Judge shot in courthouse

Orenthal James · 12:59 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/11/at...ing/index.html

A side note. I saw "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" last night, and a guy did this exact thing.

3 killed in courthouse shooting

Judge, court reporter, deputy dead; defendant sought

Friday, March 11, 2005 Posted: 11:52 AM EST (1652 GMT)

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A Fulton County Superior Court judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court reporter were killed and another deputy was wounded Friday when a defendant grabbed a gun from a deputy sheriff and opened fire at the downtown Atlanta courthouse, officials said.

The first shootings occurred about 9 a.m. in Judge Rowland W. Barnes' eighth-floor courtroom. Barnes was dead at the scene, Judge Gary Spencer told CNN Radio. A court reporter was also killed and a deputy wounded.

Witnesses reported more gunfire outside the courthouse. One witness told CNN that another sheriff's deputy was seen lying on the ground outside the Atlanta courthouse.

Renee Rockwell, a defense attorney, said she was on her way to the courtroom immediately following the shooting, when a deputy grabbed her and pulled her into an elevator. "While we were in the elevator, one of the female deputies started crying and said, 'The defendant took the deputy's gun and held the courtroom hostage and shot the judge.' "

All four victims were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, said Sgt. Clarence Huber of the Fulton County Sheriff's Department. A search for the suspect, identified by police as Brian Nichols, 34, was under way.

"We do have a search for the suspect ... and the suspect is at large right now," Huber said.

Nichols is believed to have to attempted to carjack several vehicles.

Warning signs on Atlanta freeways told motorists to be on the look out for a green Honda Accord with Georgia license plates 6584YN.

Nichols was reportedly facing a retrial for rape and kidnapping in Barnes' courtroom, after a first trial resulted in a hung jury. He is described as being an African-American male, 34 years old, about 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing 210 pounds.

Barnes was "extremely highly thought of in the legal community," attorney B.J. Bernstein told CNN. The judge presided over both civil and criminal cases.

"The only thing I can imagine is that someone would have had to have moved very quickly and suddenly to catch one of the deputies off guard in order to remove his weapon," she said.

Vickie Warner, a courthouse employee, said she heard "three or four shots and we looked out ... and we saw this guy running across the street, with a gun in his hand, into the underground parking deck."

A reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was pistol-whipped and carjacked in his parking garage.

Don O'Briant said a man pulled up in a dark SUV and asked him for directions. When he began giving them, the man pulled a gun and demanded his keys, according to a report on the newspaper's Web site.

O'Briant handed the keys over, but refused the man's order to get in the trunk of his green Honda Accord. The man then threatened to kill him, O'Briant said, and struck him over his left eye with either the butt of his gun or his fist. O'Briant was able to get away, but fell and was injured in the process, according to the report.

Another witness told CNN the suspect took his tow truck at gunpoint outside the courthouse and fled the scene.

The gunman "told me to get out of the truck. I told him he can have the truck. And I walked away," Deronte Franklin said.

Local, state and federal agents were processing the multiple crime scenes, and many downtown streets were blocked off. Gurneys were carried into the courthouse, but had not been carried back out. The courthouse remained on lockdown.

More than 30 schools around Atlanta also were locked down as the search for the subject continued, Atlanta Public Schools spokesman Joe Manguno said.

James Bailey, who said he was a juror at Nichols' trial, said Nichols' courtroom behavior had made him nervous.

"Every time he looked up, he was staring at you," Bailey said.

CNN's Ninette Sosa and Randi Kaye contributed to this report.

alisonmonster · 03-11-2005, 12:56 PM

holy shit what time do you serve for killing a judge anyway? death?

Orenthal James · 03-11-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alisonmonster
holy shit what time do you serve for killing a judge anyway? death?

i dont know if its that. maybe just a regular murder sentence. Of course, a jury may be more tempted to hand down the highest penalty, given the situation.

Corganist · 03-11-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alisonmonster
holy shit what time do you serve for killing a judge anyway? death?

Considering the laundry list of stuff he was in court for in the first place (rape, possession of a machine gun, drugs, etc.), and the fact that he killed a sherriff's deputy and a court reporter in addition to the judge, I'd say that this guy's gonna get punished to the fullest extent of the law no matter who he killed.

alisonmonster · 03-11-2005, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Corganist

Considering the laundry list of stuff he was in court for in the first place (rape, possession of a machine gun, drugs, etc.), and the fact that he killed a sherriff's deputy and a court reporter in addition to the judge, I'd say that this guy's gonna get punished to the fullest extent of the law no matter who he killed.

i gathered that - but say - if it was just a regular guy who happened to murder a judge i wonder how many more years they would add on the sentence? i assume its just automatic life in prison without parole.

Orenthal James · 03-11-2005, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alisonmonster

i gathered that - but say - if it was just a regular guy who happened to murder a judge i wonder how many more years they would add on the sentence? i assume its just automatic life in prison without parole.

Quote:

Originally posted by Orenthal James

i dont know if its that. maybe just a regular murder sentence. Of course, a jury may be more tempted to hand down the highest penalty, given the situation.

Corganist · 03-11-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alisonmonster

i gathered that - but say - if it was just a regular guy who happened to murder a judge i wonder how many more years they would add on the sentence? i assume its just automatic life in prison without parole.

