Posted on 03/15/2005 4:31:20 PM PST by Graybeard58
ATLANTA -- The deputy, a 51-year-old woman just 5 feet tall, was simply no match for the inmate she was escorting to the courtroom, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound former college linebacker on trial for rape.
Authorities say Brian Nichols overpowered deputy Cynthia Hall, took her gun, and easily gained access to the courtroom, where he went on to kill the judge and a court reporter. Security cameras captured images of him overpowering the deputy, but no one, it turned out, was watching the screens.
There were more security gaffes. Earlier in the week, Nichols was found to have had two homemade knives in his shoes while in court. And the vehicle reported to be his getaway car was found more than 13 hours after the shootings -- in the same parking garage where it was allegedly carjacked.
Authorities are investigating how the security breakdowns happened on that bloody Friday morning, and they are vowing changes will be made. The issue is getting national attention as well, with Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying he would hold congressional hearings on improving security at courthouses and for judges.
Among the issues being looked at in Georgia are better training, increasing deputy staffing, requiring inmates to be handcuffed in the courtroom and a security standard that would apply to every courthouse in the state.
"You go to courthouses across Georgia, you would find everything from high security to no security," said state Sen. Joseph Carter, a lawyer. "I've been to courthouses where they see you in a suit and they say, Are you an attorney? Come on in.' You appreciate the courtesy, but that always gives you a little pause."
The heightened security is the result of what happened when Nichols, 33, allegedly went on a rampage as he was being taken to the courtroom for his rape trial. In addition to the judge and court reporter, he is accused of killing a deputy outside the courthouse and a federal agent while he was on the run. Nichols surrendered Saturday after a woman he had taken hostage apparently coaxed him into it.
Prosecutors on Monday dropped a weapons charge against Nichols and a mistrial was declared in his rape case. Nichols could appear in court as early as today, authorities said.
Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Clarence Huber declined to elaborate on what security changes were made at the Fulton County Courthouse when it reopened Monday. But longer lines at a checkpoint near the entrance indicated more thorough searches.
Huber said the courthouse had a good track record before the rampage, but added, "We're going to be much more vigilant and much more cautious in doing our jobs."
Prosecutors actually had asked for increased security surrounding Nichols last week after he was found with the homemade knives -- one crafted by a door hinge, another from piece of metal "the size of a TV remote," said Barry Hazen, the suspect's attorney in his rape trial.
Hazen said security at the courthouse has long been a concern. He said he has met inmates in rooms without a deputy posted outside. Microphone wire guides made of metal or plastic sit on courtroom tables, potential weapons within easy reach of an inmate, Hazen said.
"There were times when I felt very uncomfortable," he said. "I don't think they have enough deputies."
Huber said the number of deputies at the courthouse is sufficient, but acknowledged that inmates outnumber the staff. "It's not uncommon to be moving four inmates at one time -- with only one deputy with them," Huber said.
Authorities have said Nichols was not in handcuffs or shackles as he was being moved to the courtroom because they did not want to taint the jury by showing him in restraints.
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that people on trial can be shackled in front of the jury, but only if prosecutors have a strong argument for it. Prosecutors could very well have won that argument in Nichols' case because of the knives.
Nichols apparently took Hall's gun from a lockbox, using her keys, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday. Officers normally remove their guns when transporting inmates because of the possibility that the prisoner will grab the weapon from the holster.
The newspaper also reported that a courthouse surveillance camera recorded the attack on Hall, but no one in the control center noticed.
The episode points to the need for a national courthouse security standard similar to what keeps federal courthouses secure, said Howard Safir, a former operations chief for the U.S. Marshals Service and chairman of SafirRosetti Security Co.
Safir said that in federal courthouses, "you're not going to put a large prisoner with a violent history and with a history of having been found with weapons alone with someone virtually half his size."
Federal security agents analyze an inmate's threat potential and take appropriate security measures. A series of locks and other safeguards prevent unauthorized people from getting into a judge's chambers and then into the courtroom, Safir said.
DUH!
No S$it. These guys have an acute sense of the obvious and near perfect hindsight vision.
They made up for their lapses today having a total of EIGHTEEN burly officers equipped with every weapon known to the police including Tasers, escorting a heavily manacled prisoner to a courtroom located IN the jail.
I feel so much safer knowing these idiots are still in charge. /sarc
Brian Nichols overpowered deputy Cynthia Hall
Well DUH, ya think?????? Maybe little miss Cynthia should not have been assigned to guard (and I use the term guard loosely,) to guard the 200 pound linebacker ya think? How 'bout a couple of burly MEN instead? This PC crowd has cost 4 people their lives.
Among the issues being looked at in Georgia are better training, increasing deputy staffing, requiring inmates to be handcuffed in the courtroom and a security standard that would apply to every courthouse in the state...
