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Judge: GOP head can’t share lawyers with other fake electors

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Judge: GOP head can’t share lawyers with other fake electors


The chairman of the Georgia Republican Social gathering can not share legal professionals with 10 different pretend electors in issues associated to a particular grand jury investigation into attainable unlawful meddling within the 2020 election within the state, a choose dominated Wednesday.

A particular grand jury was seated earlier this yr to assist the investigation by Fulton County District Legal professional Fani Willis into whether or not Republican former President Donald Trump and others dedicated crimes by means of their efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Willis has made clear that she is within the actions of 16 Republicans who signed a certificates declaring falsely that Trump had received and likewise declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and certified” electors, despite the fact that Biden had received the state, and a slate of Democratic electors was licensed. Willis has stated in a courtroom submitting that she notified legal professionals for these 16 those who they’re targets of her investigation, which means that they may face legal prices.

Eleven of these pretend electors, together with Georgia Republican Social gathering Chairman David Shafer, are represented by two legal professionals who’re paid by the get together, Holly Pierson and Kimberly Debrow. Willis’ workforce in October filed a movement looking for to disqualify the 2 from representing all of these shoppers, saying it represented a battle of curiosity.

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They argued that, if Pierson and Debrow proceed to symbolize any of the 11, “there’s a severe chance of future moral issues regarding confidentiality of knowledge obtained in the middle of their illustration so far.”

Pierson and Debrow countered that every of their shoppers has affirmed to them that they haven’t dedicated any crimes, and that they don’t have any data of any of the others having dedicated any crimes. The district lawyer’s “assumption that the collectively represented nominee electors can ‘flip’ on one another or in any other case present incriminating data as to every other collectively represented elector is solely inaccurate, in addition to legally inadequate,” they argued.

In addition they famous that each one 11 of their shoppers have signed waivers noting that they perceive the implications of joint illustration.

Fulton County Superior Courtroom Choose Robert McBurney, who’s overseeing the particular grand jury, famous in his order Wednesday that “the very best waiver on this planet can not repair a non-waivable battle” however stated he finds “only a few such conflicts” at this section of the investigation.

Particular grand juries in Georgia can collect proof and compel testimony from witnesses, however they can’t challenge indictments. As a substitute, they’ll suggest additional motion, together with legal prices, in a last report. It’s finally as much as the district lawyer to resolve whether or not to hunt an indictment from a daily grand jury.

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McBurney famous that it’s true that, if prices are introduced that embody any of the pretend electors, one of many pretend electors may very well be known as to testify towards one other at trial. At that time, the choose famous, Pierson and Debrow doubtless couldn’t symbolize both one.

“However that may be a distant and hypothetical situation that doesn’t now exist,” McBurney wrote.

Shafer, nevertheless, is an exception due to his position in establishing and convening the slate of faux electors, his communications with different key gamers within the investigation and his position in different post-election efforts to query the validity of Georgia’s election outcomes, McBurney wrote.

This “imbalance in publicity” to the investigation “makes it impractical and arguably unethical” for Pierson and Debrow to proceed to symbolize all 11 of their shoppers, McBurney wrote. The pair of legal professionals might symbolize Shafer or the opposite 10, however not each, he concluded.



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Augusta, GA

I-TEAM: Richmond County deputy arrested in deadly 2023 crash

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I-TEAM: Richmond County deputy arrested in deadly 2023 crash


Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included some personal information that has since been redacted and incorrectly stated how injury funds were awarded to Ty Dailey.

WAYNESBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Richmond County Deputy Ty Dailey arrived at the detention center in Burke County on Friday morning to face charges in connection with a 2023 fatal crash.

We were on the scene at 8:25 a.m. when Dailey arrived at the detention center.

He was booked on the charge of homicide by vehicle second degree and driving in excess of the posted speed limit, according to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.

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He had a bond hearing in the afternoon, where he was given a $5,000 bond. He met bond.

ARREST WARRANTS, BOOKING PHOTO AND MORE:

“The accused was driving in a reckless manner, traveling 90 mph in a posted 55 mph zone, when he hit another vehicle, killing the driver,” an arrest warrant stated.

According to District Attorney Jared Williams, the case was forwarded to Burke County State Court Solicitor Mathew Franklin on Jan. 31.

Franklin’s office handles misdemeanor cases.

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The crash happened in March 26, 2023, when Dailey was driving a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.

More than a year has passed since the crash happened. Time has stood still for the Fager family, who are still stuck in the moment since receiving a call.

“You get a call like that and kind of flipped your world upside down. It’s a drastic change in the blink of an eye,” said Matt Fager.

EARLIER COVERAGE:

Driving home from Florida, Jay and Donna Fagers’ world collided with Dailey.

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Their paths intersected at the intersection of Highway 25 and Cohen Road. The Georgia State Patrol report says Jay Fager stopped at the stop sign. But after stopping, he pulled out in front of Dailey’s patrol car.

Body cam footage: “He’s unconscious and he’s in bad shape.”

Dailey was not in pursuit. He wasn’t answering an emergency call. He was on his way to a training class.

New warrants from Georgia State Patrol say Dailey was going 90 mph in a 55 mph zone, 35 mph over the speed limit, when he hit and killed Jay Fager. Dailey was driving in a reckless manner, according to documents.

