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nichols defense cost $2.9 million and rising

Posted by
Walter Geiger
in Geiger's Counter
Tuesday, July 21. 2009
Comments (27)
sickening. absolutely sickening report from ajc....

It cost almost $3 million in public money -- at least -- to defend courthouse murderer Brian Nichols, according to records released Tuesday.

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#1 cats on 07/21/09 at 08:50 PM
Refresh my memory. How many people did Nichols murder>
#2 Anonymous on 07/22/09 at 08:58 AM
This all should have been avoided with a bullet which wouldn't have cost a dollar or two.

The first deputy should have capped him.

CASE CLOSED!!
#3 Anonymous on 07/22/09 at 09:24 AM
this is crazy!!!!! we all know that he did it, we all know why he did it, we should have just thrown him under the jail and been done with it the day that he was cought. i do beleive his lawyers dragged the case out so that they would get paid more money, i bet that they did not even work on the case as much as they claim that they did
#4 Andrew Odom on 07/22/09 at 09:28 AM
On March 11, 2005, Nichols was on trial for rape at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta when he overpowered a female deputy, took her gun, and went into the courtroom where he trial was being held and shot the judge and a court reporter. Nichols is also charged with killing a sheriff's deputy who tried to stop his escape from the courthouse and shooting a federal agent at his home a few miles from the courthouse.

Nichols' escape set off one of the largest manhunts in Georgia history, which ended after he took Ashley Smith hostage in her apartment and she convinced him to let her leave and then called 9-1-1.
#5 Andrew Odom on 07/22/09 at 09:29 AM
Here is a news video for your recap of the issue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHw3ZpSxDCw
#6 Sheila Tolley on 07/22/09 at 09:37 AM
I absolutely agree with you. I actually feel bad saying that, but I absolutely do.
#7 Sheila Tolley on 07/22/09 at 09:41 AM
Just as I promised on the PCJ site. If anyone can convince me why he should not have gotten the death penalty, I will refrain from blogging for a week. Now that is punishment for me, folks.
#8 Waste of Money on 07/22/09 at 10:02 AM
Add to the cost of defense the amount spent on the manhunt and cost of housing and healthcare for inmates. I do believe that we need a justice system, However when it is this obvious, why do we need to waste this much money. We need to establish an express line for lethal injection and clear out the cells on death row. Why do we have to pay for healthcare for inmates on death row? I don't see a problem if they die naturally before execution.
#9 high five on 07/22/09 at 11:58 AM
he aint costing us nearly as much as Barrack Sadam Hussein Osama Bin Laden Obama.
#10 anonymous on 07/22/09 at 12:04 PM
I remember following that case.. It had everything to do with the death penalty.. They wanted to make sure he was not sentenced to death, so there were a number of attorneys on his case because of that. I forgot the actual number of attorneys that represented him and the amounts they charged the state but it was mind boggling. He is housed down the road in Jackson. I keep wondering when we are going to see headlines of him escaping. I agree that they should have taken him out when they had the chance. Look at the tax dollars it would have saved. I guess if you are going to kill a bunch of people, Georgia is the place to be.
#11 Tired on 07/22/09 at 12:30 PM
I will convince you, if you, would never ever ever ever blog again.
#12 ScottE on 07/22/09 at 12:35 PM
To me indigent defense (which is for free to the accused) should be at a minimal level of representation--let Nichols do all the legal legwork from the prison library. However, much of the cost was because the State was going for the death penalty. As a result of the death penalty, (which I believe Nichols deserves), if the State had not provided this representation it would have probably cost more to deal with all the appeals. So we are stuck in a Catch 22 and unfortunately the law cannot treat him differently than a possibly innocent person whose case is not so clear.

To me, and with regards to most people's common sense, he should only have received the court appointed attorney that was slated for the next defendant and if he did not receive adequate representation then too bad. If he wanted more he or his family should have to pay for it, not the state. And to me this should apply whether the case is open and shut obvious like this one or is not so clear. But we suffer from the past injustices that definitely happened to poor and minority defendants so this type of State sponsored defense and the onerous requirements are now in place as a result of past abuses by the State.

