More at ajc.com: “Superior Court Judge Alfred Dempsey sentenced a cop-killer to life in prison without parole Monday, saying the defendant’s psychiatric evaluations made seeking the death penalty unnecessary.
“This is an inexplicable tragedy,” he said. “I’ve read over these (psychiatric reports) that the public will not necessarily see … that I will say justifies the plea we’re taking here today.”
Kenneth Gerald Reese, 31, confessed to ambushing 26-year-old Fulton County Police Officer Aaron Blount nearly six years ago when he was pulled over for a traffic stop. Until the murder, Reese had no history of violence or criminal behavior, Dempsey said.”
Showing posts with label georgia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label georgia. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2009
Did Sunday sales of beer and wine just get a green light? | Political Insider
More at Atlanta Journal..: “Doings in the first few minutes of the 2009 session of the Legislature:
— One of the bigger surprises of the day comes from the lobbying field. The GOP team of Clint Austin, Tony Simon and Sam Choate has been hired to help push through legislation to permit communities to hold referendums on Sunday sales of alcohol.
The Georgia Food Industry Association, which represents grocery stores, is footing the bill.
Both Simon and Choate are extremely close to House Speaker Glenn Richardson. Austin was essential to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in his defeat of Ralph Reed in 2006. The rules of lobbying are this:
Your support of a cause doesn’t necessarily constitute an endorsement by your close friends in the Legislature. But a smart lobbyist won’t take positions that would make his lawmaker friends angry.”
— One of the bigger surprises of the day comes from the lobbying field. The GOP team of Clint Austin, Tony Simon and Sam Choate has been hired to help push through legislation to permit communities to hold referendums on Sunday sales of alcohol.
The Georgia Food Industry Association, which represents grocery stores, is footing the bill.
Both Simon and Choate are extremely close to House Speaker Glenn Richardson. Austin was essential to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in his defeat of Ralph Reed in 2006. The rules of lobbying are this:
Your support of a cause doesn’t necessarily constitute an endorsement by your close friends in the Legislature. But a smart lobbyist won’t take positions that would make his lawmaker friends angry.”
Friday, January 9, 2009
State fines 9 gas stations for price-gouging, probes 200 | ajc.com
More at ajc.com: “Georgia regulators have fined nine gas stations so far and continue to investigate nearly 200 others over consumer complaints of price gouging when Hurricanes Gustav and Ike made fuel scarce last September.
Some of the stations have to refund money to customers who can prove with a receipt they bought gas during the price spike, while others have to pay up to $5,000 in fines to the state.
The stations are among 200 the state is investigating over complaints of unfairly raising gas prices after Gov. Sonny Perdue activated the state’s anti-gouging statutes Sept. 12, said Bill Cloud, spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs.”
Some of the stations have to refund money to customers who can prove with a receipt they bought gas during the price spike, while others have to pay up to $5,000 in fines to the state.
The stations are among 200 the state is investigating over complaints of unfairly raising gas prices after Gov. Sonny Perdue activated the state’s anti-gouging statutes Sept. 12, said Bill Cloud, spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs.”
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Fayette schools to teachers: Please donate your raises | ajc.com
Fayette schools to teachers: Please donate your raises | ajc.com: “The cash-strapped Fayette County school system is asking its teachers to voluntarily return the pay raises they received last spring.
School board members say if the county’s teachers would return their 2.5 percent raises, it could keep the 24,000-student system afloat. Should they all return the raises, it would add roughly $4 million to the system’s coffers.
In Monday night’s meeting, board members decided they had nothing to lose by writing a letter to Fayette’s roughly 1,800 contracted teachers asking them to voluntarily “make a donation” to the system’s financial well-being.”
School board members say if the county’s teachers would return their 2.5 percent raises, it could keep the 24,000-student system afloat. Should they all return the raises, it would add roughly $4 million to the system’s coffers.
In Monday night’s meeting, board members decided they had nothing to lose by writing a letter to Fayette’s roughly 1,800 contracted teachers asking them to voluntarily “make a donation” to the system’s financial well-being.”
Monday, January 5, 2009
Terror suspect asks judge for exorcist | ajc.com
More at ajc.com: “Relatives of terrorism suspect Ehsanul Islam Sadequee accused federal authorities Monday of using mind-control tactics intended to induce a guilty plea.
Sadequee’s family leveled the accusations after a court hearing in which Sadequee pleaded not guilty to a recently returned, amended federal indictment.
Sadequee and former Georgia Tech student Syed Haris Ahmed are being held without bond on charges they conspired to provide material support to terrorists.
At Monday’s hearing, Sadequee asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Gerrylin Brill for an “exorcist” to free the “demons” placed in his head by authorities.
Brill denied the request.
Appearing in prison garb, canvas slip-ons, a long beard and an off-white knit cap, Sadequee took the unusual step of speaking for himself in court.”
Sadequee’s family leveled the accusations after a court hearing in which Sadequee pleaded not guilty to a recently returned, amended federal indictment.
Sadequee and former Georgia Tech student Syed Haris Ahmed are being held without bond on charges they conspired to provide material support to terrorists.
At Monday’s hearing, Sadequee asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Gerrylin Brill for an “exorcist” to free the “demons” placed in his head by authorities.
Brill denied the request.
Appearing in prison garb, canvas slip-ons, a long beard and an off-white knit cap, Sadequee took the unusual step of speaking for himself in court.”
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