Brian G. Nichols: Camera rolled during attack

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 3/14/05 | YoungBlackRepublican

[YoungBlackRepublican]

A video camera, which is supposed to be monitored by two guards in a command post, shows the two arriving in the holding area between two courtrooms, according to a law enforcement official who viewed the tape.

The video shows Hall guiding Nichols, whose hands are still handcuffed behind his back, face-first into one of two open cells.

Hall releases one cuff and turns Nichols around to unhook the remaining cuff, which is dangling from his wrist. She uncuffs him so he can change from a jail jumpsuit into street clothes.

The muscular, 33-year-old Nichols then lunges at Hall, knocking the petite, 51-year-old woman backward into another cell. Both disappear from camera view because having a camera inside the actual holding cells is prohibited for privacy reasons. Two to three minutes later, Nichols emerges from the cell, holding Hall's gun belt and police radio. He picks up her keys from the floor and locks her inside the cell. Nichols then enters the empty cell.

A couple of minutes later, he emerges dressed in civilian clothes. He locks the door behind him and saunters calmly out of the holding area, carrying the gun belt, according to the law enforcement official who viewed the tape. Nichols appears to know which key to use to unlock the holding area door and enters a vacant courtroom on the eighth floor.

[Darksheare]

Yeah, had forgotten about that part of it.

[KJC1]

I don't know all of the details of this incident, or whether the deputy was complacent or not. I also really do not understand at all how Nichols was able to flee the courthouse---that part gets me the most.

Clearly, they need to examine their procedures for handling combative or possibly combative suspects. One deputy is not sufficient, even if that deputy was built like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[carolinablonde]

You're probably seeing footage of the suspects in their jumpsuits with handcuffs and/or shackles at arraignment only.

I believe during trial, the defendent is always allowed to change into street clothes and, if physical restraints such as shackles are deemed necessary, a drape is placed in front of the defendant's table so that the jury cannot see this and be prejudiced by it.

[XR7]

The muscular, 33-year-old Nichols then lunges at Hall, knocking the petite, 51-year-old woman backward into another cell.

When the hell are we, as a society, going to say "Enough is enough!" with our radical feminist social experiment?!!!

[KC_for_Freedom]

All other wheels fell of the wagon at Camp Affirmative Action.

From the appearance of the many deputies on tv that morning I suspect you are right. These jobs are likely highly sought after, and safer than duty on the street. Out of shape men and women, people with guns who are brought down by a determined runner. Camera monitors who miss so much of the action. And what about walki talkies? when was the call put out?

[YoungBlackRepublican]

"On a serious note though, I'd be surprised if charges weren't brought against them.
People died because they didn't do their jobs.:"

This is the real tragedy. If the police officers came to work that day and simply followed procedure...well I can't actually say that because I read that it was CORRECT PROCEDURE for 1 person to be transporting 1 inmate. In fact they can transfer 4 inmates to 1 guard...so I guess the procedure was jacked up from the beginning.....but how about a little common sense though...would that have been too much to ask?


By the way...major Kudos to the woman (smith) who got him to surrender. She seemed to be using her head more than the police...In fact let me think how many mistakes they've made:


1: 51 Year old female ( gender really shouldn't matter...but I live in the real world...so it does)

2: Not locking down entire court house

3: The Honda fiasco

4: Not shutting down mass transit....He took a bus to northern atlanta...then he killed again


I could probably go on and add a few I'm sure I missed but you get the point.

[Destro]

"""knocking the petite, 51-year-old woman backward into another cell. """

We run out of big men? PC hiring practices KILL!!!!!

[Madame Dufarge]

It appears from the sketches that the holding cells had solid doors and walls, not barred ones.

Bars would have made it possible for the deputy to remove the handcuffs after the prisoner was inside the cell with the door locked.

It's a curious design, if the sketch is accurate.

[Darksheare]

I hear that!

Common sense says that you have people posted at either end of the holding cell hallway.
That, and people watching the cameras are supposed to be watching the cameras.

But as my Seargent always jokingly said, "No! That makes too much sense! NEVER make sense!"

[smith288]

The presumption someone is harmless is another thing, especially when the facts indicate the prisoner isn't harmless.

If correct procedures were set in dealing with this guy, then nothing would have happened. The problem wasnt a video camera not being in his cell, nobody was watching anyways, the problem was proper safety precautions werent being used on the guy.

[Boardwalk]

There will be some huge lawsuits pending now! Mega!

[jerri]

...minimum height standards

I agree with you. However, minimum height standards or not, there should have been more than 1 deputy present when removing handcuffs from prisoners.

[YoungBlackRepublican]

"I'm not being PC at all when I say the focus on the fact that the officer in this incident is female is pretty lame and ignores the glaring fact that this same thing happens to male officers."


To me the isssue is why was he or she alone with the inmate...who cares what gender. 2 or 3 people to 1 inmate...should be a national standard of some type

[Boardwalk]

You know I was just in district court with a "landlord" matter and there was not a single metal detector in sight nor did they search bags or the person of anyone. There was an armed deputy in court, and they had guys in handcuffs before the judge whose charge was marijuana posession and also for the dwi second offenders. I thought the whole thing made no sense.

[jerri]

This is odd.

Not really, cell keys are much larger than an ordinary key.

[OXENinFLA]

U.S. V. BRIAN G. NICHOLS
Dated March 12, 2005; Filed March 14, 2005

The federal firearms charges filed against the Fulton County Courthouse slayings suspect. The U.S. Attorney for the Northen District of Georgia subsequently withdrew these charges on Monday, March 14, 2005, giving deference to the Fulton County District Attorney for prosecution of cases related to the slaying of a local judge, court reporter, and deputy in court on Friday, March 11, 2005.

http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/gafulton/usnichols31405cmp.html

U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Georgia
http://pview.findlaw.com/view/1881045_1

Criminal Defense Lawyers
http://lawyers.findlaw.com/lawyer/practice/Criminal%20Law/index.html

Findlaw Criminal Law Center
http://criminal.findlaw.com! /

States of a Criminal Case
http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/criminal_stages.html

Resources for Crime Victims
http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/crime_victims.html

[KJC1]

That's right. And given the nature of the original charges against Nichols plus the finding of shanks are strong indicators that he might be combative, thus requiring handling by more than one deputy.

[oldcomputerguy]

"You get a "petite, 51-year-old woman" overpowered by a big, strong bad guy and killed by her own gun,"

Not only was this officer not killed, she was apparently not even shot but punched or hit with an object.

[CIB-173RDABN]

We don't disagree on that point. Our disagreement is your comment that the prisoner has some right of privacy.

The only time a prisoner should have a right of privacy is when talking to their attorney.

[Howlin]

Never mind the facts.