If you're wondering if there's some kind of requirement that you automatically get more time for killing a judge...no, not really. Like Orenthal said, its all up to the jury, so they may be more willing to treat someone who kills a judge more harshly than someone who kills Joe Schmo, but they may not be. There's nothing set out in the law that says "killing person x is worse than killing person y".

TIMb · 03-11-2005, 01:16 PM

and then you get this shit!

Corganist · 03-11-2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TIMb
and then you get this shit!

Not sure what you're getting at with this. What does carrying guns have to do with what happened with this guy in the courthouse? He stole a gun from a deputy. He didn't carry it in himself.

drizztduorns · 03-11-2005, 02:30 PM

thats pretty leet. i would have fumbled the gun or missed or something. in any case im surprised he got away

Orenthal James · 03-11-2005, 02:53 PM

I wonder wether or not he practiced for it.

Injektilo · 03-11-2005, 04:53 PM

Apparently it's the same judge who oversaw the Dany Heatly case......

uhh... n/m.

03-11-2005, 12:54 PM	#1
Orenthal James Minion of Satan Location: standard hotel accommodation Posts: 9,399	Judge shot in courthouse http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/11/at...ing/index.html A side note. I saw "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" last night, and a guy did this exact thing. 3 killed in courthouse shooting Judge, court reporter, deputy dead; defendant sought Friday, March 11, 2005 Posted: 11:52 AM EST (1652 GMT) ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A Fulton County Superior Court judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court reporter were killed and another deputy was wounded Friday when a defendant grabbed a gun from a deputy sheriff and opened fire at the downtown Atlanta courthouse, officials said. The first shootings occurred about 9 a.m. in Judge Rowland W. Barnes' eighth-floor courtroom. Barnes was dead at the scene, Judge Gary Spencer told CNN Radio. A court reporter was also killed and a deputy wounded. Witnesses reported more gunfire outside the courthouse. One witness told CNN that another sheriff's deputy was seen lying on the ground outside the Atlanta courthouse. Renee Rockwell, a defense attorney, said she was on her way to the courtroom immediately following the shooting, when a deputy grabbed her and pulled her into an elevator. "While we were in the elevator, one of the female deputies started crying and said, 'The defendant took the deputy's gun and held the courtroom hostage and shot the judge.' " All four victims were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, said Sgt. Clarence Huber of the Fulton County Sheriff's Department. A search for the suspect, identified by police as Brian Nichols, 34, was under way. "We do have a search for the suspect ... and the suspect is at large right now," Huber said. Nichols is believed to have to attempted to carjack several vehicles. Warning signs on Atlanta freeways told motorists to be on the look out for a green Honda Accord with Georgia license plates 6584YN. Nichols was reportedly facing a retrial for rape and kidnapping in Barnes' courtroom, after a first trial resulted in a hung jury. He is described as being an African-American male, 34 years old, about 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing 210 pounds. Barnes was "extremely highly thought of in the legal community," attorney B.J. Bernstein told CNN. The judge presided over both civil and criminal cases. "The only thing I can imagine is that someone would have had to have moved very quickly and suddenly to catch one of the deputies off guard in order to remove his weapon," she said. Vickie Warner, a courthouse employee, said she heard "three or four shots and we looked out ... and we saw this guy running across the street, with a gun in his hand, into the underground parking deck." A reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was pistol-whipped and carjacked in his parking garage. Don O'Briant said a man pulled up in a dark SUV and asked him for directions. When he began giving them, the man pulled a gun and demanded his keys, according to a report on the newspaper's Web site. O'Briant handed the keys over, but refused the man's order to get in the trunk of his green Honda Accord. The man then threatened to kill him, O'Briant said, and struck him over his left eye with either the butt of his gun or his fist. O'Briant was able to get away, but fell and was injured in the process, according to the report. Another witness told CNN the suspect took his tow truck at gunpoint outside the courthouse and fled the scene. The gunman "told me to get out of the truck. I told him he can have the truck. And I walked away," Deronte Franklin said. Local, state and federal agents were processing the multiple crime scenes, and many downtown streets were blocked off. Gurneys were carried into the courthouse, but had not been carried back out. The courthouse remained on lockdown. More than 30 schools around Atlanta also were locked down as the search for the subject continued, Atlanta Public Schools spokesman Joe Manguno said. James Bailey, who said he was a juror at Nichols' trial, said Nichols' courtroom behavior had made him nervous. "Every time he looked up, he was staring at you," Bailey said. CNN's Ninette Sosa and Randi Kaye contributed to this report. Last edited by Orenthal James : 03-11-2005 at 12:59 PM.

03-11-2005, 12:56 PM	#2
alisonmonster Minion of Satan Location: gasoline alley Posts: 9,019	holy shit what time do you serve for killing a judge anyway? death?

03-11-2005, 01:16 PM	#8
TIMb Minion of Satan Location: i am the terror that flaps in the night Posts: 6,595	and then you get this shit!

03-11-2005, 02:30 PM	#10
drizztduorns Banned Location: H-TOWN Posts: 90	thats pretty leet. i would have fumbled the gun or missed or something. in any case im surprised he got away

03-11-2005, 02:53 PM	#11
Orenthal James Minion of Satan Location: standard hotel accommodation Posts: 9,399	I wonder wether or not he practiced for it.

03-11-2005, 04:53 PM	#12
Injektilo twenty some years.... Location: the isle of the cheetah Posts: 5,066	Apparently it's the same judge who oversaw the Dany Heatly case...... uhh... n/m.