The case of the Atlanta Courthouse murders - a drama in five acts.

• Author: Malone, Richard A.
• Position: State of Georgia v. Nichols

NOT SINCE THE ATLANTA CHILD MURDERS of the early 1970s has Atlanta suffered a crime that caught the attention of the world as has the courthouse murders of 2005. Because the murders were so public and brutal, they dominated the attention of the press and the community in a way that made the matter personal to those here in Atlanta and to those who work in our courts across the country.

ACT I--THE CRIME

The killer's savage beating of the jailer left her damaged for life. His trek through the large courthouse with the jailer's gun led into the judge's chambers, then through the door to the bench, and then to the shooting of Judge Barnes from behind as 54 spectators witnessed the slaughter. His turning to shoot the court reporter as she rushed to the judge's aid was caught on the security tape and was ultimately seen by all.

The killer then casually walked from the courthouse and murdered a deputy who came after him. To further his escape, he carjacked a car, and physically abused the driver. He changed vehicles every couple of blocks to throw the police off of his trail. All of this occurred in the very heart of the city and in the middle of the morning. The killer was known to everyone and his dramatic escape through the heart of the city caused life to come to an abrupt stop. Buildings were locked down and highways closed across the city.

The lights of the city and the homes of its residents remained on all night during the manhunt for Brian Nichols, the killer. His dramatic surrender the next day as the police closed in was telecast worldwide by CNN. The breaking story of his killing a federal agent at a distance from the courthouse was reported to the horror of all. It was clear that the trial of Brian Nichols would be played out on a large stage.

"All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players," opines Jacques, Shakespeare's sourpuss of the Arden forest in As You Like It.

The notion that the case of State v. Nichols would be special, interesting and full of drama was contagious. Many expected this trial to be unique, perhaps groundbreaking. However, the script for this case could have been written by experienced court watchers and capital litigators complete with a predictable cast of characters and events.

Immediately upon the report of the arrest of the defendant, the director of the Capital Defenders for Georgia, a true believer, raced to meet the officers and the killer as they arrived at the jail. He, of course, demanded that no interview of the defendant be conducted by the authorities outside of his presence, thereby attempting to invoke the defendant's right to counsel. Predictably, the police ignored the defender and, just as predictably, the lawyer turned to the press to decry the alleged violation of the defendant's rights. He, of course, knew that he could not invoke someone else's rights, but the press did not and, consequently, the public did not. At this point recriminations of the authorities began and continue to this day.

The case was examined from every angle by the press who found fault with everyone involved in the security of the courthouse. Blame was apportioned to each official for the crime and much was discussed about how this could have been avoided. Not remarkably in today's climate, the press found that everyone was to blame and everyone was responsible for keeping this...