Linda Hunter, Superior Court Judge in DeKalb County claims to be outraged that the murdering ex-DeKalb County Deputy Sheriff was able to flee after being released on bond for two (2) counts of murder among other charges.
Magistrate Judge Winston Bethel says “It’s tragic that he was able to slip away like that,” “I can’t believe it took so long (to be notified). That is what most concerns me at this point.” Uh Judge?. some are questioning your time line. They are saying your office or the office over seeing murderers that have been released on bond, was notified early in the morning. But all this will come out in the wash.
This latest screw up not only outages us, but just plain pisses us off Judge Hunter and Judge Bethel. William Woodard who is a 3 time loser (convicted of 3 felony crimes) was allowed to be placed on probation even though this is not suppose to happen under the “3 strikes and you are out law”. And his probation was where? Could it be DeKalb County?
We are sure Judge Hunter and Bethel you don’t have the slightest idea who William Woodard is. To refresh your memory, he was released by the DeKalb County Magistrate Court after being arrested on a burglary charge. Not only that, 17 days later he guns down DeKalb County Police officers Barker and Bryant in cold blood. Only after the killings did the DeKalb D.A.'s office decide to indict him on the original burglary charge for which he was released.
Where was your outrage then Linda Hunter, Superior Court Judge of DeKalb County Georgia? Did you go to the funerals? Do you help support the fatherless children? And you Judge Bethel, this is the second time your name has come up during a screw up involving a murderer.
So you are outraged Judge Hunter, well we have been outraged. And it is time to take our outrage public, including Gwen Keyes Fleming, District Attorney, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit and her office.
Judge irate over ex-deputy's escape
Lapses freed suspect in officers murder
Monday, April 6, 2009
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25 comments:
We know this all along and now at least someone has got the media attention. This blog spells truth, and I thank you for everything you do.
The story of ineptness and corruption in Dekalb County government continues. Like a cancer, it spreads from cell to cell until the organism dies.
However, I have confidence in the office of Ms. Gwen Keyes Fleming. Thus far, she seems to be leading the fight against the cancer within Dekalb. I believe this to be true due to my personal contact with her and her associates.
My only hope is that she does not get discouraged by difficult investigations or intimidation by other government officials. I also hope that she will enlist the assistance from federal law enforcement to bring the full measure of legal force against the criminal laden ranks of Dekalb County government and the “good old boy” system that has plagued Dekalb County for years.
Oh please judge put the blame on the probation officer if they would have showed up with an slam dunk case you would have given him probation anyway. 3 strikes to most dekalb judges means after your third strike they put an house arrest which in dekalb is another joke. stop putting the blame elsewhere judges ya'll screw up everyday and let perps after perps walk out with probation after probation thats why they should just put a revolving door at dekalb intake not because of the officers but because of the judges
Judges Hunter (Barker and Bryant), Workman (Yancey) and Becker (Shamal Thompson) have made such terrible decisions that they should be ashamed enough to resign. And my opinion is based only based on well-publicized cases that made the local news. I'm sure if I had the time to follow every criminal case I'd be just as disappointed with other judges.
People continue to bitch and moan about how the police department doesn't do it's job because there are so many criminals running the streets. What they don't realize is that it doesn't matter how many time we arrest these guys, if the judges just keep slapping people on the wrist for major felonies, they'll just be out there and up to the same stuff again. Usually before I'm home from my shift. It's quite sickening!
Its nothing more than a revolving door in Decatur, we put the bad guys in jail and some lame duck Judge lets them walk.
Have some back bone would ya and start putting thier asses behind bars.
But then yet dont get me started on Deklabs jury pools gezzz.
Rock On Chief O'Brien!
