Celebrity TV judge Glenda Hatchett, responding Monday to a guilty plea by a former Middle Georgia sheriff who was accused of groping her at an event in Cobb County last year, encouraged victims to speak up and praised her support network.
Bleckley County Sheriff Kris Coody, 59, pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery in the January 2022 incident at a Georgia Sheriff’s Association meeting at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly hotel. Coody, who resigned from his position once the plea became official, was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service, plus a $500 fine.
“Today is a great day of justice,” C.K. Hoffler, one of Hatchett’s attorneys, said during an afternoon news conference. “Justice was served.”
The incident happened at the hotel bar during the organization’s winter meetings. According to Coody’s arrest warrant, he grabbed Hatchett’s breast “without her consent.” Hatchett recounted the story in more detail, saying that Coody “twisted her breast and then began massaging it.”
Thomas Brown, a former DeKalb County sheriff, told Channel 2 Action News he witnessed the interaction and saw Coody’s hand go down Hatchett’s shirt. Brown said he had to physically pull Coody’s hands off her.
“I grabbed his arm and threw it off her chest and basically said, ‘What do you (adjective) think you’re doing?’” Brown told the news station.
Credit: Bleckley County
Credit: Bleckley County
Hatchett spoke candidly about the incident Monday, recounting the mental and emotional aftermath. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s policy is to not name victims of sexual abuse or assaults. However, Hatchett chose to speak publicly about her experience as a victim.
“I pride myself on being strong,” said Hatchett, whose reality court show, “The Verdict with Judge Hatchett,” is in its 23rd season. “And I really thought I was fine. I’m fine, this happened on a Tuesday night. I even went to a dinner that Wednesday night. Thursday morning, I could not get out of bed. I could not stop sobbing that morning or get out of bed.”
She said she eventually sought therapy. She also acknowledged that many survivors do not have the same connections or support systems and often go unheard.
“If he could do this to me, after having been introduced to him as Judge Hatchett, what else is happening?” she said. ”What about the women and men who do not have the resources that I have, who don’t have the support of this amazing law firm and these amazing lawyers, all these people in the community who have stepped up and been with me?”
Coody had been the sheriff of Bleckley County, located between Warner Robins and Dublin, since being elected in 2016. Daniel Cape, who has been with the sheriff’s office for 22 years, has been named the interim sheriff. As of Monday evening, the Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page had not been updated to show that Coody is no longer sheriff.
In a statement, Coody said, in part, “To be clear, I had no intent to touch Ms. Hatchett inappropriately. Unfortunately, I acted in a careless manner and for that I have taken full responsibility for my actions.”
Coody worked for the Georgia State Patrol from 1988 until 2007, when he went to work in Bleckley. He served as an officer with the state Department of Agriculture from 2008 to 2011 before returning to the sheriff’s office.
Besides her TV show, Hatchett is known for representing the family of Philando Castile, a Black driver who was shot to death by a Minneapolis police officer in 2016.
