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.

[shield]

You are in the minority in your community...glad to have you on board here at FR. However I think as in hollyweirdo, I believe there are many many closet black republicans. ;o)

[Rebelbase]

The courthouse in my town has a security room with about 24 video screens and only 2 people to watch it. For years these two people also served as the security info window.

Countless times I've walked past their room and seen both people yaking to a citizen at the window, yaking to other security folks, or simply not even at their station.

[Darksheare]

Charge the guys who were supposed to be watching the monitor with criminally negligent homicide.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

The politically correct are murderers!!!!

[TomGuy]

[KJC1]

Nichols appears to know which key to use to unlock the holding area door and enters a vacant courtroom on the eighth floor.

This is odd.

[CDB]

I hope this Atlanta monkey business puts an end to those PC TV shows where tiny women kick the sh*t out of huge men.

Reality TV. Yeah right.

[OldFriend]

Dare anyone ask what those two monitors were doing at the time they were supposed to be monitoring.

[OldFriend]

No suspects are to be led into a courtroom in handcuffs in any state of the union.

[RushCrush]

Did Nichols shoot Cynthia Hall?

[RushCrush]

Did Nichols shoot Cynthia Hall?

[Peach]

It's a good question and I haven't heard it addressed yet.

[OldFriend]

Also heard briefly this morning that he also obtained a second gun before he left the courthouse.

[TomGuy]

I remember being on the PC and TV as Chief Moose was doing his thang, and shaking my head in disbelief. Friday, as events unfolded, I was doing the same. And when the auto that was on the BOLO was found in the parking garage, I couldn't believe the incompetence. Thank goodness the Gwinnett police SWAT seemed more competent. Per an earlier article:

Duluth woman recounts the hours she was held hostage by Brian Nichols

[Paragraphs from the link]

As she [Smith] walks into the bright, warm daylight, Smith begins to tremble. She drives to a stop sign and dials 911. She tells the dispatcher that Nichols is in her apartment.

Within minutes, a Gwinnett police SWAT team swarms outside Smith's apartment. Nichols holds out a white piece of cloth and surrenders. Smith was watching from behind a van parked across the parking lot.

[P-Marlowe]

The problem is political correctness. A 51 year old petitie grandmother ought not to be guarding a 33 year old bodybuilder. This guy should have had some 6'5" 250 pound guard on him so that there was no chance of him being overpowered.

Police departments used to have height, weight and strength requirments, but those were all tossed out in the interests of political correctness. Had those standards been in place, this would not have happened.

[AppyPappy]

No. He said he hit her.

[Quilla]

I believe it was reported that these two "camera watchers" are actually viewing all the security cameras in the courthouse. IIRC, someone mentioned that there were 30 or 40 cameras in the Fulton Co. Courthouse.

[Kokojmudd]

"No suspects are to be led into a courtroom in handcuffs in any state of the union."

Suspects in orange jumpsuits in Pima County AZ are led into the courtroom chained together at the waist and appear to have leg irons... not sure if they are handcuffed or just chained together at the waist. I have seen this on several occasions.

[My Favorite Headache]

You nailed it. This never would have happened to begin with if they had a man in there who was his same height and weight or taller.

Stupid...stupid...stupid...political correctness.

[ExSoldier]

We had a saying in the army and I certainly hope it applies here:

TRAUMA.......TEACHES!