This man (Brian Nichols) went on a shooting spree in a courtroom, killing a both a Judge and two deputies, fled the courtroom, pistol whipped a reporter in a carjacking, then killed a immigrations officer in another carjacking while trying to escape. So, now that he's finally been caught and is now in federal custody. what do you think they should do with this psychotic P.O.S.

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/LAW/03/13/atlanta.shooting/story.suspect.jpg


Heres the story told from a female hostage he took before being captured:


Suspect told hostage she was 'angel from God'
Nichols could appear in court as soon as Monday
Monday, March 14, 2005 Posted: 1:26 AM EST (0SPAMSPAMSPAM GMT)


Ashley Smith said Brian Nichols took her hostage in the parking lot outside her apartment.


A woman's 911 call led to Nichols' capture.


ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- The suspect in four Atlanta killings told the woman he held hostage for about seven hours that he thought she was an "angel sent from God," she said Sunday night.

The woman, Ashley Smith, told reporters that she spoke of religion and family -- including her 5-year-old daughter -- in a bid to win the sympathy of Brian Nichols, the 33-year-old suspect.

Nichols, meanwhile, could appear in court as soon as Monday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for northern Georgia said.

Authorities launched a wide-ranging manhunt for Nichols, a defendant in a rape trial, after he allegedly killed a judge, a sheriff's deputy and court reporter before escaping from a courthouse in downtown Atlanta about 9 a.m. Friday.

After 2 a.m. Saturday, Nichols forced his was into Smith's apartment in suburban Gwinnett County, tied her up and threatened her life, Smith said.

He drove to the apartment complex in a truck he stole from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent David Wilhelm after shooting Wilhelm to death in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, according to police.

Smith said Nichols eventually unbound her hands and feet.

"I basically just talked to him and tried to gain his trust," said Smith, who was widowed four years ago and had lived in the apartment for only two days. (Full story)

Smith said she asked Nichols why he chose her and that apartment complex.

"He said he thought I was an angel sent from God," she said.

Smith said Nichols allowed her to leave to visit her daughter and that she dialed 911 about 9:50 a.m., law enforcement sources said.

As Smith was leaving, she said Nichols asked her: "'Is there anything I can do while you're gone, like hang your curtains or something?'"

"He just wanted some normalness to his life," she said.

After a SWAT team surrounded the building at the Bridgewater Apartments, Nichols surrendered. He was taken into custody about 11:24 a.m.

"He literally waved a white flag, or a T-shirt, and came out," said Chief Charles Walters of the Gwinnett County police.

Wilhelm's truck was found nearby. Authorities also recovered Wilhelm's badge and a gun thought to be his, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman said.

Federal and state charges
U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Patrick Crosby said in a recorded message that a Monday court appearance was possible, but it could be Tuesday before Nichols faces a judge.

Nichols will face federal and state charges, law enforcement officials said.

Authorities said he will remain in federal custody, but would not disclose where he would be held. Sources, however, told CNN that Nichols would be held in maximum security at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta.

U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said his office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had filed a federal criminal complaint against Nichols, charging him with possession of a firearm by a person under indictment.

"This is essentially a holding charge that will ensure Mr. Nichols' detention while we sort out additional federal and state charges," Nahmias said.

Police said Nichols fatally shot Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, court reporter Julie Ann Brandau and sheriff's deputy Sgt. Hoyt Teasley on Friday morning, after overpowering deputy Cynthia Ann Hall.

Nichols took Hall's pistol while she was escorting him from a detention area, police said. He injured Hall and then went to Barnes' courtroom where he shot and killed the judge and court reporter, police said.

Hall was in critical condition Saturday at an Atlanta hospital and is expected to survive.

Suspect escaped on mass transit
For most of the day of the courthouse shootings, authorities in Georgia and surrounding states searched for a 1997 green Honda Accord that police say Nichols stole from an Atlanta newspaper reporter in a downtown parking garage.

The car was found late Friday night in the same garage, on a level below the spot where police say Nichols took it. He had allegedly hit the reporter over the head with a pistol.

Security camera images taken Friday morning inside a stairwell in the parking deck showed a shirtless Nichols putting on a jacket, allegedly taken from the reporter, as he went to a lower level and disappeared.

The parking deck is about a five-minute walk from two subway stations.

