Latest news with #GeorgiaCourtofAppeals
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former DeKalb County officer pleads guilty in 2015 shooting of unarmed veteran
The Brief Robert Olsen, a former DeKalb County police officer, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in the 2015 shooting of unarmed veteran Anthony Hill, who was experiencing a mental health crisis. Olsen was sentenced to 15 years, with 12 years commuted to time served and the remainder on probation, along with 100 hours of community service. The guilty plea concludes a lengthy legal process, with Olsen accepting responsibility for his actions, providing some closure to Hill's family. DECATUR, Ga. - A former DeKalb County police officer has pleaded guilty in the 2015 fatal shooting of an unarmed U.S. Air Force veteran who was experiencing a mental health crisis. What we know On Wednesday, Robert Olsen, 63, entered a negotiated guilty plea to a single count of aggravated assault in the shooting death of Anthony Hill, 26, who was killed on March 9, 2015. The backstory Olsen had been dispatched to an apartment complex on Chamblee Tucker Road following several 911 calls reporting a man behaving erratically. When he arrived, he encountered Hill, who was naked, unarmed, and wandering the complex. Investigators said Hill ran toward Olsen with his arms outstretched as the officer approached in his patrol vehicle. Olsen exited his car, drew his weapon, and ordered Hill to stop. When Hill did not comply, Olsen fired two shots, striking Hill in the neck and chest. Hill died at the scene. Olsen later claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that Hill had attacked him—an account prosecutors said was false. In 2019, a DeKalb County jury convicted Olsen on charges of aggravated assault, two counts of violation of oath by a public officer, and making a false statement. He appealed the assault conviction and one of the oath violations, arguing the trial court erred by allowing the jury to consider the DeKalb County Police Department's use-of-force policy. The Georgia Court of Appeals overturned those two convictions but upheld the others. While it barred a retrial on the violation of oath charge, it allowed prosecutors to retry the aggravated assault count. The Georgia Supreme Court later declined to hear the case, clearing the way for a resolution. SEE ALSO: Former DeKalb County police officer's conviction overturned: DA criticized by veterans group Ex-officer's conviction for killing naked Black veteran overturned Former DeKalb County police officer not guilty of murdering veteran Mother of slain unarmed veteran demands justice after court overturns ex-officer's verdict Georgia lawmakers call on maximum sentence for former DeKalb County police officer What they're saying "It has been more than a decade since Anthony Hill's life was cut tragically short," said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. "Defendant Olsen's guilty plea brings this long, arduous chapter to a close and through it he has finally accepted some responsibility for his actions. We hope this plea provides [Hill's family] some peace." What's next Following Wednesday's guilty plea, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson sentenced Olsen to 15 years, with 12 years commuted to time served and the remainder to be served on probation. He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. His 2019 convictions for making a false statement and the remaining violation of oath charge remain intact. The Source The details in this article were provided by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former DeKalb officer takes plea in killing of unarmed, naked Black man 10 years ago
The former DeKalb County police officer who shot and killed a naked, unarmed Air Force veteran in 2015 has taken a negotiated plea to charges of aggravated assault. Robert Olsen had already been convicted of killing Anthony Hill in 2019, but the Georgia Court of Appeals overturned that conviction. That court did say that Olsen could be retried on the aggravated assault charges against him. In a statement from the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office, it said: 'It has been more than a decade since Anthony Hill's life was cut tragically short. Defendant Olsen's guilty plea brings this long, arduous chapter to a close and through it, he has finally accepted some responsibility for his actions. I am proud of the work my team has done to secure justice for Anthony Hill and his family. We have stood with them every step of the way and made this difficult decision only after lengthy discussions with Anthony's family. We hope this plea provides them some peace.' Following the plea, the judge sentenced Olsen to 15 years to serve 12 years, commuted to time served, with the balance to be served on probation. She also sentenced him to complete 100 hours of community service. RELATED NEWS: Former officer who shot, killed unarmed Black man in 2015 has conviction overturned Ex-officer who shot, killed unarmed, naked man found not guilty of murder Former officer accused of killing naked, unarmed veteran rejects plea deal Police identify naked man shot, killed by DeKalb officer Judge allows testimony about victim's mental illness in DeKalb police shooting trial
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kemp signs bill that could make Fulton County residents foot the bill for Trump's GA legal fees
Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill on Wednesday that will make Fulton County taxpayers pay for all of President Donald Trump's legal bills here in Georgia if District Attorney Fani Willis is disqualified from the case and the charges against Trump are dropped. The Georgia Supreme Court still has to decide if Willis will be disqualified from the case. The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled in December that Willis should be removed after it was revealed that she had an affair with the special prosecutor she brought in to try the RICO case against Trump and several of his allies over attempts to overturn the 2020 election here in Georgia. RELATED STORIES: State lawmaker wants Fulton County to foot the bill for Trump's prosecution in Georgia Trump indictment: Georgia Court of Appeals affirms 3 dropped charges against President-elect Fani Willis, Fulton DA's Office removed from President-elect Donald Trump's case in Georgia Fulton DA claims Trump doesn't have presidential immunity in GA election interference case The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Trump has spent at least $2.7 million to defend himself against those charges here in Fulton County. If the Georgia Supreme Court disqualifies Willis from the case, the Prosecuting Attorney's Council will then inherit it and will ultimately decide if it should be dropped.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State lawmaker wants Fulton County to foot the bill for Donald Trump's prosecution in Georgia
