EXHIBIT 99(a)

COMMUNITY                                                   PRESS
BANK                                                        RELEASE

                      COMMUNITY BANK REACTS TO INDICTMENTS

For Immediate Release - October 30, 2003, Blountsville, Alabama

Community Bank has reviewed the U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
describing the indictments returned on October 29, 2003 by a federal grand jury
in Birmingham that has been investigating alleged improprieties of two of its
former officers. A copy of this Press Release is attached.

The Bank's current Chairman and CEO, Pat Frawley, said:

         "The action by the U.S. Attorney is a positive development for our
Bank. It is another step towards resolving the issues related to the Bank's
prior management that have clouded our organization. We have cooperated fully
with the investigations leading up to these indictments and will continue to do
so. We respect our judicial process and have full confidence in it. However, our
primary mission is to restore the Bank's profitability, maintain adequate
capital, overhaul corporate governance processes, generate sound growth, serve
our communities, and produce a respectable return for our shareholders. That is
what our current Management Team and Board of Directors is singularly focused on
and we don't intend to stop until we achieve our goals."

         Frawley continued: "Community Bank represents thousands of customers,
employees, and shareholders and it is unfair to continue to taint and burden the
many, many loyal and good people that comprise this organization with the
allegations and controversies that have plagued the Bank for far too long. I
want to personally thank and recognize our loyal and valued customers, our
dedicated and highly skilled associates, and our patient but vigilant
shareholders. We intend to make all of them proud of our efforts."



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         Former Chairman and CEO, Kennon R. Patterson, Sr. received sufficient
votes at our last shareholders' meeting to remain on the Board of Directors of
the Bank's parent holding company, Community Bancshares, Inc. However, neither
he nor former Vice President, Larry Bishop, who was also indicted, hold any
other officer or director positions with the Bank, its subsidiaries, or its
parent holding company. Community Bancshares plans to again seek Mr. Patterson's
resignation as a result of these indictments and will continue to vigorously
pursue recovery of all amounts owed by Mr. Patterson to the Bank.

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         Community Bank, the principal subsidiary of Community Bancshares,
Inc., headquartered in Blountsville, Alabama, had total assets at September 30,
2003 of approximately $537 million and operates 20 banking offices in North and
West-Central Alabama, providing competitive financial services to individual
and corporate customers. In addition, the Bank operates a consumer finance
company with 12 offices, an insurance agency, and a real estate appraisal
company.

         Certain statements in this Release may be "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These
forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts and may be
identified by their reference to a future period or by the use of
forward-looking terminology, such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "may"
and "should." These forward-looking statements include, without limitation,
those relating to the Company's future growth, profitability, capital adequacy,
and shareholder value. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those
indicated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. These
factors include, but are not limited to, changes in economic conditions and
government fiscal and monetary policies, changes in prevailing interest rates
and effectiveness of the Company's interest rate strategies, laws, regulations
and regulatory authorities affecting financial institutions, changes in and
effectiveness of the Company's operating or expansion strategies, geographic
concentration of the Company's assets and operations, competition from other
financial services companies, unexpected financial results or outcomes of legal
proceedings, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's press
releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake
no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances occurring after the date of this Report.

Community Bank - "MAKING A DIFFERENCE, ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME."