Posted on 03/13/2005 6:31:58 AM PST by mhking
A senior judge blamed the triple killing at the Fulton County courthouse Friday on sloppy security provided by the sheriff's department.
Senior Superior Court Judge Philip Etheridge said it was "absolutely ludicrous" that the sheriff's office would allow an armed deputy to be alone in a holding cell with a prisoner known to be a high security risk.
On Friday, Brian Nichols, a 33-year-old on trial for rape, overpowered Deputy Cynthia Hall, took her gun and escaped from the holding cell. He then went to Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes' chambers, where witnesses say he killed the judge and his court reporter, Julie Ann Brandau. He also is accused of killing another deputy and a U.S. Customs officer.
"This whole thing just makes me so angry because Rowland didn't need to die and Julie didn't need to die," said Etheridge.
Barnes had requested additional security for Nichols' trial on rape and other charges after deputies found two crude weapons in the defendant's socks earlier in the week. Sheriff Myron Freeman on Saturday could not say whether Hall was aware of the increased threat or whether extra precautions had been put into place.
Etheridge said the deaths were "absolutely preventable."
"You can't be lackadaisical when it comes to security; you have to get it right each time because it only takes one time," Etheridge said.
"There is no way that anyone could have thought Cynthia Hall would have been able to handle a situation with Brian Nichols. No bloody way."
Freeman, who has been in office since January, on Saturday said he will put together a task force to look at security procedures at the courthouse."It's a big issue," he said. "If something needs to be changed, we'll change it."
Freeman repeatedly refused to answer questions about current department policy or security procedures regarding prisoners. "Let's be patient and conduct a complete investigation," he said. "Once there's a complete investigation, we'll go from there."
Deputy Sgt. Charles Rambo said current policy guidelines allow a single deputy to escort as many as four prisoners at a time, and allows a solitary deputy to enter a holding cell with a prisoner.
Rambo, who ran against Freeman in the 2004 Democratic primary, said the new sheriff shouldn't be blamed for the security problem. Judges haven't always been cooperative when it comes to security measures, said Rambo, president of the Local 453 of the International Brotherhood of Police officers.
"Freeman has inherited some things and in three months he has not had the opportunity to correct some of these things," Rambo said. "He may have to battle with some of the judges on what the policies should be."
He said the office needs to develop physical fitness standards because some deputies aren't in good enough shape or are too small in stature to safely handle prisoners in a fight.
Rambo said deputies transporting prisoners should go in pairs and be armed only with Tasers, mace and batons, not loaded firearms.
Fulton judges plant to meet with other courthouse officials to discuss security procedures this week, said Superior Court Judge Stephanie Manis. "The court is going to look at all these issues including whether deputies should have guns when they are with prisoners," Manis said.
Former Chief Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Long said the court has had reports on security shortcomings from experts in past years. Some of the recommendations had been implemented but others were deemed too expensive, she said.
Other counties have different policies dealing with prisoner security. In Cobb County, for instance, two unarmed sheriff's deputies escort defendants into court and sit nearby, while an armed deputy watches from across the room.
Some sheriff's departments put a belt under a defendant's civilian clothes that can deliver an electric charge by remote control, said Dale Mann, director of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.
Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill said his office uses the belts and leg irons to control potentially violent prisoners.
"Any time we've got an inmate we think is a problem, all a deputy has to do is push a button and the electronic shock disables the inmate immediately," Hill said.
Staff writers Rhonda Cook, Don Plummer, David Simpson, Pete Scott and Alan Judd contributed to this article.
Is this the same guy who was whining about having only been on the job a couple of months? So don't blame him for anythings is what he was suggesting, I guess.
It was the same guy. Sigh.
I'm sorry. That post was just plain silly and perhaps you should re-read it and think about whether you really meant to say some of the things you said.
Thank the PC crowd for forcing the hiring of women for jobs where they are simply physically unfit.
Be the job description basic training (where most females can't throw a grenade far enough to avoid the blast/fragments of the grenade they just attempted to throw) to hiring a female to guard a male far superior to her in size and strength, Femi-Nazi, PC whackos, and assorted other varieties of socialists are the real reason for our present precarious position.
I talked to a friend from Savannah. They have a better system in place.
The "political correctness" of women's lib and affirmative action can kill. In this incident it took 4 lives. The MSM will not discuss this.
Who would you want stepping off after you in the LZ, Bob or Cathy?
Call me sexist, but there are jobs for men, that just don't fit a woman!
Magnum Side-Zip Stealth Ladies
A cold blooded killer running his streets and he is playing chaplain.
Does this rise to the level of criminal negligence?
"I said something to this effect yesterday in a thread and got flamed by about 25 people."
When you are right, you are right. ANd you were right first. ;-)
I should think it interesting to determine how many on that flamer list turn out to be flaming liberals in disguise.
Too bad Judge Etheridge was either too PC or too cowardly to say that allowing a female to be assigned guard duty is asking for this type of debacle. Females are, after all, generally weaker than males.
In closing, at least one of the victims was partially complicit in this sad state of events. The dead jurist could have addressed this issue at any time. Being a judge does give one a very much more protected place from which to speak than mere citizens.
If he was unwilling to address this issue, much less do something about the insanity of treating all jobs as equally available to all, my sympathy for him and his family is accordingly limited.
By the logic (word used 'liberally' in this specific instance) that created this sad debacle, even a wheel chair case could apply for the job of guard. And said person could sue if not hired.
For those considering about to flame me for a supposed anti-handicapped bias, think twice before acting once. If you can't remember Hawking and Robinson on your own, do yourself a favor and google those names before donning your Nomex flame gloves.
he seems to have memorized (badly) his lines
""I've only been on the job two months ... waaaaah!"
If you look closely at what the delightfully named Deputy Sgt. Rambo said, there are some liberal judges there who IMHO in the past were critical of security measures. Well, I'll bet there is a new day a dawning at the courthouse and resistance to prisoner control will be a thing of the past. And if not, hey, guess where all the 120 lb. deputies will be working!
I am unfamiliar with Georgia law, and have been far removed from New Jersey for to long to be sure, but N.J. had no such law.
The assignment judge of the county court and the Sheriff made those decisions between them, and the rules and regulations came from that.
Now we're cooking! ;)
If you have not, please see my #52. Thanks
Political Correctness will ultimately be the death of this country. Four victims in Atlanta have already found out how deadly it can be on a personal level.
I have not heard any comments by the sheriff. He however with such ill advised security procedures should be fired. Since the position of sheriff is an elected position, you get what you vote for. Any law enforcement position, whether municipal, county, state and federal should be based on the best qualified regardless of race or gender. I do opt that the constitution be admended to not allow for the hiring of muslims in any position of trust in intelligence or LEA.If the sheriff had done his job these people would not be dead, only the perp. As to the panel for investigating the incident, it should be an impartial one appointed by the AG. May the chips fall where they may. NSNR
I think this pronouncement falls under the "No $hit Sherlock" category.
Relax PC is indeed spelled correctly ;-)
>>>Senior Superior Court Judge Philip Etheridge said it was "absolutely ludicrous" that the sheriff's office would allow an armed deputy to be alone in a holding cell with a prisoner known to be a high security risk.>>>
Let's not be PC here. Alone with a FEMALE deputy. I am a woman, I can do most things men can. I cannot overpower a very large man alone. Idiots.
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