A North Fulton County lawmaker wants taxpayers to pay Donald Trump's legal bills and the bills for the other election interference defendants indicted alongside him. Channel 2's Richard Elliot sat in the subcommittee hearing on Tuesday over that bill got contentious between the Republican state Senator pushing for this bill and the Democrats who are opposing it. 'Are they aware that you want them to foot this bill for Trump because of your love of Trump?' State Rep. Shea Roberts asked State Sen. Brandon Beach. 'This is not about President Trump as it is the other defendants that were wrongly accused in this case,' Beach said. Beach is so upset over Fulton County DA Fani Willis' prosecution of Trump and the others that he's now pushing a bill that would require Fulton County taxpayers to pay their legal bills. TRENDING STORIES: Fani Willis, Fulton DA's office given 30 days to pay $54K for open records act violations Trump indictment: Georgia Court of Appeals affirms 3 dropped charges against President-elect Lawmakers can subpoena DA Fani Willis for information on case against Pres.-elect Trump, court rules 'They were wrongly accused. It was a witch hunt that ruined their reputation,' Beach said. Under Beach's bill, anyone charged with a crime could have their legal fees reimbursed by a county if the prosecutor is disqualified for misconduct, and the case is ultimately dismissed. The Georgia Court of Appeals did disqualify Willis, but the case against Trump and the other defendants remains active for now. If it's dismissed, and this bill passes, Fulton County taxpayers could be on the hook for millions of dollars in legal fees. Beach insists those taxpayers need to blame Willis. 'You know what? They should've thought about that before they elected her, because she has mismanaged that office from the YSL case to the Trump case. She spent millions of dollars on these wild chases,' Beach said. Atlanta Democratic lawmaker Shea Roberts believes the bill is specifically tailored only to help Trump and the other defendants. 'Fulton County will be footing the bill for millions and millions of dollars that likely wouldn't be required under this bill that was passed without his case being a part of it,' Roberts said. The bill did pass the Senate unanimously but that was before, Roberts said, they knew it was specific to Trump. It will now go to a full committee for a possible vote.
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Judge says Fani Willis violated open records law, orders her to pay $54K in attorneys' fees
A judge has ordered Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to pay more than $54,000 in attorneys' fees and to turn over documents after finding that her office violated Georgia 's Open Records Act. Attorney Ashleigh Merchant represents former Trump campaign staffer Michael Roman, one of the 18 people indicted in August 2023 along with President Donald Trump on allegations that they illegally tried to overturn Trump's 2020 election loss in Georgia. Merchant sued in January 2024, alleging that the district attorney's office had failed to turn over public records she had requested. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause found that the failures to comply with the records law 'were intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious.' Because Willis and her office 'lacked substantial justification' for not complying, Merchant is entitled to attorneys' fees and litigation expenses totaling just over $54,000, Krause found. Krause ordered Willis to search for and turn over all records responsive to Merchant's requests. The documents and payment are to be delivered within 30 days of Friday's order. A spokesperson for Willis' office said Monday that they plan to appeal the order. Merchant posted Krause's order on the social media platform X, writing, 'Proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!!' Willis' office was 'openly hostile' to Merchant and testimony showed that Merchant's requests 'were handled differently than other requests,' Krause wrote in her order. Open records officer Dexter Bond said during a hearing that he refused to communicate by phone with Merchant, even though it was his regular practice to call the requester if a request was unclear. Treating Merchant's requests this way 'indicates a lack of good faith,' Krause wrote. Among the records Merchant sought were reports provided to Willis' office by companies hired 'to track the impact of Willis' statements to the media and whether such statements were viewed favorably by the public,' according to a court filing. The filing says Willis began contracting with those companies just before she and her office sought to indict Trump, Roman and others. Merchant also asked for a copy of the non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement that employees of the district attorney's office are required to sign, as well as a list of attorneys Willis had hired. The Georgia Court of Appeals in December ruled that Willis and her office could not continue to prosecute the election interference case against Trump and others. Willis in January asked the Georgia Supreme Court to review and reverse that ruling, and the high court has not yet said whether it will take up the case. The intermediate appeals court's ruling was based on an 'appearance of impropriety' created by a romantic relationship Willis had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she had hired to lead the case. It was a bombshell filing by Merchant in January 2024 that first exposed that relationship publicly, alleging that the relationship created a conflict of interest that should disqualify Willis and her office from the case. A grand jury in Atlanta indicted Trump and 18 others in August 2023, using the state's anti-racketeering law to accuse them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump's narrow 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. The alleged scheme included Trump's call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to help find enough votes to beat Biden. Four people have pleaded guilty. Trump and the others, including Roman, have pleaded not guilty. Even if the Georgia Supreme Court agrees to hear the case and eventually rules in Willis' favor, it seems unlikely that she will be able to prosecute Trump while he's the sitting president. But there are 14 other defendants, including Roman, who still face charges in the case.
