quality of life in her district and the county. She was instrumental in securing federal funds for the county’s COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts. She also initiated several programs and projects, such as the Clayton County Youth Commission, the Clayton County Small Business Grant Program, the Clayton County Senior Citizens Center, and the Clayton County Transit System.

She received several awards and recognitions for her work, such as the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys Trailblazer Award, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Outstanding Public Service Award, the National Association of Counties Achievement Award, and the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce Community Leader of the Year Award.

Controversial Incident and Lawsuit

On September 29, 2023, Felicia went to the 404 Sports Bar and Grill in Morrow, Georgia, with some friends. According to the police report and the video footage, she consumed at least four alcoholic drinks and a sip of beer at the bar. She then left the bar and collapsed on the sidewalk. The police and the paramedics arrived at the scene and found her unconscious and unresponsive. They tried to revive her and load her into an ambulance, but she became agitated and combative. She cursed and kicked at the officers and the medics, and refused to cooperate with them. She also claimed that she was a county commissioner and that she was drugged by someone at the bar.

She was taken to the Southern Regional Hospital, where she refused to take a blood test, but agreed to a urine test. The test results showed that she had cannabis in her system, but no traces of any date rape drug, such as GHB. The police concluded that there was no evidence that she was drugged and that her behavior was likely caused by alcohol and cannabis intoxication.

The incident sparked a public outcry and a media frenzy. Many people called for her resignation or removal from office, citing her lack of judgment, professionalism, and integrity. Some of her colleagues and supporters defended her, saying that she was a victim of a possible crime and that she deserved due process and privacy.

On October 19, 2023, the Clayton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to fire Franklin from her position, effective immediately. The board cited her violation of the county’s code of ethics, conduct, and performance, as well as her damage to the county’s reputation and credibility. The board also appointed a replacement for her district until a special election is held.

On November 1, 2023, Felicia filed a lawsuit against the county, the board, and the individual commissioners, alleging that they violated her constitutional rights, breached her contract, and discriminated against her based on her race and gender. She claimed that she was wrongfully terminated without a fair hearing, due process, or evidence. She also claimed that she was targeted and treated differently than other commissioners who had similar or worse incidents in the past. She demanded reinstatement, back pay, damages, and attorney fees.

The county and the board have not yet responded to the lawsuit, but they have expressed confidence that they acted lawfully and appropriately. They have also stated that they will defend themselves vigorously in court.

Ex-Spouse, Marriage & Children

Franklin’s ex-husband is Kenya A Warner, a former NFL player and motivational speaker. They were married for 15 years, from 1998 to 2013, and had four children together: Kenya Jr., Kyla, Kameron, and Kaden. They divorced due to irreconcilable differences and shared custody of their children. Franklin and Warner remained on good terms after their divorce and supported each other’s careers and endeavors.

Warner congratulated Franklin on her election as a county commissioner in 2020 and defended her after her controversial incident in 2021. He also expressed his concern for her health and safety and urged the public to respect her privacy. Franklin thanked Warner for his support and praised him as a great father and a friend.

Felicia Franklin Wiki/Bio

Net Worth and Salary

Franklin’s net worth and salary are not publicly disclosed, but according to some sources, she earned about $50,000 per year as a county commissioner. She also had income from her consulting business and her husband’s business. Her net worth is estimated to be in the range of $500,000 to $1 million, as of November 15, 2023. However, her net worth may be affected by the outcome of her lawsuit and the legal fees involved.

Georgia lawmaker sues county for firing her after she was found passed out drunk in street

A Georgia lawmaker who was found passed out drunk in the street outside a bar is suing the county for firing her from her job as a commissioner. Felicia Franklin, who represents District 3 in Clayton County, claims she was drugged by someone at the 404 Sports Bar and Grill in Morrow on Sept. 29, 2023, and that the county violated her due process rights by terminating her without a hearing.

What happened that night?

According to police records, Franklin was seen on video having five drinks at the bar with her friends, including two shots of tequila, two margaritas, and a vodka cranberry. She also ordered food but did not eat much of it. Around 11:30 p.m., she left the bar with her friends and walked to the parking lot, where she collapsed and hit her head on the pavement. A police officer who was patrolling the area found her unconscious and called for an ambulance. She was taken to the Southern Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Franklin told the police that she did not remember anything after leaving the bar and that she believed someone had put something in her drink. She said she had been on medication for two weeks, and that her doctor told her that her symptoms were consistent with being drugged with GHB, a common date rape drug. She also said she had received threatening messages from someone who wanted her to resign from her position as a commissioner.

However, the police said they found no evidence to support her claim of being drugged. They said the video footage from the bar showed that she was not approached by anyone suspicious and that she drank all of her beverages herself. They also said that the blood test results from the hospital did not show any traces of GHB or any other drugs in her system, except for alcohol. Her blood alcohol level was 0.21, more than twice the legal limit for driving.

How did the county react?

The county manager, Ted Rhinehart, sent Franklin a letter on Oct. 4, 2023, informing her that she was being fired from her job as a commissioner, effective immediately. He said that her conduct on Sept. 29, 2023, was “unbecoming of a public official” and that it “damaged the reputation and integrity of Clayton County.” He also said that she had violated the county’s code of ethics, which prohibits commissioners from engaging in any conduct that is “detrimental to the public interest.”

Franklin appealed the decision and requested a hearing before the Board of Commissioners, which is composed of four other commissioners and a chairman. However, the board denied her request and upheld her termination. The board said that Franklin had failed to show any cause for a hearing and that her conduct was “inexcusable and indefensible.”

What is Franklin’s lawsuit about?

Franklin filed a lawsuit against the county, the county manager, and the board of commissioners on Nov. 13, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. She is seeking reinstatement, back pay, damages, and attorney fees. She is also asking for a jury trial.

In her complaint, Franklin alleges that the county violated her due process rights under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, by firing her without a hearing and without giving her a chance to defend herself. She also alleges that the county discriminated against her based on her gender and race, as she is a black woman. She claims that the county has a history of treating female and minority commissioners differently than male and white commissioners and that she was targeted because of her outspokenness on issues affecting her district.

Franklin also denies that she was drunk on Sept. 29, 2023, and maintains that she was drugged by someone at the bar. She says that the video footage from the bar was edited and manipulated to make her look bad and that the blood test results from the hospital were inaccurate and unreliable. She says that she has medical records and expert witnesses to support her claim of being drugged.

What are the possible outcomes?

The county has not yet responded to Franklin’s lawsuit, and the case is still pending in court. The possible outcomes are:

• The county could settle the case with Franklin, and agree to reinstate her, pay her compensation, and drop the charges against her.
• The county could fight the case, and try to prove that Franklin was drunk, not drugged, and that her firing was justified and lawful.
• The case could go to trial, and a jury could decide whether Franklin was drugged or drunk, and whether the county violated her rights or not.

The outcome of the case could have significant implications for Franklin’s political career, as well as for the county’s reputation and governance. Franklin was elected as a commissioner in 2020, and her term was supposed to end in 2024. She is also a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing District 63, since 2018. She is currently running for re-election in 2024. If she wins her lawsuit, she could regain her position as a commissioner, and continue her legislative work. If she loses her lawsuit, she could face public backlash, and lose her credibility and support.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrKynspmle6S7zGiuoqOZZLOmuMicoJpllqeur7fLoqVo