Latest news with #JacksonvilleBarAssociation
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Woman seeks to start new family 9 years after ex murdered her twins, father
After nine difficult years, a former Jacksonville woman is trying to start a new family after losing her 5-month-old twins and father to her ex in 2015. Megan Hiatt shared with Action News Jax how her faith, husband, and mission have given her a second chance at life. 'I loved him. I was very sad at what he did. And I still have love for him,' Megan Hiatt said. She is speaking about her ex, Gawain Wilson. On November 13, 2015, Wilson used an AR-15 to kill Hiatt's father and their twins, Hayden and Kayden, before taking his own life. 'I prominently remember him saying 'I'm going to kill your dad and I'm going to make you watch. I'm going to show you what over is,'' said Hiatt. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] At just 22, Hiatt laid on the floor with bullet wounds while cradling one of her twins. She sought forgiveness from her father in his final moments. 'My dad said 'it's okay. Where are the girls?' I told him they were gone.' Despite being shot, her father got back up several times. 'Then I asked him why he kept getting back up,' she said. 'That's when he told me he wanted to make sure there were no bullets left. That was the last thing I heard him say. Read: Friend recalls victim in triple murder-suicide as loving, caring father and grandfather 'I decided to fight for my life that day. I knew I needed to be an advocate for domestic violence education and to enjoy life again.' Now, nine years later, Hiatt is thriving. 'Next week, I celebrate my four-year wedding anniversary with my amazing husband. I'm now working in international advocacy.' After undergoing more than 40 surgeries since the shooting, she and her husband, Joseph Johnson, hope to try for motherhood again. 'I realized I had healed enough to be a mom again a few weekends ago at my niece's first birthday.' Hiatt offers this advice to anyone suffering from domestic violence: 'You leave everything else behind. It is not worth the time.' Hiatt attributes her resilience on that tragic day to her faith. Read: 'Disappointing': Jacksonville Bar Association supports city attorney after 'no confidence' filing [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Disappointing': Jacksonville Bar Association supports city attorney after ‘no confidence' filing
The Jacksonville Bar Association, made up of around 2000 local lawyers, has come out in support of the city's top attorney. Following continued disputes with General Counsel Michael Fackler, City Councilman Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large) filed a resolution Tuesday that, if approved, would express a vote of 'no confidence' in the lawyer and his services. Read: No confidence resolution filed targeting Jacksonville's top attorney Salem said he expects the resolution to come up for a final vote in six weeks. In response to the filing, the Association issued the following statement Wednesday: 'It is disappointing to see councilmembers condemn our city's lawyer because his legal advice has not comported with their agenda. Under Section 7.02 of our City's Charter, the General Counsel has binding authority over the consolidated government and is obligated to provide binding opinions when requested. 'The Resolution expresses disagreements with prior decisions by the General Counsel without any indication that he did not exercise his independent legal judgment in good faith. Further, the Resolution vaguely refers to prior General Counsels and other attorneys' opinions that the General Counsel reached the wrong conclusion, without citing their names or reasons. 'The duly appointed General Counsel enjoys the respect of the Jacksonville legal community and has earned his reputation as a highly skilled lawyer. As General Counsel, he is required to make difficult legal decisions and is bound by the oath taken as a member of The Florida Bar. We are confident that he will continue to perform his role by adhering to the law as outlined in the City Charter.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The resolution lays out several of the battles the council has fought with Fackler, starting with his opinion that allowed Mayor Donna Deegan (D) to remove the last public-facing Confederate monument in Jacksonville. Read: Final Confederate monument in Jacksonville comes down in Springfield Park Following that disagreement, the city council hired its own legal counsel. The most recent conflict came earlier this month, when Mayor Deegan issued the first veto of her administration. It blocked a City Council-approved $4-million-a-year contract boost for Meridian Waste that members said was financially necessary. The council overturned her veto, but Fackler determined the council didn't have the authority to authorize the increase in the first place. Salem says he expects an expensive legal battle from Meridian soon aiming to make the city enforce the contract increase. Read: After rebuke from legislative leaders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pledges to veto immigration bill [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
