Latest news with #DeKalbCountySuperiorCourt
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
‘That's problematic:' Woman accused of taking money from homeowners instead of cutting down trees
Victims who say a metro Atlanta tree removal business stole their money have been waiting seven years for their day in court which has still not come. Angela Hodges is charged with felony counts of theft by taking and theft by deception, dating all the way back to 2018. But she was initially a no-show, once again, in DeKalb County Superior Court for a pretrial hearing. Judge Asha Jackson was fed up with what she said appeared to be delay tactics. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'This is ongoing. Every time we have a pretrial or an arraignment, it's always something. Always. That's problematic,' Judge Jackson said. Jackson initially issued a bench warrant for Hodges after suspecting that a doctor's note claiming Hodges was sick that was sent to the court was a fake. 'The veracity of this is troubling to me. I've never seen anybody send over something that looks cut and pasted,' Jackson said. But less than 40 minutes later, Hodges appeared in the courtroom. Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray caught up with her as she was leaving the courthouse. 'So, what happened in there? We were in there. And you didn't show?' Gray asked. 'No. As soon as I got released from the hospital, I did show. And the judge took the information and is willing to hear our side of the story to get the case moving forward,' Hodges replied. Channel 2 Action News Investigates has been reporting on Angela Hodges and problems with her tree removal service since 2023. MORE FROM 2 INVESTIGATES: Is Georgia losing OB-GYNs because of the state's abortion law? Here's what we found Alleged squatter turns himself in after Channel 2 investigation DeKalb family says childhood home taken over by squatters planning VIP pool party But customer complaints date back years before that. She's been arrested multiple times in multiple counties. And there have been at least 40 civil cases. Hodges calls her business Don's Tree Experts. It is suspiciously similar to a highly rated tree removal business, Don's Tree Service. Confused customers who thought they got the other Don's told us in 2023 that they end up paying for tree removal which never happened. 'Weeks turned into months, months turned into years, and nothing has been done,' Joseph Gordon said. Channel 2 Consumer Advisor Clark Howard says it is tough to ever get your money back in civil or criminal court in cases like this. 'The cases are hard to prove. They're hard to investigate. And so, consumers are left without any help at all. Your money is gone,' Howard said. Hodges claims all her victims in the case have been refunded. A motions hearing on the criminal charges is scheduled for September with a trial date in October. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DeKalb judge resigns from judicial oversight panel after comments on Gaza conflict
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Stacey Hydrick has stepped down from her role on the Investigative Panel of the Judicial Qualifications Commission days after coming under fire for a social media post about the war in Gaza. Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne obtained a copy of a letter dated Feb. 27 from Hydrick to Georgia Supreme Court Justice Nels Peterson delivering her resignation from the panel, effective immediately. She says in the letter that she is resigning because she is 'aware of the JQC complaints being filed.' [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Hydrick has not stepped down from her role as a judge in the DeKalb County Superior Court. The judge began being criticized after making a post on social media that some found offensive, which read, 'I am absolutely broken... On the heels of watching the IDF video footage of the aftermath of the Oct. 7th massacre, these beautiful innocent babies and their mothers were returned to Israel in coffins while Gazans rejoice in celebration. 'Nothing else matters to me right now. Nothing. 'If anyone has 'no issues' with Hamas, believes there are innocent civilians in Gaza, or thinks October 7th was about land, resistance, or somehow justified in any way, you *must* watch this footage and hear with your own ears how the jihadists and the people of Gaza were celebrating and gloating about their brutal murder of Jews... Not about the murder of Israelis-- but their murder of Jews. 'Then tell me what you think it was about.' Attorney Musa Ghanayem began calling for Hydrick to resign from her role as judge after seeing the post. TRENDING STORIES: Gene Hackman death: Gas company assisting with investigation; Hackman, wife found in different rooms Police say Atlanta rapper's 'cowardly' actions led to innocent teens' birthday party murders Average tornado risk creeps up in Georgia as severe weather season begins Hydrick sent a statement to Winne that said, in part: 'I recently posted comments on social media after viewing the horrific video footage from the Oct. 7th attack on Israel. 'Judges are human beings. We see and hear things that cause us to feel emotion and to speak out. I am no different. I remain committed to reflection and recognizing how my words may be received by those who have a perspective different than my own. 'I will continue to conduct myself in accordance with Rules of Judicial Conduct that govern recusal and will disqualify myself in any case where my impartiality can reasonably be questioned, or in any case where a party feels that based on my comments, I cannot be fair and impartial.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
