Ga. sheriffs offices to comply with HB 105; Arbery prosecutor meddling case dismissed

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Hosted by Peter Biello, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Episode: Ga. Sheriffs Offices to Comply with HB 105; Arbery Prosecutor Meddling Case Dismissed
Release Date: February 5, 2025

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1. Immigration Enforcement Updates in Georgia

Governor Brian Kemp's administration has intensified immigration enforcement nationally, a move that local sheriff's offices in Georgia are gradually adapting to in accordance with HB 1105, a state law enacted last year. This legislation mandates that local law enforcement notify federal authorities when individuals without legal status are incarcerated and outlines protocols for their transfer to immigration detention facilities.

Grant Blankenship of GPB News elaborates on the implications of HB 1105:

"Georgia's HB 1105 requires local law enforcement to tell federal officials when they have someone without legal status in their jail and when they can transport them to immigration detention."
[01:03]

Despite these requirements, the expectation that local agencies would conduct immigration raids independently of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has not materialized. Agreements between ICE and local agencies stipulate that only jailers, trained with ICE arrest powers, can perform immigration arrests, specifically targeting individuals already detained on local criminal charges.

David Davis, Bib County Sheriff, reflects on the limited impact of HB 1105 on his office’s operations:

"We've got gangsters and folks shooting up houses and doing things like that, that's kind of occupying our time right now. If I've got a person that's out there hard working whether they're illegal or not, and they're not breaking the law and not getting on our radar, then they're not going to be bothered by us."
[01:49]

As of now, ICE has not initiated any large-scale raids in Bib County, indicating a restrained application of HB 1105 by federal authorities.

2. Latino Community Responds to Federal Immigration Crackdowns

Amid increasing federal immigration crackdowns, the Latino community in Georgia has been actively voicing their concerns and resilience. At a recent event hosted by the Latino Community Fund, Democratic State Senator Jason Estevez addressed the community:

"Despite the fact that this president has attempted to divide us and to drive up fear and has caused pain in our community, our community will continue to thrive."
[02:25]

Conversely, conservative-leaning Latino groups held their own Latino Day celebration, where Republican Representative Ray Martinez expressed his sadness over the immigration raids:

"And what I tell the Hispanic community is that you have to focus on what the Trump administration is saying. They want to get rid of the bad apples first."
[02:56]

Sarah Kalis of GPB News reports that immigration remains a pivotal topic in Georgia's legislative agenda, reflecting the community’s divided yet unified stance on the issue.

3. Dismissal of Charges Against Former Prosecutor in Arbery Case

A significant development in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial saw the dismissal of remaining charges against Jackie Johnson, the former District Attorney of Glynn County. Senior Judge John Turner delivered a directed verdict acquitting Johnson of the obstruction charge and subsequently dismissed the sole remaining charge of violation of oath of office.

Michael Hall from the Brunswick News, reporting with GPB’s Orlando Montoya, delves into the details:

"The directed verdict. I believe he used the word scintilla. He had not seen a scintilla of evidence that she had actually called the police that day."
[05:51]

Johnson faced allegations of interfering with the investigation by allegedly diverting the case to a neighboring DA and instructing police officers not to make arrests on the day of Arbery’s death. However, the judge found insufficient evidence to support these claims, leading to the dismissal of all charges.

Reactions:

• Prosecution (Georgia Attorney General Kris Carr’s Office): Maintains belief in the strength of their case despite the dismissal.

• Jackie Johnson: Remained steadfast in her denial of all charges, with support from numerous courtroom attendees and community members.

• Arbery’s Family: Expressed distrust towards the legal proceedings. Ahmaud Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, stated:

  "I believed Jackie Johnson was a party to covering up her son's murder and that she tried to delay it."
  [08:38]

  Marcus Arbery added:

  "While the family acknowledges the decision, they believe that inaction by the DA's office caused undue pain and stress to them..."
  [08:38]

The case’s resolution has sparked mixed reactions, highlighting deep-seated tensions within the community regarding the criminal justice system.