I agree with Bruce Koshkin
It appears to me that Gwen Keyes Fleming has integrity and she always tries to do the right thing. She has a tough job that many cops do not completely appreciate. I have found that my fellow officers sometimes blame the District Attorneys’ office for things that they really have little control over. They have to work in a difficult system and work with difficult judges just like we do. Of course it doesn’t help matters that you have Deputy Chief Frank (and other police leaders) going around the department telling everyone how much they hate Gwen and her staff.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Don Geary is a damn good prosecutor and a good man. Chief Investigator John Richey is also a good man and he is always willing to work with and assist the police department. There has not been as much cooperation between the police department and the district attorney as there should be. I hate to say it but much of the blame lies with incompetent and arrogant police commanders.
The time has come for the citizens to stop blaming the police or the D.A. for everything and realize how horrible most of the judges in DeKalb County have become.
It was Judge Workman who gave William Woodard probation for his third felony conviction. Hunter may have handled other cases, but it was Workman who dropped the ball! It was also Workman who gave Yancey a low bond for someone charged with double murder!
Thanks again, Workman, for making us all less safe!
Did anyone else notice that Keith Adams said he knew Yancey was missing before the Sheriff's Office?? He said the Sheriff's Office told him, but he had already been told by Yancey's mother. Shouldn't Keith Adams have called the Sheriff's Office as soon as he knew his client was on the run?? Who can we call to have Mr. Adams investigated for this??
I have to come to the defense of Judge Bethel, Judge Hunter, and Judge Becker. They are some of the most conservative judges that Dekalb has on the bench. I have known Judge Bethel and Judge Hunter for over 20 years as a former robbery homicide detective. None of these Judges are defendant friendly. All of these Judges are fair.
I wonder who testified for bond on this deputy. House arrest for double homicide. That's interesting. There more to this story than been reported and needs to be heard.
Dekalb needs to up it's bond on defendants. Then Dekalb would not be a minor pit stop for these thugs. Juvenile Court need to come down hard on these children. Otherwise Dekalb Juvenile system is nothing more than a training ground for future thugs.Just remember in Dekalb, crime is an industry within itself.Lawyers, bonding companies, alarms, security companies, food and health services for jail and others profit from this county.
This problem needs good leadership. A leader is someone who leads you in the right direction. So Mr. Ellis your leadership is going to be tested here. Can you help change these things. It looks like you are trying to head down that path. Keep moving. Don't stop.
Judges are junior god's in their on worlds. They answer to no one. Judges are the weak link in the law enforcement chain.
I have not been impressed with Gwen Keyes performance in regards to how she ran the Solicitor Generals office, how she handled Vern's rape charges, and how she has directed DeKalb grand juries. I am sure she has done many good and honorable things I don't know about so feel free to contribute and correct. The Solicitors office rate of conviction dropped 15 percent under her administration. The rape charges against Vern were dropped by the alleged victim after she discovered the DA's office was not going forward to prosecute due to "lack of evidence".(and tired of getting her name dragged through the mud) This was a sordid affair and revealed much about Vern's character and personality. It could be the victim had "buyers remorse" after her tryst with that randy stud, good ole' Vern. Grand Juries, when I first came on to the county every year or so a grand Jury would troop through the spaces just to see what the heck we were up to. I haven't seen one in 15 years. This isn't just Gwen's fault because J. Tom wasn't into them real big either during his administration. Grand Juries are a wonderful tool to help keep local governments honest and efficient. They have powerful legal authority and as the jurors are citizens they have have a vested interest in keeping the government honest and efficient. In this thread I have heard folks extol the hard work and honesty of the Asst. DA. and the investigators, but not one detail about what good Gwen has done for the county. I have met Gwen under some trying conditions, and she was gracious and caring to the family of an employee involved in a very serious auto accident, so Gwen is not a bad person, I just wished she would use some of the tools available to her to make DeKalb a better place. Gwen has the legal authority to do it.
So, Mr. Cates, Judge Becker is conservative. What does that word mean to you? Maybe she is that type of conservative since she admired a web site of wedding gowns that defendant Shamal Thompson said was his creation. Judge Becker thought he was such a fine young man that she gave him first offender treatment for a burglary charge and let him walk out of court with time served. Unbeknowning to Judge Becker, I'm sure, Thompson had already been convicted of theft charges in Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Thompson then went on to murder Eugenia Calle. I don't think Thompson would have murdered Calle if Judge Becker made him serve the full ten years on his burglary conviction. That would have been the "conservative" sentence.