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Yes, another prize-winning writer hits the mark. Maybe just the fact that this known, violent, weapon-carrying murderer, should have been enough TO KEEP HIM SHACKLED during the trial -- INSTEAD OF THE POLITICALLY-CORRECT BULL EXCREMENT "law" that does not permit this, since it might influence the jury's opinion about the maggot. Is this not the HEIGHT OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS STUPIDITY -- IT COST A BUNCH OF LIVES. Again, another example of how stupid (liberal) this pandering is.
I nominate this headline for the most understated statement in history. Talk about pulling one from the "No Sh*t" file...
Duh. Headline should read: "Political correctness hiring continues to cost more lives."
Affirmative action and the Peter principle are responsible for the fiasco.
actually, what led to the courthouse slaughter was perp. He was assisted by security lapses. However, he made the decision to kill those people. I don't want to see that get lost in the blame game.
Wonder where the two LEO were doing instead of watching the monitors.....Going out for donuts and coffee?...If they'd been doing their job, the entire courthouse would have been on lockdown.
Oh yeah. It was quite a show. Very large Guards replete with Body armor and all. You know, just like the four TSA types you would always see frisking Granny AND her 1 year old grandchild after 9/11 - Such a cost effective and reassuring presence!
Ya' think?
Hell, when they found the missing green Honda right under their noses in the original parking garage, I'll bet they never even looked in the trunk (to see, for example, if Nichols had crawled in to off himself or ditch some clothes)!
sometimes "common sense" is only common is hindsight.....what a shame..........
Naw, I read on another thread that when it was found out that Nichols was on the loose it was not taken seriously, so even if the LEO's were paying attention they probably would not have taken it seriously, you know, munching on donuts, sucking back coffee, how can what they are seeing on the screen be real, this is America damn it, people don't run amuck killing others, no, not in this country, thank the libs for letting this happen and thank them also for letting Nichols have his dignity, heaven forbid we SHACKLE the loser.
Atlanta? I live in Surry County, we have much more security provided.................unreal
Bet that took a rocket scientist to discover flaws.
Yup. Sort of reminds me of that sarcastic skit I saw on a comedy show last night mocking out PC employment practices that give people jobs they have no business doing. A double amputee was trying to give a customer of a spa a massage and a blind woman was going to give her a bikini waxing.
This just in: Officials find lapses in security led to Atlanta's court slaughter
WIsh I'd kept the picture posted on the first day of 4-6 LEO just standing around outside the courthouse. They could have been searching the garage and at least known he was on foot.....
I'm sure the White Van had something to do with it.
Now if Atlanta hires Chief Moose ...
I nominate this headline for the most understated statement in history. Talk about pulling one from the "No Sh*t" file...
If they had his hands in heavy gloves, he couldn't put his finger in to pull a trigger.
I also heard well known defense atty Ron Kuby say that in NYC (not federal) they will bring the prisoner/defendant in in handcuffs (and worse I suppose on occasion), seat him at the defense table, un-cuff him, and THEN bring in the Jury. This is not rocket science.
Searching the garage? Surely you jest! and take away from their time gawking at whatever was walking down the street or heaven forbid, take away from them eating and drinking!
Exactly,,,,,affirmative action, just burns my butt, if you're not qualified for the job, find something else to do, we should not have to lower our standards to accommodate you - if you're not qualified to enter the school, go somewhere else, we should not have to lower our standards to accommodate you, if you can't pass the test to become a fireman or a police officer do something else, we should not have to lower our standards to accommodate you, damn that burns my butt! The rest of us earn our way and others get a freakin' pass because of skin color or gender. Unnnnnggggggg, I need a beer!
The obvious answer, of course, is that the deputies should not be carrying guns......(sarcasm/)
SHe wasn't carrying her gun....It was in her locker....BUt he took her keys and open the locker....Apparently all caught on film that no one was watching.
You're damn right!
Affirmative action or PC, both play a part IMO.
Well, maybe the deputies shouldn't be carrying keys to the gun locker.
No. You think so, Captain Obvious?
I'd like to see the film of the inital attack. Anyone have a link?
Be very easy to have a locked room with an attendant, camera connected to a person who could release the lock or anything more to go through before they got to the locker.
Sounds more and more like a firecracker that was already lit just waitin to pop.
We all realize it. However, taxpayers pay a lot of money for these officers and the technology that is supposed to help guard against a criminal acting out.
In addition to the video camera being unmonitored when it was supposed to be, I believe it was CNN today that reported they have learned Judge Barnes' secretary hit the panic button in the courtroom twice and it is "not clear" what the response was.
I imagine by today if there had been a response CNN would have been able to learn that.
>>>Among the issues being looked at in Georgia are better training, increasing deputy staffing, requiring inmates to be handcuffed in the courtroom and a security standard that would apply to every courthouse in the state. <<<<
How about some minimal Physical standards for guards.
Can you imagine a bar hiring a bouncer that was 5 foot tall?
Can you imagine a performer hiring a bodyguard that was 5 foot tall?
At some time in their career most guards or Law Enforcement Officers will be required to physically restrain a perp. It is plain stupid to have a 5 foot guard.
I'm not condoning the security problems. I'm just tired of the first thing being asked is, "Who do we blame?"
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