4. Expansion of Weapons Detection in Barrow County Schools

In response to the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder last September, Barrow County Schools announced the expansion of its weapons detection program to include middle schools. James Bowen, the district's top support services official, detailed the rollout:

"With the high school scanning program in place, we would now like to add middle schools. I'm happy to share that the middle schools will be receiving their devices in the next week, followed by a day of training on Monday, February 17, and scanning will begin on February 18."
[09:54]

This initiative aims to enhance school safety by preventing weapons from entering educational environments, reflecting a proactive approach to mitigating potential threats.

5. Resignation of Rockdale County Fire Chief Marion McDaniel

Marion McDaniel, Rockdale County's first female and first Black fire chief, announced her resignation four months after the county's response to a chemical fire at the Biolab facility in Conyers. Despite the significant emergency response, county officials clarified that her resignation was unrelated to the incident. McDaniel stated:

"I submitted my resignation after being advised that the chairperson, with the support of the other two commissioners, wanted to go in a different direction, and that direction did not include Indian Apache."
[10:45]

Her departure marks a notable change in Rockdale County’s leadership within its fire department.

6. State House Approves $40 Billion Mid-Year Budget

Georgia’s State House has greenlit a substantial $40 billion mid-year budget, capitalizing on a significant state surplus. This budget prioritizes enhancing state prisons and providing disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene. The approved spending plan reflects Governor Brian Kemp's fiscal strategy, increasing overall state expenditure by $4 billion compared to the previous fiscal year's budget.

7. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Station to be Built in Savannah

Hydro Fleet, a North Carolina-based company specializing in hydrogen fuel cell technology, announced plans to construct a $33 million hydrogen truck fueling station in Pooler, Savannah. This facility aims to support up to 50 trucks daily, primarily serving the Port of Savannah and the Hyundai Electric vehicle plant in Bryan County. Hydrogen fuel cells represent a promising technology for reducing transportation-related emissions by enabling quicker recharges for heavy electric vehicles compared to traditional fossil fuels.

8. LGBTQ Business Event Relocated Due to Federal Review

An LGBTQ business event scheduled at the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank in April has been moved following an order from President Donald Trump to review programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The Out Georgia Business Alliance, the event’s sponsor, issued a statement confirming the relocation necessity, highlighting the adverse impact of federal scrutiny on their initiatives.

9. Georgia Universities Ranked Among Most Beautiful Campuses

Four Georgian universities have received national recognition in U.S. News and World Report's "Most Beautiful College Campuses" list:

• Berry College (Northwest Georgia) – Ranked #3
• Georgia Tech – Ranked #7
• Spelman College – Ranked #16
• Mercer University (Macon) – Ranked #11

Georgia leads with the highest number of representations, followed by California with three universities on the list.

10. Sports Highlights

• Basketball: The Atlanta Hawks aim to break a four-game home losing streak with an upcoming game against San Antonio.

• Women's Basketball: The Atlanta Dream has signed Holly Winterburn, a distinguished guard from Northampton, England. Winterburn's accolades include being a three-time WBBL Young Player of the Year, the 2024 Eurocup Women Champion, and receiving All-Star honors at the U20 European Championships.

• Baseball: Ramon Loriano, an outfielder, has departed the Atlanta Braves to join the Baltimore Orioles on a one-year, $4 million contract. Loriano achieved a .259 batting average with 11 home runs in the previous season.

• Volleyball: The Atlanta Vibe are set to host the Orlando Valkyries tomorrow night, seeking redemption after a recent 3-1 loss to Las Vegas.

11. Romantic Getaways: Georgia's Top Hotels

Ahead of Valentine's Day, Historic Hotels of America unveiled its top 25 most romantic hotels. Two locations in Georgia made the list:

• Bellwether House of Savannah: Offers a luxurious, kid-free experience for guests aged 21 and over.

• King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort (St. Simon's Island): Features a candlelit dinner experience available on the beach or beachfront patios.

These establishments provide idyllic settings for couples seeking memorable romantic retreats.

