How sad http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7157845/?GT1=6305 Judge, 2 others killed at Atlanta courthouse Massive manhunt under way for man who was on trial for rape BREAKING NEWS MSNBC staff and news service reports Updated: 11:56 a.m. ET March 11, 2005ATLANTA - A judge, a court reporter and at least one sheriff's deputy were killed at the Fulton County Courthouse in downtown Atlanta on Friday. Authorities were hunting for the suspect, a man who had been before the judge facing rape charges. There were conflicting reports about the condition of a second deputy, with one saying he was grazed but another saying he had died. Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes and his court reporter were killed in the shooting inside the courtroom on the eighth floor. One deputy apparently was shot in the courtroom as well, and a second on the street outside the courthouse. NBC affiliate WXIA-TV reported that the suspect had been in court when he wrestled a gun from a sheriff, then began shooting. Apparently unshackled Police identified the suspect as a Brian Nichols, age 33, and a Fulton County resident. Nichols was in custody at the time of the shooting, facing rape charges. His trial was about to get underway, in which case he would not have been shackled so as not to prejudice the jury. After the courthouse shooting, the suspect ran to a parking garage, where he might have shot another victim, and stole a vehicle. Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Don O’Briant was beaten by the suspect outside the courthouse and taken to a hospital, the newspaper said. Witnesses said the suspect later carjacked at least one other vehicle and police have been searching the area. James Bailey, a juror at Nichols’ trial, said the jury was not in the courtroom at the time of the shooting. Bailey said Nichols had made him and other jurors nervous. “Every time he looked up, he was staring at you,” Bailey said. Judge known for compassion Barnes, who was 64, was described as a compassionate and well-respected judge. "Everybody knew Judge Barnes to be one of the judges that both sides would want to have on a case because he was knowledgeable about the law. He tempered everything he did with compassion," lawyer David Wolfe told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The names of the slain deputy and court reporter have not been released. All the judges in the building were locked in their chambers. The courthouse and other buildings in downtown Atlanta were on lockdown. Traffic in the blocks surrounding the courthouse was backed up as police cruisers flooded the area looking for the suspect. Among cases handled by Barnes was the fatal 2003 car wreck by hockey star Dany Heatley that killed his 25-year-old teammate Dan Snyder. Heatley pleaded guilty and was sentenced Feb. 4 to three years on probation and ordered to give 150 speeches about the dangers of speeding. This report will be updated as information becomes available. NBC News correspondents and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Did he wrestle the police officer, or the gun? SERIOUSLY, though, here is that ANIMAL M*TH*R F*CK*r... who is going to fry BIG TIME: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?g=events/ts/031105gacourtshootin&tmpl=sl&e=1
I don't understand how shackles could prejudice the jury any more or less. Keep them on please. Seriously...is that a rule/law in every courthouse that they can't be shackled when on trial? I work for a criminal defense attorney....I'll have to ask. I mean I can understand their reasoning.....but now that it's a safety concern I would think a defendant wearing shackles won't have THAT big of an effect on how the jury views him. Hope they catch him......
Not to distract from this horrible event, but why are all the cops fat and out of shape? Obviously it can have an effect on your reflexes.
My wife and I have been talking about this quite a bit this week. She works at the courthouse here in Houston, and security is always a worry. My thoughts go out to the families of those killed.
This is a guy they need to find dead or well no just find him and kill him don't waste teh cash on a trial. Shooting a judge and an officer in a courtroom? Good luck Mr. Nichols you're going to need it.
He's an idiot. He'd get a number of years for rape, but now he's certain to get the death penalty (I'm pretty sure Georgia does have it, doesn't it?). Was that worth it? And, since he's armed, police will probably shoot to kill. As for shackles, I can understand the concern about prejudicing the jury. Perhaps you could do something that was unobtrusive though, like lock a tracking bracelet to his ankle or something. It won't physically keep them from jumping a deputy and shooting everyone, but he'll know beforehand that he won't have long to run at all before they find him.
Why was this one of the photos? The caption reads: Philadelphia 76ers (news) guard Allen Iverson (news) (3) shoots past Atlanta Hawks (news) guard Royal Ivey as Ivey falls to the court during first half NBA action in Atlanta, Georgia March 5, 2005. No foul was called on the play. REUTERS/Tami Chappell
A guy I know on a different board works a floor below where Nichols worked and actually met the guy a couple of times. Said that at the time he seemed like a really nice guy... http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=36884&page=1&pp=50
