Attorneys for defendants facing charges stemming from protests over Atlanta’s planned public safety training center site must be accommodated in their request to visit the site, a judge has ruled.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams told lead prosecutor John Fowler during a hearing Tuesday to work with the city to arrange a visit for the defense attorneys by June.
“To the extent that there has been a request made to go to the site, it seems to me like you need to work with defense counsel and work it out,” Adams said, adding that jurors might need a similar visit once the trial starts.
Fowler told Adams the city of Atlanta has denied request visits.
“I’m telling you that the city of Atlanta doesn’t get to say no, so whoever I need to tell that, I’m prepared to tell them,” Adams responded, adding that she would sign an order if needed. “If they want to proceed with prosecution, they don’t have an option to not make the site available for a visit.”
The city did not respond to a request for comment regarding the site visit requests.
Reporters were allowed to tour the training center site in May 2023, but subsequent requests from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution have been denied.
A total of 61 people have been charged with violating the state’s RICO act. Some face additional charges of domestic terrorism, arson and money laundering. Most are not from Georgia.
The Georgia Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case.
The Fulton County indictment focuses on Defend the Atlanta Forest, an Atlanta-based group prosecutors allege is an “anti-government, anti-police, and anti-corporate extremist organization.”
The indictment claims the group’s purpose is to occupy parts or all of the 381 forested acres in DeKalb County owned by the city of Atlanta and leased to the Atlanta Police Foundation with the goal of halting training center construction.
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Defendant Ayla King was set to go to trial after a jury was selected and sworn in December to meet her speedy trial demand. However, King’s attorney Suri Chadha Jimenez filed an appeal arguing that the speedy trial demand was not met.
King’s trial has been delayed until the Georgia Court of Appeals rules.
Adams said she expects the other 60 defendants to face trial this year, in groups of five in alphabetical order. It’s unclear how long the proceedings could last.
Adams noted defense attorneys have filed more than 140 motions and instructed Fowler and attorneys to provide by May 21, a list of the motions and an estimation of how long arguing them will take.
Adams also instructed Fowler to ensure all discovery is provided to the defense by May 17.
“When discovery trickles in, it makes my head hurt because it makes it difficult for me to do my job,” Adams said.
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