Atlanta police Chief Richard Pennington said Nichols took a MARTA subway train north. At about 10:40 p.m. Friday, Nichols tried to rob two tourists near a subway station in northern Atlanta's popular Buckhead neighborhood, Pennington said.

Nichols struck one of the tourists in the face and fled, Pennington said.

Police said Nichols then went to Wilhelm's home, not far south of the MARTA station.

Wilhelm, 40, was working alone on his home, which was under construction, at the time of his slaying, said Kenneth Smith, special agent in charge of the Atlanta immigration and customs office.

Authorities said they were still interviewing Nichols and they had not determined whether Nichols knew Wilhelm was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. <end>

I think he should be charged, given a fair trial, and then locked up in a maximum security prison for the rest of his life.

Now that he's in Federal Custody, I hope they move him out of Atlanta and try him in Texas where I'm sure he'll get the exact type of sentencing he deserves :hitout:

death

This guy actually thinks he's gonna get off light with this :eek:


Courthouse shooting suspect 'defiant' and 'proud,' prosecutor

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Suspected Atlanta courthouse killer Brian Nichols, who is expected to appear in court as soon as Monday, is "defiant" and "kind of proud of his activities," said the prosecutor who is expected to bring charges.

Nichols, 33, is being held at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary three days after police said he shot and killed a judge, a deputy sheriff, a court reporter and later a federal agent.

Paul Howard, district attorney for Fulton County -- the municipality in which the shootings occurred -- said "according to the officers that I talked to, he seemed to be rather defiant -- almost kind of proud of his activities."

Saturday morning, Nichols surrendered to police at Ashley Smith's suburban apartment.

Smith, 26, said Nichols held her hostage for hours -- until she eventually gained his confidence. "He said he thought I was an angel sent from God." (Transcript)

Law enforcement officials have said Nichols will face federal and state charges.

Howard said his office plans to "technically resolve" charges in a pending rape case that Nichols was being retried for at the time of his escape. Charges related to Nichols' escape will result "in a very large indictment," he said.

"We plan to charge him with the murders of the four Fulton County residents," Howard said. "We plan to charge him with a number of aggravated assaults, carjackings."

Howard would not say whether prosecutors would seek the death penalty for Nichols.

His answer to that question was, "My gut tells me that this is one of the most gut-wrenching crimes that has ever taken place in our country, and so maybe one can interpret from that."

A Monday court appearance was possible for Nichols, but it could be Tuesday before Nichols faces a judge, a recorded phone message at the U.S. attorney's office said.

Following his escape and the killings of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland W. Barnes, court reporter Julie Ann Brandau and sheriff's deputy Sgt. Hoyt Teasley on Friday morning, authorities launched a massive manhunt for Nichols.

He carjacked several vehicles -- injuring a local newspaper reporter -- and then boarded a MARTA subway train north to Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, police said.

Authorities said Nichols then shot and killed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent David Wilhelm at his home, which was under construction near the MARTA station.

Police said he then stole Wilhelm's truck and drove it to an apartment complex to the northeast in Gwinnett County, where he took Smith hostage.

After 2 a.m. Saturday, Nichols forced his way into the apartment, tied her up and threatened her life, Smith said.

"I basically just talked to him and tried to gain his trust," said Smith, who was widowed four years ago and had lived in the apartment for only two days. (Full story)

Smith said Nichols allowed her to leave to visit her daughter and that she dialed 911 about 9:50 a.m., law enforcement sources said.

As Smith was leaving, she said Nichols asked her: "'Is there anything I can do while you're gone, like hang your curtains or something?'"

"He just wanted some normalness to his life," she said.

Federal and state charges
U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said his office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had filed a federal criminal complaint against Nichols, charging him with possession of a firearm by a person under indictment.

"This is essentially a holding charge that will ensure Mr. Nichols' detention while we sort out additional federal and state charges," Nahmias said.

Deputy sheriff Cynthia Ann Hall -- who police said Nichols overpowered and wounded on Friday during his escape -- was in critical condition Saturday at an Atlanta hospital and is expected to survive. <end>

Originally posted by Imagineer
, given a fair trial,

i agree he should be put away but with all the media coverage he can not get a fair trial, and he can hold it up in court forever just on that pretense.

no way, he's not a " suspected killer" like they are calling him, he is a killer. give him his DAY in court, because it shouldnt take much more than that, and give him life......or death !!