The I-TEAM first reported in March the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office never did an internal affairs investigation into Dailey’s deadly crash. He was also back at work – on the taxpayers’ dime – before any investigation was complete.

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Deadly 2023 crash on Highway 25 and Cohen Road(wrdw)

The I-TEAM uncovered a pattern with Dailey’s history at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

In 2013, he was disciplined after a second accident within six weeks of each other. Both were caused by Dailey’s speeding. In both accidents, he was found at fault.

The crash report went before the city of Augusta’s Safety Review Committee.

Though Dailey was driving 35 mph over the posted speed limit in the crash that killed Jay Fager, Augusta’s safety committee found him not at fault. And they made that decision even before Georgia State Patrol’s investigation was complete, and before the district attorney’s office was done reviewing the case.

The district attorney decided not to pursue any criminal charges and passed the case down to Franklin on Jan. 31. Weeks later, the Fagers’ attorney told the I-TEAM the case was being closed and there would be no charges against Dailey.

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On Feb. 18, the I-TEAM filed an open records request for the case file and was told we would have it after it was reviewed and redacted. After more than a week passed, we were then told the case was re-opened.

Donna Fager paid Augusta $20,000 for damage to the deputy’s car.

But what the Fagers cannot put a price tag on is the life of a father, husband, and grandfather. They’ve been left waiting for answers and accountability in the deadly crash that took Jay Fager.

On Friday, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office confirms Dailey is still on paid administrative leave.

He’s not the only Richmond County deputy who’s currently facing charges yet is still collecting a paycheck to stay at home.

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Taxpayers have been paying Brandon Keathley not to come to work since his arrest on Dec. 2, 2020, for an incident that happened on Feb. 7, 2020.

MORE COVERAGE ON BRANDON KEATHLEY:

A grand jury indicted him on charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a peace officer. Both are felonies.

The case still hasn’t been to trial.

It’s on the June calendar call for a trial week in July.

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It was actually on the court calendar last month, and prosecutors announced they were ready, but the case got bumped.



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Augusta, GA

Young murder victims, young suspects: Is there a solution?

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Young murder victims, young suspects: Is there a solution?


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Murder suspects and victims seem to be getting younger and younger, if local cases are any indication.

Just Thursday, Richmond County deputies reported that a 14-year-old had been arrested as the suspect in a murder Sunday at the Olmstead Homes.

And that followed Sunday’s arrest of a 15-year-old as the suspect in the shooting death of a 14-year-old April 20 at the Cedarwood Apartments on Richmond Hill Road in Augusta.

On April 27, a 14-year-old girl was shot to death as she slept at her home off Bayshore Drive in Fairfax.

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That same day, a 5-year-old was nearly shot in Allendale while sitting in a car that was shot up.

And just a few days earlier, also in Allendale County, an 11-year-old was injured in a shooting.

Murder often strikes young victims here – like when 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony was killed by during a 2022 drive-by shooting or when 13-year-old Buddy Brown was shot outside his family’s apartment in downtown Augusta in 2023.

It’s all part of a two-year outbreak of violent crime that’s killed more than 150 people across the CSRA on both sides of the Savannah River.

Authorities blame gangs for a lot of the violence.

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As a result, the suspects are often young, too.

Law enforcement officials have said solutions will need to come from parents and the community – solutions that don’t happen with just talk but with having boots on the ground every day.

We’ve reported on community resources like the Purpose Center’s Men in Training Program, which aims to partner adults with children to mentor and shape them.

Through May, Steven O’Neil with Augusta Partnership for Children is hosting what he’s calling the Manhood Tour.

Augusta crime

Every Wednesday, the tour is hosting sessions at May Park Community Center.

It’s a space where men of all ages gather to support and encourage each other by providing resources and information in an open discussion.

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“There’s not enough programs out there for men. And with the things that’s going on in the community today, we feel like that men are most importantly needing these programs.. so we can restructure and change the dynamics and the stereotypes of men today,” said David Mew, Manhood Tour CEO.

It’s designed to be another resource for men in the community to take advantage of reaching their goals, get them on the right path and generate solutions.

They’re doing so with conversations.

“We challenge men in the youth, young males to think differently, think outside of their friend zones, think outside of their neighborhoods, think outside of their communities,” said Mew.

O’Neil says there’s an urgent need in this community in terms of providing resources to young men.

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“You’re still in the process of developing as a person, specifically as a man. And so we want to get our youth, particularly our young men, at an early age because we can kind of mold them and kind of guide them in the right direction,” said O’Neil.

Violence is an issue that has a major impact on our community – from schools to home to everywhere.

Manhood Tour Facilitator Corri Gordon said: “We started out in the neighborhoods. And we went from the neighborhood to the schools. We’re going from the schools to the to the courtroom system. So we are now branching out.”

O’Neil says the Manhood Tour meets young men where they are and works with them to instill good, strong foundations for them as they grow in adulthood.

Time will tell whether this is the solution that will finally work.

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Augusta, GA

36-year-old arrested in Augusta child molestation case

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36-year-old arrested in Augusta child molestation case


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A 36-year-old child molestation suspect has been captured in North Augusta.

On Saturday, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said a child molestation happened in the 3800 block of Peach Orchard Road.

They said Randall Reddick, of North Augusta, was wanted in connection with the incident and had active warrants on file.

He was arrested Sunday by the North Augusta Department of Public Safety, according to Aiken County jail records.

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