If you think Becker is a fair, conservative Judge, you haven't been in her court room lately. She believes anything a perp says and sympathizes with them the majority of the time. Take the previous post for example: this guy is a repeat offender. He has to break into homes to support himself. But somehow, magically in a few short months, he goes from being an unemployed (never employed) common thief to creating a very sophisticated website selling high end wedding dresses! Now, any PRUDENT person would ask, "What's wrong here??" We're supposed to believe some lowlife thug who has spent his whole life stealing was secretly an incredible web developer and expert on top dollar wedding dresses??? Hey, Judge Becker, I have some GREAT real estate to sell you in Florida!!
Because of Judge Becker's STUPIDITY and GULLIBILITY an innocent woman is dead! Or maybe she was just too lazy to dig a little deeper to see if this guy was lying to her. But like I said, perps say it, so she believes it.
I don't know how people like her sleep at night knowing their ineptness is leading to the deaths of innocent people.
Read the Champion time line on the D. Yancey escape, and as some commented on Champion online, unbelievable! Judge Bethel did not return a voice mail for four hours, and the procedures for the monitoring company were all given verbally by Keith Hughes, the Fed incarcerated former manager of pre-trial release awaiting trial for corruption. Pre-trial has had its problems since start-up. Gretta Dewald was the first manager/director, the ex-executive assistant (our boss) was appointed to the job after an election forced her out of the EA job. She received nothing but political grief for a couple of years and retired. Pre-trial continued to have issues (problems) for the next several years. I recall an office manager was fired for cell phone abuse. Keith came in and from what I could see, things seemed to settle down with Pre-trial, WRONG! Every one was just keeping there mouth shut on the corruption in the office and we did not realize how bad things were until Keith and Nora were arrested.
Yancey's escape was just some of the fall-out from the pre-trial release scandal. DA Gewn Keyes, here is a plea for good government. You control the Grand juries in DeKalb County Government. You have the power to investigate, report and if necessary, indict. Let loose the hounds of justice!
It's hard to put into words...
I enjoyed reading the posts, but was at the same time mad as hell.
As hard as our DeKalb Officers work (and we commend each of you, you do one hell-uv-a-job!), what was it a revolving door? (I liked that, I did)
We have been wondering why the media hadn't raked the Judges mentioned over the coals long ago.
I can tell you for sure, all it takes for Becker to go your way is $$$.$$ And Hunter we have suspected of the same for a long time.
It is a damned shame and I have to agree that the Judges in this County are a pitiful lot. I have only been involved in Civil cases in front of them, but no doubt, the case we have in front of Becker right now with Georgia Power, hell they own that woman.
I would really hate for her to be prosecuting a criminal I brought in. And yall have said it well! Wedding dresses, if she is that easily impressed, resigning definately would be too good for her. She needs to be put into one of those cells for a while, maybe she will begin thinking right after a spell.
Well, had to throw my two cents in on this one. I thought we were the only ones that are totally disgusted with these Judges.
Yall keep up the good work! The citizens truly appreciate you. Now, we need to get some judges who will keep the bad guys in jail.
Take care!
I have a question.
If a citizen has been a victim of fraud and corruption, who would they go to? Who in DeKalb County, would have the time for a discussion and take the discussion seriously?
Not too long ago, we went to the Tucker precinct and the top man on during the early afternoon would not even look at the documents we had.
Don't get me wrong, I am not dissing any Officers! Whenever I visit yall's site, I always try to let yall know that many of the citizens are behind yall 100%. Whenever I see that yall are wanting a bill to be favorably voted on, I contact a few people and advise them, since that is what they do.
If anyone has any suggestions on who to talk with, let me know. It really sucks sometimes trying to have like the DA's Office look at something, they treat us like we are criminals for trying to bring to light activity that could effect any of us, and especially our elderly relatives.
Anyway, keep up the good work, God knows yall have the hardest job I know of, and you do it really well!
