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MARIETTA - According to a Cobb County police report, District 4 Commissioner Annette Kesting, a lightning rod for controversy, met with a high priestess of voodoo in late August in South Carolina "and wanted her to cause the death of a man named 'Woody Thompson'" through cancer or a car wreck.

When contacted by the Journal on Monday, the priestess, George Ann Mills of Blythewood, S.C., said Kesting came to her place of business after seeing her ad in a newspaper and gave her a picture of Thompson.

"I said he looks pretty healthy to me," Mills said. "And she asked, 'is there anything you could do about it?' I said, 'like what?' She said kill him."

Kesting on Monday called the whole situation "ridiculous."

"I don't understand what's going on," she said. "You never know who doesn't like you."

Mills, however, gave the Journal a convincing description of Kesting and her husband, Christian, and the car in which they arrived.

Thompson, a former Cobb commissioner, defeated Kesting in the Aug. 5 Democratic runoff for the District 4 seat. Thompson faces Republican Barbara Hickey in the Nov. 4 General Election.

Mills claims in the Sept. 26 report that Kesting wanted her to perform a "death ritual" on her prior political opponent because, "during the election, her opponent had cheated and smeared her name."

According to the Richland County, Va., Sheriff's Office, payment for a death ritual is illegal and would be considered a "solicitation of hire for murder."

Mills also told the Journal that a death ritual is illegal and she thought Kesting was with some type of enforcement trying to "set me up."

According to the Cobb police report, Mills said Kesting wrote her a $2,000 check "for the ritual," dated Aug. 27, and a $1,000 check, postdated Sept. 11, "also for the same ritual."

Both checks bounced when Mills tried to cash them, according to the report.

Mills said Kesting ended up giving her two, $1,000 money orders to replace the first check that bounced, but never paid her the remaining $1,000 from the second bounced check.

According to the police report, Mills talked with Kesting on Sept. 26 and "demanded that Kesting pay her money."

"According to Mills, Kesting told her she was going to report her to the police for harassment," the report states. "Mills stated that was when she decided to contact local authorities and advise them of the checks and the death rituals."

Mills told the Journal she did not perform the death ritual. She said Kesting left without Mills telling her whether she would or would not perform the ritual. Mills said she did three things that Kesting had asked for - to do rituals so "her son would be able to get a job, so she was able to keep her house" and a money ritual after Kesting told her she had problems with property she owns, Mills said.

The police report also noted that Kesting "asked for prayer for her personal finances and protection for her family," and that Mills said she did not conduct any "death ritual."

Kesting has a legacy of financial difficulties during her four-year term on the Cobb Commission. In 2008, nine foreclosure notices for rental properties she and her husband own in Powder Springs have been submitted to the Journal's legal section. The Kestings have also been cited by Powder Springs code inspectors for more than 20 maintenance violations for their three properties.

When contacted by the Journal about the police report on Monday afternoon, Kesting said she's never contacted a voodoo priest and said she does not know Mills.

"Someone is trying to play some games on me," she said. "I don't even think like that."

Kesting said she believes she may be the victim of identity fraud.

She said she left her purse at a local McDonald's some time ago, although she cannot remember the exact date or location. When she returned to retrieve her purse, she said it was gone.

She said she reported the loss of her credit cards and checkbook to her bank, Washington Mutual. But she did not file a report with police.

Kesting's attorney, Sims Gordon of the Marietta law firm Gordon and Boykin, contacted the Journal Monday afternoon. He said Kesting contacted him after the Journal began asking questions concerning the police report.

Gordon said Kesting told him she's "never seen a witch doctor in her life," and he believes her claims are true. Any claims the Journal printed to the contrary could be considered libel or defamation of character against Kesting, Gordon said.

Mills told the Journal that Kesting "came up to see me" in a "black, older Mercedes or BMW with no rims." She "came together with her husband, Christian" who she described as a "short, white man."

Documents filed with United States bankruptcy court in 2003 by the Kestings show that the Kestings are owners of a 1992 Mercedes Benz.

Mills told the Journal, Kesting is "dark-skinned, not short, not tall," with "curly hair" and "she knew all about witchcraft and voodoo."

At the request of the Cobb Sheriff's office, John Bankhead, spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said the GBI is investigating the allegations. He said the GBI is still in the early stages of the investigation.

"We don't know if there is a crime at this point," he said.

He would not comment further.

Because all of the allegations occurred in South Carolina, Cobb Public Safety Director Mickey Lloyd said there is no investigation by Cobb authorities.

"No crime happened in Cobb County; if there was a crime, it happened in South Carolina," Lloyd said.

Mills told the Journal an officer with South Carolina's State Law Enforcement Division, James Flowers, was talking with her and would return today to ask her more questions.

SLED officers on Monday night said the Journal would have to call back today for inquiries.

Lloyd did say he alerted Thompson to the police report about a week ago after he learned about it.

"I gave him the heads up," he said. "I didn't know if it was true or not, but I felt like he needed to be made aware of it."

Thompson said he was aware of the claims, but didn't want to comment on the report.

Cobb Chairman Sam Olens said he could not comment on the report because there is an ongoing investigation.

This is not the first controversy for Kesting during her term on the commission. She was first elected in 2004.

She faced criticism for remarks she made at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Marietta during the church's Black History Celebration in February.

Kesting said in her speech that she prays everyday for her enemies because "I have to go up on the third floor and work with white women."

She said the people she works with at the county are "not Christians," and that when she enters her office, she can feel "the evilness" surrounding her.

"So it is up to me to be the leader, to continue to carry out that strength and, not only that, stay as a Christian woman," she told the church. "Because I am the first."

ahungerford@mdjonline.com and bwilson@mdjonline.com

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