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Conclusion

This episode of Georgia Today delivered comprehensive coverage on a range of significant issues affecting the state, from immigration enforcement and community responses to high-profile legal cases and educational safety measures. Additionally, updates on local governance, environmental initiatives, cultural recognitions, and sports highlights provided listeners with a well-rounded view of current events in Georgia.

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For more detailed updates, subscribe to the Georgia Today podcast and visit georgiatodaypb.org/news.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker]

Foreign.

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, February 5th. I'm Peter Biello. On this podcast, you'll hear the latest reports from the GPB news team. For feedback, suggestions or story tips, email us. The address is Georgia todaypb.org On today's episode Georgia Sheriff's offices get ready to work with federal immigration law enforcement the Georgia prosecutor accused of meddling in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial has her remaining charge dismissed and the Rockdale county fire chief is stepping down.

[Marion McDaniel]

The chairperson, with the support of the other two commissioners, want to go in a different direction, and that direction did not include Indian Apache.

[Peter Biello]

These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

[Michael Hall]

As.

[Peter Biello]

The Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement Nationally, sheriff's offices in Georgia are slowly doing the same as mandated by a state law passed last year, GPB's Grant Blankenship explains.

[Grant Blankenship]

Georgia's HB 1105 requires local law enforcement to tell federal officials when they have someone without legal status in their jail and when they can transport them to immigration detention. But so far, the idea that local law enforcement could perform immigration roundups in place of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers appears to be unfounded. That's based on the handful of officials agreements between ICE and local agencies under HB 1105. The agreements generally say this only jailers will be trained to have ICE arrest powers and they will only make immigration arrests of people who landed in jail on some local criminal charge. Bib County Sheriff David Davis says that's not a fundamental change for his office and his deputies don't have time for much else.

[David Davis]

You know, we've got gangsters and folks shooting up houses and doing things like that, that's kind of occupying our time right now. If I've got a person that's out there hard working whether they're illegal or not, and they're not breaking the law and not getting on our radar, then they're not going to be bothered by us.

[Grant Blankenship]

So far, ICE hasn't asked Davis for help in any large scale raid. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Peter Biello]

Latin American advocacy group celebrated contributions from Latino Georgians at the state Capitol today amidst federal immigration crackdowns. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports.

[Sarah Kalis]

Democratic State Senator Jason Estevez had recent immigration crackdowns on his mind as he addressed the crowd at a Wednesday event hosted by the Latino Community Fund.

[Unknown Speaker]

Despite the fact that this president has attempted to divide us and to drive up fear and has caused pain in our community our community will continue to thrive.

[Sarah Kalis]

Conservative leaning Latino groups held their own Latino Day celebration on Tuesday. Republican Representative Ray Martinez said the immigration raids gave him sadness as well.

[Ray Martinez]

And what I tell the Hispanic community is that you have to focus on what the Trump administration is saying. They want to get rid of the bad apples first.

[Sarah Kalis]

Immigration continues to be a topic of discussion during this year's legislative session. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis at the State Capitol.

[Peter Biello]

A Southeast Georgia judge has thrown out a felony indictment against a former Glynn county prosecutor. The dismissal earlier today ends the trial of former District Attorney Jackie Johnson on charges that she abused her power to protect the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in 2020. Johnson was the county's top prosecutor when Arbery was fatally shot. Michael hall of the Brunswick News spoke with GPB's Orlando Montoya.

[Michael Hall]

Can you remind us what the charges against Jackie Johnson were and why her case attracted so much attention?

[Unknown Speaker]

Sure, sure. Johnson was indicted in September 2021. It was one count of violation of a office and one count of obstruction. And the allegations were that she interfered with the police investigation of Arbery's death. The claim that the Attorney General's office made when they wrote the indictment was that she diverted the case on purpose to a neighboring DA who had already decided that the matter, it was a matter of self defense that was under the citizens Arrest law that's now been repealed after the Arbery case was concluded. So the obstruction charge she got because they claimed that she had verbally told some police officers at the scene of the crime not to arrest that day. And it gained a lot of attention because her indictment came down in 2021 and the case against Arbery's killers was still pending at that point. So it was part of this national attention that this case was getting.

