New Jail Release Options in Cobb County
Comprehensive bail reform is sweeping through the country. These reinvent-the-wheel reforms have had mixed results. However, comprehensive bail reform hasn’t happened in Georgia, and it probably won’t happen. The Peachtree State has one of the lowest unsentenced inmate percentages in the nation. So, while lawmakers have embraced some tweaks, there’s a very strong “if it […]
Solid, Discredited, and Questionable Scientific (Forensic) Evidence in Criminal Cases
The landmark 1993 Supreme Court decision Daubert vs. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals was technically a civil case that pertained to expert witnesses. However, this case also has broad implications for criminal cases. This ruling makes a judge the gatekeeper regarding scientific evidence. Basically, the judge, and the judge alone, decides if scientific evidence is reliable enough […]
Wanted: Appeals Lawyers to Represent Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers
Officials are having trouble finding attorneys to represent Greg McMichael, who was sentenced to life, and Roddie Bryan, who was sentenced to 35 years, as they appeal their federal hate crime convictions in Ahmaud Arbery’s murder. Georgia Public Defender Council attorney Kenneth Sheppard told the judge his organization would only represent Timothy McMichael, since “he […]
Fulton County DA Says She’ll Keep Using Rap Lyrics as Evidence
Fani Willis advised local hip-hop artists to “get out of my county” if they didn’t want inflammatory song lyrics used as evidence against them in court. At issue is an August indictment alleging that the Drug Rich gang targeted influencer and celebrity homes for burglary or other misdeeds. Earlier that month, Willis used similar evidence […]
Georgia Man in Custody Following Funeral Fight
A Chesterfield man faces multiple criminal charges after he allegedly fired a gun into the air during a funeral. Police investigators say a fight broke out at a funeral. During that fight, a man pulled out a pistol and fired two shots into the air. Rosalinda Rivera, an associate pastor at New Life Outreach International […]
Ex-Lawmaker Sentenced on Stalking Charges
A Bulloch County State Court Judge sentenced a former Georgia State Representative to twelve months of probation after he pleaded guilty to stalking a former employee. Delvis Dutton was charged in April 2021 with stalking and trespassing at the home of a former employee and trying to contact the employee. He was also charged with […]
Are DUI Checkpoints Legal in Georgia?
Lots of people ask this question around Labor Day. DUI checkpoints usually pop up all over Cobb County on this holiday weekend. That’s because many people associate Labor Day with hot food, close friends, good football, and harmless fun. The State of Georgia’s definition of “harmless fun” might be quite different from your definition. And, […]
Multiple People Sentenced in Large Meth Distribution Network
A federal judge has so far sentenced fifteen individuals to almost one-hundred sixty years in prison for their roles in a large methamphetamine distribution network. “These individuals are being held accountable for their part in a significant methamphetamine trafficking network responsible for funneling more than 100 kilograms of a highly addictive and deadly drug in […]
Marijuana Breathalyzer Test Coming to the United States
The National Institute of Science and Technology has earmarked $1.4 million to study roadside cannabis chemical tests. This study is part of an overall effort headed by the National Institute of Justice. So far, the NIJ has committed over $14 million to over two dozen marijuana breathalyzer researchers. “With these awards, NIJ continues its dedication […]
Some Probation things to Know in Cobb County
Since 2007, the probation population has leveled off slightly in Georgia. More troubling, however, is the rise of punitive surveillance. Essentially, for many probationers, personal information is no longer personal. Instead, the county tracks probationers’ location, biometric, and other meta-data. The law imposes almost no restrictions on this activity. Worse yet, many counties contract these […]
