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Essay on Brian Nichols
Brian Gene Nichols, 33, is a suspect in the shooting deaths of Judge Rowland W. Barnes, court reporter Julie Brandau, and deputy sheriff Sgt. Hoyt Teasley at a Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia on March 11, 2005. He is also a suspect in the death of U.S. Customs _agent, David Wilhelm.
Nichols was in a holding cell in the Fulton Justice Tower awaiting retrial on charges of rape and false imprisonment after a trial resulted in a hung jury. A 51-year old female sheriff's deputy removed his handcuffs so that he could change into civilian clothes (so that the jury would not be prejudiced against him). Nichols attacked the deputy and took her gun, shooting her in the face. She was in critical condition, but was expected to survive.
He then crossed over to the old courthouse via a sky bridge, where he entered the Judge Rowland W. Barnes' private chambers. There he encountered another deputy, overpowered him and took his gun as well. Nichols then entered Barnes' courtroom from a door behind the judge's bench. Nichols shot the judge in the back of the head. Nichols then shot the court reporter. Both victims died at the spot. Nichols then fled the building and shot a pursuing deputy outside the courtroom. The deputy died at the hospital. He is also the prime suspect in the murder of a US Customs agent, identified as David Wilhelm, found shot dead on March 12.Nichols approached a woman named Ashley Smith at an apartment complex. He told her that he was a wanted man and that he would kill her unless she did what he said. She was held hostage for several hours in her own apartment. Nichols let Smith leave her apartment to check on her daughter, and she then called police, who surrounded the apartment....
