Atlanta Courthouse Shooting Trial
Brian Nichols was found guilty on November 7, 2008, of all 54 charges stemming from his 2005 shooting rampage at the Fulton County Courthouse in downtown Atlanta. Nichols murdered the judge set to preside over his 2005 rape trial, the court reporter, and a sheriff's deputy outside the courthouse. Nichols also murdered a federal customs agent after his escape. Nichols was later apprehended at the home of Ashley Smith, a Gwinnett County, Georgia, woman whom he had taken hostage.
Fast Facts
- Date of shooting: March 11, 2005
- Brian Nichols allegedly shot four people as he was about to stand trial for raping his former girlfriend
- Escaped from the courthouse and carjacked three separate cars
- Was a fugitive, went to the apartment of a woman named Ashley Smith
- Smith called 911 and Nichols was arrested without incident on March 12, 2005
- The trial has been postponed numerous times1
- Trial began on September 22, 2008
The Victims of Brian Nichols
Nichols's murderous escape from the Fulton County Courthouse in 2005 resulted in the deaths of four individuals. Nichols overpowered the sheriff's deputy escorting him into the courtroom, shot and killed the judge presiding over his rape trial, Rowland Barnes, and also killed court reporter Julie Ann Brandau. Outside the building, Nichols shot and killed police sergeant Hoyt Tinsley. Later in the day, after escaping the area, Nichols killed federal customs agent David Wilhelm at Wilhelm's home.2
Related Pages on Mahalo
Brian Nichols | Atlanta | Georgia
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