Georgia

Dad faces controversial felony murder case in death of toddler son in hot car

All the evidence hasn’t yet been made public in a controversial felony murder case against a Georgia father whose young son died last week after being left in a child seat in a hot vehicle, police say. Justin Ross Harris, 33, was also charged with child endangerment, in a prosecution…

Jun 26, 2014 6:10 PM CDT

Fired public defender files whistleblower suit against his former employer

Fired last fall after he complained about a huge caseload and a hot, moldy office, among other issues, a former assistant public defender has now fired back. Last week, lawyers for Leo “Jim” Kight Jr. filed a whistleblower suit on his behalf. It contends that the Towaliga Circuit public defender…

Jun 23, 2014 9:05 PM CDT

Federal judge nixes receiver’s suit, says law firms aren’t ‘insurers of good behavior’ by clients

A federal judge in Georgia has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a receiver against an Atlanta law firm, finding that attorneys have no duty to blow the whistle on their clients. On the contrary, except in very limited circumstances, lawyers are bound by a duty of confidentiality to their clients,…

Jun 16, 2014 10:30 PM CDT

Waffle House CEO sues 3 lawyers for alleged extortion during settlement effort

The CEO of Waffle House has filed a civil racketeering conspiracy lawsuit against three attorneys, accusing them of engaging in extortion during settlement negotiations in a sexual harassment matter being pursued by a former employee. CEO Joe Rogers Jr. alleges in the Cobb County, Georgia, suit that attorneys John Butters,…

Jun 11, 2014 3:50 PM CDT

Prosecutor shot three times expected to survive; her estranged husband committed suicide, police say

A Georgia prosecutor who was shot by her estranged husband on Friday was still in critical condition at last report but was nodding her head to response to others following surgery and is expected to survive, authorities said. April McConnell, a 31-year-old assistant Fulton County district attorney, was taken to…

Apr 28, 2014 3:00 PM CDT

Prosecutor is critically wounded when shot in what DA calls a domestic incident

A Georgia prosecutor has been hospitalized in critical condition after being shot Friday morning along with another person. There is no reason to believe the shooting of April McConnell is related to her work as a Fulton County prosecutor, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said…

Apr 25, 2014 6:14 PM CDT

Kidnap crew meant to abduct prosecutor, but went to wrong address and got her dad, indictment says

The father of a North Carolina prosecutor abducted from his home earlier this month was kidnapped by mistake, says a federal indictment filed Tuesday. The defendants intended to kidnap the prosecutor who earlier put the alleged ringleader of the abduction plot in prison for life, but got her father instead…

Apr 23, 2014 2:45 PM CDT

Law grad takes surprise plea in dismemberment slaying of classmate

A Mercer University law graduate accused of killing and dismembering a classmate soon after both graduated in 2011 has taken a plea in the grisly murder case. Stephen McDaniel will get a life term, with the possibility of parole in 2041, for the slaying of Lauren Giddings, who was his…

Apr 22, 2014 12:00 PM CDT

2 new suspects named, $25K reward offered in kidnapping of prosecutor’s dad

Two additional suspects have been named in the kidnapping of a North Carolina prosecutor’s father earlier this month and one has been taken into custody. Both Jakym “Jak” Camel Tibbs and Quantavious Thompson have been charged with conspiring to kidnap Frank Janssen, 63, who was rescued in Atlanta last week…

Apr 17, 2014 9:10 PM CDT

More suspects at large in kidnapping of prosecutor’s dad, federal prosecutor says

Five individuals facing charges, along with an imprisoned reputed gang leader, in the kidnapping of a North Carolina prosecutor’s father will remain in custody, a federal judge in Atlanta ruled Tuesday. The victim, Frank Arthur Janssen, 63, was rescued in Atlanta last week by an elite FBI team. Assistant U.S.…

Apr 15, 2014 9:25 PM CDT

Elite FBI team rescues prosecutor’s dad from kidnappers in Atlanta

Updated: The father of a North Carolina prosecutor was abducted from his Wake Forest home last week in retaliation for her work on a prison inmate’s case, authorities say. Frank Arthur Janssen, 63, was rescued Wednesday night in Atlanta by an elite FBI team after being held for five days.…

Apr 10, 2014 4:50 PM CDT

Judge jails in-house lawyer who complained in email about being selected for jury service

An Atlanta in-house lawyer was jailed for 24 hours by a Georgia judge for contempt after she complained to him in an email about being selected for jury service in a personal injury case. Wilma Elizabeth Beaty was also fined $500 by DeKalb State Court Judge Dax Lopez after she…

Apr 7, 2014 3:30 PM CDT

Lawyer who sued her client for allegedly misleading her during consultation wins appeal

A Georgia appeals court has upheld a verdict for a lawyer who accused her client of misleading her in an initial consultation and defaming her in online reviews. Lawyer Jan Hinson had alleged the client, Vivek Pampattiwar, lied when she asked him if a divorce action was pending and defamed…

Mar 31, 2014 10:45 AM CDT

Judge grants change of venue for law school classmate charged in woman’s dismemberment

Citing “incessant” publicity about the grisly 2011 slaying and dismemberment of a recent Mercer University law graduate, a Georgia judge has agreed to a change of venue for the classmate accused of Lauren Giddings’ murder. A Bibb County judge ruled Wednesday that Stephen McDaniel will be tried in Henry County,…

Mar 21, 2014 12:40 PM CDT

Solo practitioner ‘single-handedly set the stage’ for massive GM recall

Although it had known for years about an issue with ignition switches in some General Motors vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration didn’t require a recall, lawyer Lance Cooper told Bloomberg. It wasn’t until the Georgia solo practitioner dug for evidence against the automaker in a wrongful death case…

Mar 17, 2014 5:40 PM CDT