Thanks for doing such a good job, and may God always hold you in the palm of His hand....
would actually
I'm afraid that Georgia's three-strikes law has some serious flaws: it allows judges significant discretion to deviate from recommended sentencing. Even so, however, it appears in several cases that the law itself has been ignored. In other words, broken.
It's going to take reform at the legislature to close loopholes in the three-strikes law, and it is going to take a lot of noise before anyone agrees to look into cases where the law itself was not followed by judges.
I don't believe the comments about the D.A.'s office Gwen Keyes Flemming. I called her office to advise her about a case of influencing a witness, her executive assistant Harriet Graves, put me through to Mrs. Keyes-Flemings Officer Manager, detailing my case. This officer manager said it doesn't sound like an influencing witness case to me. I then asked her if she had time for me to go in greater detail, and then set up an appointment with the D.A. She said, "no I don't have time, I am very busy, and so is Mrs.Keyes Flemming" Click. The public defender who knows about the influencing a witness case went to the D.A. as well, and Mrs. Keyes-Flemming said she was reluctanct to take the case.
So, at what point does Mrs. Keyes Flemming do the right thing, when the cameras are rolling?
"the law itself was not followed by judges"
I wonder how many times other people have said those exact words when dealing with DeKalb County Courts?
I also wonder how many people have been turned away by the DA's Office when they know damn good and sure they have been victims of crime?
It seems that no matter how hard we try, it gets worse; like banging our heads against a wall trying to get someone to take the crap seriously only to be told either "we are busy", or "we don't know who we would arrest". Those are two of the biggest cop-outs (no pun intended, you Officers are great and do a wonderful job!)
I often wonder, just who is it that the laws are directed at? Hell, sometimes I feel like hell, if the Judges, Clerks, etc. aren't going to abide by the law, why should the rest of us? Everywhere I look, there is mass amount of public corruption and white collar crime. I guess it is just we "little people" and our dedicated Police Officers out here that are supposed to be setting a good example for the rest of society.
It sure as hell isn't the County government and Judicial system!
What will it take to have Judge Hunter removed from the bench? She is a LIFE-RUINER. A loose cannon. At what point does "someone in charge" pay attention to the truth about this woman and remove her?? I am obviously confessing my ignorance about the legal system here...clearly if the people don't get out and vote her out when the opportunity arises, that's the first major problem. But here she still is, making crappy decisions that ruin people's lives...how do we get her OUT??
"What will it take to have Judge Hunter removed ...a LIFE-RUINER. ...pay attention to the truth about this woman ...clearly if the people don't get out and vote her out"
Your statements are fact. I personally know about "life-ruiner" and that the ones that can do something about her don't "pay attention" to the lives she has ruined.
Judges can be removed from the bench through impeachment according to state and federal constitutions. They take an Oath of Office, violations of which can result in impeachment. Of course, you first have to get somebody to listen to you. Judges have given themselves absolute immunity, they are accountable to no one for their actions. The only thing they are not immune from is criminal acts. Again, you have to get someone to listen to you, which they won't.
The problem with voting a Judge out is no one runs against them. Last election in which Hunter was up for re-election Tom Stubbs ran against her. I tried to let people know that she needs to be voted out. I contacted Stubbs Office to offer support, he did not bother to contact me back. One thing that worries me is that anybody running against one of these Judges is the question of are they wanting to replace the Judge because they can do better? Or is it because they want in on some of "the action"?
Without Judicial reform of some kind, the facts surrounding campaign contributions remains. More and more often, Judges throughout the country are finding cases in favor of the highest contributors to their campaigns, not who has the better case and should prevail. That is no good!
These Judges are costing people their lives, literally, and they have to answer to no one, they are not accountable for their acts.
Vote Judge Hunter out....she is Outrageous herself, and is Corrupt!
Vote her out and put real Professional Judge in!Hunter is part of the corruption.
Judge Hunter needs to be gone! She is not fair and rude! She is indeed a life ruiner!!!
Mistake happen.
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