[Michael Hall]

The events in question took place nearly five years ago. Why did it take so long for her case to come to trial?

[Unknown Speaker]

You know, I haven't seen many cases of any kind move very quickly, honestly. But in this case it did take a lot longer, usually four years, something like that you would see for maybe a death penalty case. So this sort of case normally wouldn't take this long. But Johnson's lead defense attorney, Brian Steele, was representing Jeffrey Williams, who also known is also known as Young Thug, and he was involved in one of the longest criminal trials in state history up in Atlanta. So as soon as that plea came down late last year and that case ended, it was within maybe two weeks that there was a scheduling order for this Trial to begin in January.

[Michael Hall]

Now, the prosecution's case took a hit on Monday when Senior judge John Turner made a rare directed verdict acquitting her of the obstruction charge. And now Turner dismissed the only remaining charge, the violation of oath of office. What reasons did the judge give for making these decisions?

[Unknown Speaker]

You know, the. The directed verdict. I believe he used the word scintilla. He had not seen a scintilla of evidence that she had actually called the police that day. That that came from some courtroom testimony from who is now the assistant police chief of Glynn County. She testified that she had never even spoken to Jackie Johnson during this case whatsoever. And her name was one of the two listed in the indictment as one of the two officers who had been directed not to arrest that day. They made it very clear that police do the arresting, district attorneys do the. The stuff in court. It's sort of like Law and Order, the TV show that was very clear in trial. So he threw that out on Monday. And then the general demure that he granted today, which essentially deems the indictment invalid, that came from arguments that Brian Steele made in his motion when he argued it orally, as well as the testimony that we saw in court, which showed that she could. Ms. Johnson could actually admit to everything that the indictment said she did and still not have committed a crime. So that's where that decision kind of trickled down eventually through the trial to today that he decided that it was time to end it.

[Michael Hall]

Let's talk about reactions to the case first from the parties involved. The prosecution was the office of Georgia Attorney General Kris Carr. And Johnson always denied the charges against her. How will these decisions be seen by the two sides and the community at large?

[Unknown Speaker]

Sure. The attorney general has issued an email statement to me, I'm assuming to other media as well, but that said that they believe that the charges they brought in the case that they presented was good and strong. That's pretty much it. As far as what they said pertaining to the case itself, you know, the mood from Johnson's camp after this was somber, but I think relieved. They seemed to feel very strongly that this is a tragic case all the way around with what happened to Mr. Arbery. But they were relieved that they were able to show, you know, show that Johnson really had followed the rules and. And that she had not violated this law that she was accused of, and she had plenty of supporters with her in. In the courtroom. And as far as the community at large, you know, I think we're going to have some people that fall on both sides we're already seeing some of that reaction coming out where some people say, good, this should have, she shouldn't have ever been prosecuted in the first place. And there are other people who they know this is part of a rigged good old boy justice system.

[Michael Hall]

What about the family of Ahmaud Arbery?

[Unknown Speaker]

Sure. Yeah. His mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, would be one of those people who doesn't believe, doesn't believe any of it, really. She said that she believed Jackie Johnson was a party to covering up her son's murder and that. And that he that she tried to delay it. Marcus Arbery issued a written statement saying that while the family acknowledges the decision, they believe that inaction by the DA's office caused undue pain and stress to them and that even though it didn't meet the criminal justice system's burden of proof for having committed a crime, they're still upset. But they say they're going to try to move on and deal with this as best they can.

[Michael Hall]

That's Michael Hall, a reporter with the Brunswick News. He was in the courtroom for the now ended trial of former District Attorney Jackie Johnson. Michael, thanks for sharing your insights with us.

[Unknown Speaker]

Thank you for having me.

[Peter Biello]

Officials with Barrow County Schools say they're expanding a weapons detection program to the district's middle schools. This comes after it was implemented in the county's high schools. A shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder last September left four people dead. The district's top support services official, James.