The question now is will they finish the rape trial?

As the events are more clearly revealed over these last two evenings it is an unbelievable tale. If watching a movie it would be too unrealistic... only real life could have the events unfold in such a manner for it is certainly too strange for fiction.

This morning Nichols appeared before a judge in a hearing on the rape, sodomy, etc., charges he was originally being held for. The prosecution also said additional charges of murder will be coming next week.

The interesting thing to me is that looking around the hearing room I saw many deputies weighing from between 200 and 300 pounds.
A far cry from the day of the killings when one, lone, 51 year old, female deputy, grandmother, 5 foot tall, was the sole guard of a 6 foot-200 lb man, being held on so many felony charges.
So often tragic situations begin with human error.
I believe that if there were established policies and proceedures in place to prevent such opportunities, and they were violated, then charges of malfeasance should be filed against all responsible parties involved.

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
A far cry from the day of the killings when one, lone, 51 year old, female deputy, grandmother, 5 foot tall, was the sole guard of a 6 foot-200 lb man, being held on so many felony charges.


It's far better to have four people killed than to admit that not all women can do everything a man can do. It might hurt someone's feelings.

I haven't seen this issue brought up once in the media, although I admit I haven't been looking for it either.

I'm all for equal rights, but when I need a cop to protect me I sure as hell do not want a 5"2', 100 lb woman doing it. I'd much rather have a 6"4', 220 man. Sometimes it just comes down to common sense and logic.

The families of the dead should sue the county for their lack of proper guarding of a violent criminal.

And, probably, Echo, that will happen. Can't say as I blame them either. The guy definitely deserves death, IMO.

I saw this on the news. The woman was interviewd and she said (which made my cry hysterically) "I told him that my husband died 2 years ago and if he were to kill me little girl would have no one left."

I think anyone who takes anyone life, esp randomly, should be put on death row. His life should be taken if he took someone elses.

Originally posted by saycricket
And, probably, Echo, that will happen. Can't say as I blame them either. The guy definitely deserves death, IMO.

I agree TOTALLY!!!!!

Originally posted by Echo2
The families of the dead should sue the county for their lack of proper guarding of a violent criminal.
And right after the ACLU just finished hammering the government for not employing enough women to work a security detail. Jesus, you libs need to make up your minds...

Prae - "enough" working women is one thing. "One" working woman as security is another. :) If there were 3 or even 4 working women as security, perhaps his attack could have been thwarted.

Originally posted by The Praetorian
And right after the ACLU just finished hammering the government for not employing enough women to work a security detail. Jesus, you libs need to make up your minds... hey prae, there ARE larger women out there. ..lmao

Well hindsight is great but the thing about Nichols is that he had no prior history of violence. He is well educated and came from a middle class background. Granted he was charged with unlawful confinement, sodomy and rape but with the assumption of innocence until proven guilty it just all came to a tragic end.

Yes the woman was a short, 51 year old grandmother and Nichols was a marshal arts expert but if there was no psychological profile on him how were they to know he had just suffered a complete mental meltdown?

Apparently they are woefully short-staffed and under- funded. Suing will just remove more money from the system without fixing anything.

Heads will role for this if not publically then privately. Hopefully it will still mean extreme changes in procedure when handling prisoners.



Dan Fussel said:

This morning Nichols appeared before a judge in a hearing on the rape, sodomy, etc., charges he was originally being held for. The prosecution also said additional charges of murder will be coming next week.

I am glad to hear that because I feared that it would look so minor compared to the deaths of the others. And comparatively speaking perhaps it is... but the charge should still be addressed and that woman should still have her day in court.

Suing the government is pointless - they hire women because that's what the voters, or at least the vocal voters, told them to do. And they probably got sued once for not having enough female officers.

Exactly.

Originally posted by LionelHutz
It's far better to have four people killed than to admit that not all women can do everything a man can do. It might hurt someone's feelings.

I haven't seen this issue brought up once in the media, although I admit I haven't been looking for it either.

I don't know about what you've seen, but courtroom security has never seemed to attract cops at their physical peaks.

But I think this does illustrate the point that women aren't suited to fill certain types of jobs.

