Escaped Shooter Caught After Wild Manhunt

By David StokesSpecial to the NNPA from the Atlanta Inquirer ATLANTA (NNPA) — In random acts of violence that gripped the city of Atlanta and suburbs for nearly 30 hours last weekend, a defendant originally being tried for rape and aggravated sodomy in Fulton County was captured early Saturday morning following a crime spree that involved carjackings, muggings and the deaths of a Superior Court judge, a court stenographer, a sheriff’s deputy and a U.S. Customs Agent. The perpetrator, 33-year-old Brian Nichols of Baltimore, Md., voluntarily surrendered to Gwinnett County police officers at mid-morning, waving white cloth from his latest victim’s apartment at Bridgewater Apartment Homes off Satellite Boulevard in Duluth, Ga. Prior to the capture, however, Nichols was being intensively sought with local and nationwide broadcast alerts upon the early morning massacre at downtown Atlanta’s Fulton County Superior Courthouse that claimed the lives of Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, Fulton County court reporter Julie Ann Brandau, Sheriff’s Deputy Hoyt Teasley and later, the same night while on the run, David Wilhelm, the federal customs agent in charge of southeastern immigration enforcement. At press time, another deputy, Cynthia Ann Hall, remained in critical but stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital after sustaining a bullet to the head by Nichols while changing clothes to enter Barnes’ courtroom weeks after a hung jury was pronounced for the rape and sodomy allegations. As court proceedings were about to commence at 9 A.M. Friday, Nichols rocked foundations of individual safety by commandeering Deputy Hall’s gun out of its holster, shooting her and knocking her unconscious. The 6’1″, 200 pounds Nichols, who had recently cohabited with a girlfriend in Sandy Springs, was returning to Fulton County court upon being transported from the county jail. Jury deliberations were expected to have started at the time of fatal shootings. However, according to Renee Rockwell, an attorney and eyewitness who was near Judge Barnes’ courtroom on the eighth floor preparing for her own case, Nichols began waving the gun after entering the courtroom – walking away from his holding cell in the new courthouse, onto the walking bridge and into Barnes’ chambers, entering the courtroom from the back and moving towards the judge. Nichols allegedly proceeded to wave the gun, thereby, holding courtroom observers “hostage” and shot Barnes, Brandau and another deputy inside the courtroom. Fleeing down the courthouse stairs after the former college football linebacker, Deputy Sargeant Teasley was eventually shot to death by Nichols after they exited onto the corner of Pryor Street and M. L. King Jr. Drive. Nichols was then seen assaulting and carjacking an Asian-American at the adjacent Underground Atlanta parking deck, taking the car and heading towards the Marietta Street area. Astoundingly, it is further believed that Nichols drove past police officials while later attempting to obtain money and vehicle from another citizen, later identified as Atlanta Journal-Constitution Book Editor Don O’Briant. The condition of O’Briant was not immediately known after being taken to a local hospital, although he later appeared to be okay after being photographed with only facial wounds. Nichols, throughout the course of an hour or two after fleeing the courthouse, allegedly tried to carjack others throughout the city, including one at Baker and Spring Streets in downtown, said Atlanta Police Deputy Chief A. J. Dreher, during a City Hall news conference on Friday, and supposedly sped away in O’Briant’s green Honda Accord. Around 11 P.M., however, the car was found in Philips Arena’s parking deck at Marietta and Spring Street. Nichols was seen on the Arena’s surveillance tape fastening coat buttons, walking down parking stairs and onto the streets with hands in pants pockets. Discovered Saturday morning in the Buckhead/Lenox Mall area on Cantor Road was David Wilhelm, the federal agent now believed to have been killed by Nichols late the night before while seeking money. It has also been reported Nichols mugged visitors near Lenox Mall seeking money for shelter. “The deputies started yelling at all of us, ‘Get down!’ and ‘Get out of the way’ as he was chasing (Nichols),” said Ms. Rockwell, a defense attorney for 25 years. “I’m surprised (at the incident). This is the first time something’s like this has happened.” She stated to a reporter that as a defense lawyer and in Fulton County courtrooms for 15 years, “this was bound to happen sooner or later. These kinds of criminals have nothing to lose. (Nichols) had nothing to lose,” Rockwell said between sobs, awaiting word indicating if fellow lawyers were okay. “(Nichols) could have taken the whole courtroom out and (killed) everybody!” Rockwell also said, familiar with portions of Nichols’ case, he was on trial for sodomy and raping his girlfriend of eight years. His girlfriend moved to end their relationship after discovering Nichols impregnated another woman. With the victim’s birthday near, Nichols allegedly broke into her home, held her hostage, and later raped her while claiming to want to celebrate the female’s birthday. Rockwell did not divulge the woman’s name, but it is assumed Nichols and the woman shared a home at Fountain Lake Apartments on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. The search for Nichols continued well into the evening and night as authorities acted on many tips. Other local and federal agencies, including the FBI, assisted in searching for Nichols. According to Georgia State Patrol Trooper Larry Schnall, more than 100 troopers were deployed, along with its Aviation Unit, to comb north Atlanta and other areas reportedly spotting Nichols around the metro area. At a press conference at old City Hall, Mayor Shirley Franklin called on all citizens to pray for the families of the victims pronounced dead at Grady Hospital at around 11 am on Friday, and stated, “our police units are working around the clock to bring the perpetrator to justice.” Judge Barnes joined the Fulton County Superior Court bench in July, 1998. He was a 1972 Emory Law School graduate, and also graduated from Lebanon (Tenn.) Valley College. Barnes was in the news recently as presiding judge of Atlanta Thrasher’s Danny Heatley’s case, as well as the jurist accepting the controversial plea from a local mother choosing sterilization as opposed to prison after being convicted of neglecting a young child. Barnes is survived by wife Claudia – who was in the courthouse at the time of the shooting, according to police officials – and two daughters employed at the Clayton County Solicitor’s Office. “Judge Barnes was a fair and good man who wanted to serve the people, and one who was very, very well-respected,” said Joshua Schiffer of the Fulton County Conflict Defender’s Office. “He was one of the most respected members of the Fulton County judiciary.” Said U.S. Representative John Lewis [Dem. – Georgia], “I am deeply saddened by the loss of life at the courthouse. It is so tragic that a distinguished judge, a deputy and court reporter could all be killed in the line of duty. I join with all citizens who are praying (for the families).” “The state of Georgia owes a debt of gratitude tot he men and women who worked around the clock since the tragic events. We must never forget that this has been a personal tragedy for many Georgia families, and our thoughts and prayers remain with them,” said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. “We hope the persistence and diligence of our law enforcement officials who captured this suspect will give these families some sense of comfort.”