[Ray Martinez]

Bowen, with the high school scanning program in place, we would now like to add middle schools. I'm happy to share that the middle schools will be receiving their devices in the next week, followed by a day of training on Monday, February 17, and scanning will begin on February 18.

[Peter Biello]

The board approved the weapons detection system last month, a day after a student brought a gun to Apalachee High School. The fire chief in Rockdale county is stepping down. Marion McDaniel was appointed to the position in December 2020, becoming the county's first female and first black fire chief. Her resignation comes four months after the county responded to a chemical fire at the Biolab facility in Conyers, east of Atlanta. Although county officials did not specify why McDaniel stepped down, they did say her resignation was not related to the Biolab fire. She spoke to GPB's Pamela Kirkland.

[Marion McDaniel]

I submitted my resignation after being advised that the chairperson, with the support of the the other two commissioners, wanted to go in a different direction, and that direction did not include new and the project.

[Peter Biello]

The fire prompted the evacuation of 17,000 residents and a shelter in place order for 90,000 others after the fire produced a plume of chemicals. Budget writers in the State House approved a $40 billion mid year budget today. The spending plan would take advantage of a huge surplus to improve state prisons and provide disaster relief to victims of Hurricane Helene. It would increase state spending by $4 billion over the budget lawmakers adopted last spring for the fiscal year that ends in June. It follows governor Brian Kemp's priorities for prisons and hurricane relief, adding spending to Kemp's budget presented last month. A North Carolina company that provides hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and related infrastructure plans to build a $33 million hydrogen truck fueling station west of Savannah. Hydro Fleet said yesterday that the facility in Pooler will help the region reduce its transportation related emissions, serving as many as 50 trucks a day. Many of those trucks are expected to serve the Port of Savannah and the Hyundai Electric vehicle plant in Bryan County. Hydrogen powered electric fuel cells are an emerging technology promising to recharge heavy electric vehicles quickly with fewer emissions than traditional fossil fuel. An LGBTQ business event scheduled to take place at the Atlanta Federal Reserve bank in April will have to take place somewhere else. That's after President Donald Trump ordered a review of programs targeting diversity, equity and inclusion. That's according to a statement today from the group sponsoring the event, the Out Georgia Business Alliance. Four Georgia universities have made U.S. news and World Report's Most Beautiful College Campuses list. Berry College in Northwest Georgia is number three on the list. From Atlanta, Georgia Tech and Spelman College are at number seven and 16 respectively and Macons Mercer University is number 11. Georgia is the most represented state on the list. California is the next most represented with three universities. In sports and basketball, the Atlanta Hawks hope to stop a four game home losing streak with a victory over San Antonio tonight. The Atlanta Dream have signed guard Holly Winterburn to a training camp contract. Winterburn is a guard from Northampton, England and a three time WBBL Young Player of the Year and 2024 Eurocup Women Champion. She has represented Great Britain in multiple competitions, earning All Star 5 honors at the U20 European Championships. In baseball, outfielder Ramon Loriano is leaving the Atlanta Braves to join the Baltimore Orioles. ESPN reports Loriano signed a one year, $4 million contract with Baltimore. Loriano hit.259 last year with 11 home runs. And in volleyball, the Atlanta Vibe are returning home for a game tomorrow night against the Orlando Valkyries. They're coming off a 31 loss against Las Vegas on Sunday. One more thing before we wrap up the news today. Ahead of Valentine's Day, Historic Hotels of America has announced its top 25 most romantic hotels list. Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, by the way, and on the list this year are two from Georgia, the Bellwether House of Savannah and the King and Prince beach and golf resort on St. Simon's Island. The latter offers a candlelit dinner experience that can be arranged on the beach or on one of the beachfront patios. And the former, in addition to luxury, you will also be assured a kid free experience, as all guests must be 21 or older. That's a wrap on this edition of Georgia Today. Thank you so much for listening. We're going to have more news tomorrow, so make sure you subscribe to this podcast. You can always check for [e-mail] news. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.