Originally posted by Leper
I don't know about what you've seen, but courtroom security has never seemed to attract cops at their physical peaks.

But I think this does illustrate the point that women aren't suited to fill certain types of jobs. Yeah, but will the PC Pack dare admit it? I think not.

http://images.chron.com/content/news/photos/05/03/15/asuspect.jpg

ATLANTA — Surrounded by 19 officers in a cinder-block jail room, the suspect in a rampage that left a judge and three others dead went before a magistrate today and was informed that authorities plan to charge him with murder.

Brian Nichols, his hands and ankles shackled, appeared before Cobb County Magistrate Judge Frank Cox on the same rape charge that he was on trial for Friday when he escaped from another courthouse. Nichols spoke only once at the hearing, when Cox asked him if he had any questions.

"Not at this time," he said.

Hey! Take those chains off! How do you expect him to get a fair trial.

old reb

Yea..really :rolleyes:

But I think this does illustrate the point that women aren't suited to fill certain types of jobs. Uh... not to be a feminist here, but admit it...there are certain men who could have been in the same situation themselves. I don't think it's a "gender" issue, more like a physically fit issue as Leper pointed out below: I don't know about what you've seen, but courtroom security has never seemed to attract cops at their physical peaks.

Granny was handling prisoners in the courthouse because of her seniority within the sherriff's dept. It's a civil service job, and seniority rules.

Well, perhaps the higher ups should take a good hard look at what CAN happen and be prepared for such an occurrence in the future. I don't blame Granny, I would like to have such a job myself at her age. But the reality is, once one guy does it, don't be surprised if other defendant freaks out there wanna make a name for themselves too.

The cops & a bunch of elected / appointed folks are none to happy with the recitation of the facts of this horrible incident. Their own system turned around & caught them all with their knickers down around their knees. They knew Nichols was trouble, the day before he'd been found with 'shanks' (a weapon) in both of his shoes. While extra precautions were requested, they weren't there. High dollar video monitored security systems, but not being monitored at the time. The list of holes for Nichols to waltz through continues. Sure, the various courthouses will tighten their security measures in all kinds of ways, but complacency will again set in, perhaps not in Fulton county, but elsewhere. It will be miraculous if Nichols gets anything but the death penalty for killing those 4 from the legal community.

I thought the most interesting security hole was the Atlanta Police Department, who were called to the scene by an alert citizen rather than by the Sheriffs Department. It took them over an hour to secure the parking garage. By that time Nichols had carjacked his first victim there and fled. What happened to the brilliant idea of surrounding the building, and not letting him leave? Also, why didn't the Sheriff's Deputies immediately notify the police?

Originally posted by The Praetorian
Jesus, you libs need to make up your minds...

Of course all "libs" should agree on everything...:@@:

Originally posted by Imagineer
I thought the most interesting security hole was the Atlanta Police Department, who were called to the scene by an alert citizen rather than by the Sheriffs Department. It took them over an hour to secure the parking garage. By that time Nichols had carjacked his first victim there and fled. What happened to the brilliant idea of surrounding the building, and not letting him leave? Also, why didn't the Sheriff's Deputies immediately notify the police?

Actually from what I heard they did not give Nichols enough credit for his intelligence.

Nichols went to the parking garage and walked up beside the reporter who was just arriving. At this point Nichols didn't even have a shirt on but the reporter said there was a basketball game in town and people do weird things so he thought nothing of it. Nichols asked for directions to the train station and then told him to hand over his keys. The reporter was reaching for his wallet since he thought it was a robbery.

Nichols told him to get in the trunk. As a reporter he knew to never allow someone to take you anywhere. He knew he had to make his stand there. Nichols then pistol-whipped him, jumped in the car and drove off.

In the mean time the reporter got up and ran to the street looking for help. He said he kept waiting for Nichols to shoot him in the back but Nichols did not for some reason. He likely figured it would draw too much attention and his primary objective at that point was escape rather than still revenge.

Nichols drove to another level and then took another car. So the police where looking for a green Honda which was actually still parked in the garage. He drove off in another car. Left that car several blocks later and walked into the train station. Voila.... gone like the wind.

The police had actually asked the parking lot attendant if she had seen a green Honda leave and she had told them no. Guess they didn't believe her. The car sat there for several hours until it was spotted and not by a cop.