Trials for two Athens County Sheriff's deputies accused of theft and perjury will begin today and continue Tuesday.

Beginning at 9 a.m., a jury will hear the case charging Deputy Investigator David Warren with theft and theft while in office. Warren's trial is scheduled to continue throughout this week at the Athens County Court of Common Pleas.

Tuesday, at 9 a.m., the jury trial for Lt. Pat Kelly, who is accused of perjury, will begin.

Sheriff David Redecker has assigned both deputies to administrative duties since they formally were charged by an Athens grand jury in late October.

Warren allegedly took between $500 and $5,000 from Robert Hatfield's wallet during a Southeast Counties of Ohio Narcotics Task Force search of Hatfield's Nelsonville property in December 1996.

Hatfield faces criminal charges at the Athens County Court of Common Pleas of trafficking prescription drugs.

Kelly was not present during the search but allegedly lied under oath to the grand jury about the incident.

Warren and Kelly were indicted after Special Prosecutor Greg Marx presented evidence to the grand jury.

Marx was assigned to prosecute the case in September 1997 by Judge Michael Ward because Athens County Prosecutor Bill Biddlestone knew many of the people involved. Wesley Mitchell, a visiting judge, will hear the case.

Athens attorneys William Grim and K. Robert Toy will represent Warren and Kelly, respectively.

- Jenny Applegate