I firmly believe this is just another way for Nichols to get back at the system. I am sure it gives him satisfaction knowing the amount this is costing.
#13 Anonymous on 07/22/09 at 12:47 PM
I'm horrified I've finally seen the day I agreed with Sheila.
#14 Sheila Tolley on 07/22/09 at 12:52 PM
Is that really so bad?
#15 Sheila Tolley on 07/22/09 at 12:57 PM
Convince me....you got my word. I will never blog again. Now, Smart Alleck...how you going to convince me?
#16 Benny Horne on 07/22/09 at 05:28 PM
This is just another of a growing list of examples of how the justice system in this country is broken, it is a system of backroom, slide money under the table, I'll pat your back if you pat mine, system. It is a system that allows glorified lawyers to put on a robe and act as if they are God himself. I think it is time that the end of the pledge to the American flag be changed to say " and justice for SOME "
#17 H B on 07/22/09 at 08:08 PM
It is evident the trial lawyers are having a feeding frenzie on the money. I blame their actions for this not being concluded.
What happened to swift quick justice?
#18 tbu on 07/22/09 at 09:23 PM
Really, it should not cost anymore for this trial than for some drug dealer shoot-out. High profile cases bring out the big guns with deep pockets. The media helps fuel it also.
#19 Anonymous on 07/23/09 at 05:51 AM
Come on yall...This is a black man. They have to allow him this or Al Sharpton and his clan would be marching in the streets. If an officer had shot him then they would be on trial defending their actions.
#20 Anonymous on 07/24/09 at 02:49 PM
They should have gone for life w/o parole and saved a ton of money. It's a far worse punishment than death.
#21 Anonymous on 07/25/09 at 05:02 PM
Because Death row inmates have more rights and priveleges than other inmates. He would stay on death row in Jackson Ga for 30+ years playing the system and coming out of his cell for 3 hours at a time just as the other 120+ DR inmates do. They come out in groups of about 10 per house. There is 4 different houses that hold them. G1 G2 G3 and G4. Roughly 30 inmates on each one. They each have an assigned day they choose the channels they want to watch on tv all day and that goes for the whole cell block they are in (G1 G2.... so on). I was all for him getting life without. He will eventually go to the high max if he isnt already there that is right next to the Ga Diag prison in jackson. There he will be on 23 hr lockdown and 1 hour on the yard as long as the weather permits.

I worked on death row for a little bit a few years back. Glad i quit that crap hole. Those ppl over there and the state itself is gonna get officers killed. They are way way way understaffed to have that prison running. The news crews have been there before but they made things happen for that one day. Supervisors was on post and there were people there that you dont ever see. If you have ever worked there you will know what im talking about. It is real dangerous there.

BTW just wanted to give you a run down as to how death row is. Dont stop posting. I enjoy seeing your post and adding to some of yours daily. Trust me though. the only good thing about G house is they will die one day. But they will all die one day anyway. Rather have him miserable and confined for 30+ years than grinning and playing cards with other G house inmates for 30+ years
#22 Anonymous on 07/25/09 at 10:24 PM
no one has escaped from inside that institution since it was built in 1965 i believe. Have you ever been in there. Things are pretty tight i guess for it to be as old as it is.
#23 Anonymous on 07/26/09 at 07:58 AM
This is true. Ive been involved in 7 excecutions. I however have not been on the strap down team so i guess i was indirectly involved.
I know that if i were to nut up one day i would do enough damage to where the state would seek the death penalty and i would gladly go for it. Im telling you guys that as far as prison goes, getting a death sentence is like riding on the gravy train.
#24 Sheila Tolley on 07/26/09 at 10:12 AM
But that gravy does not cost the taxpayers anything.
#25 Sheila Tolley on 07/26/09 at 10:59 AM
Cost of Prison Incarceration

yearly cost per inmate
Minimum Custody $22,218
Medium Custody $28,934
Close Custody $32,547
Average $27,911

He is one cocky murderer that should be long gone by now. He will break out or be let out, wait and see. He is worse than Charles Manson. Manson was never even found guilty of murder.
#26 Anonymous on 07/26/09 at 04:09 PM
Ohh yea it does. After 30 years of specialty stuff that the soak up then when the day finally comes its "balls to the walls" at Ga Diagnostic Prison". Extra shifts being worked. Appeals, supreme court reviewing the case 2-3 days before the excecution and up to the last literal minute before it. Most of them are scheduled for 7pm. There are tons of ppl still working at that time across the state that is involved in the excecution and federal authorities too. State patrol has to get ppl there onsite. Butts co has to have ppl on site. Other state agencies working after hours as well. Actual ppl that are employed at the prison that supposed to get off at 2pm or 4pm are still their until 8-9pm until it clears out.
Not really sure how much the excecution itself cost. There is a Dr. or two there. Lots of money involved on excectution day. Day for day a UDS inmate cost more than another inmate.

Also see if this makes sense. The state cannot excecute anyone who isnt in really good health. They will treat them until they get in good health and when it is satisfactory they will excecute. That is right. Heart trouble/disease, liver, lung, kidney, brain, throat, cancer, etc. Not sure about blood pressure issues though. Im not lying. Ask someone that has been there for a number of years. Charles Gieger, AC Smith, Josey Taylor.. etc.
#27 Sheila Tolley on 07/27/09 at 08:20 AM
Are we all out of electricity in Jackson? Will it take you 30 years to save enough to fire up that electric chair?
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