ONWARD! A Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright

ONWARD!

E L C O M E

March 18, 2023 marks the 60th Anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in which the justices unanimously ruled that defendants facing substantial jail time deserved legal representation, even if they could not afford to pay for counsel.

The Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC) celebrates the ruling, reaffirms our commitment to the highest standard of criminal defense, and honors all staff working to fulfill the promise of Gideon throughout Georgia.

GPDC dedicates itself to the further and continued improvement of its public defense delivery systems consistent with the ideals of the right to counsel guaranteed by the United States and Georgia Constitutions as expressed in Gideon and its progeny.

We welcome you to the Evergreen Lakeside Resort in Stone Mountain to commemorate this momentous occasion.

OMOTAYO B. ALLI, ESQ

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Omotayo B. Alli, JD, MPA, SPHR is the Executive Director of the Georgia Public Defender Council and was a trailblazing appointment by Governor Brian P. Kemp in 2020 to lead the agency statewide. Director Alli is the first woman and first person of African heritage to serve as GPDC's Executive Director. An experienced public defender, she brings proven skills to enhance the effectiveness and quality of legal representation for indigent persons. Her goal as Executive Director is to augment indigent defense services, providing citizens with socially responsive rehabilitative services that allow them to permanently transcend their present circumstances ultimately breaking cycles of court involvement and recidivism

In Ms. Alli’s previous role as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Fulton County Juvenile Court, she was instrumental in developing several progressive, evidence-based diversionary programs. These efforts transformed the court into a more rehabilitative institution. For example, Ms. Alli was instrumental in creating the Leadership & Educational Enhancement Program (LEAP), a court-based school providing much needed educational resources to court-involved children disengaged from the traditional academic settings All participants receive instructions in a variety of subjects with the goal of either successfully earning a GED or enough credits to return to a conventional educational environment Since its launch, over 50 participating children have successfully received a GED with some matriculating to technical schools or four-year colleges

As the first Director of Fulton County Child Attorneys, Ms. Alli positioned the office as the benchmark child welfare program by ensuring achievement of performance outcomes mandated by the Kenny A. Consent Decree. She also acquired the necessary resources to double the growth and operating budget of the office within the first year of her tenure

Executive Director Alli is a recipient of the 2018 Community Partner Spirit of the League Award from the Greater Atlanta Urban League and the 2019 Daily Reports Trailblazer Award Her vision and strategic focus have enabled her to skillfully build critical infrastructures, integrate best practices, and spearhead high-profile projects that have produced transformational results for constituents.

Executive Director Alli holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Kent State University, a master of public administration degree (MPA) from Jacksonville State University, and a Juris Doctor from Georgia State University. In addition to her formal education, Ms. Alli is a registered neutral mediator with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution She also holds both the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SCP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certifications An active participant in the DeKalb and Fulton communities, Mrs Alli is a member of Leadership DeKalb and a host of other civic and professional organizations

“Lawyers in criminal courts are necessities, not luxuries…. [t]he right to be heard would be, in many cases, of little avail if it did not comprehend the right to be heard by counsel.”

Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 344 (1963).

On June 3, 1961, five doll

nd a few bottles of beer and soda were stolen from the Pool Room, a pool hall and beer bar in Florida. The owner also alleged that $50 was taken from the jukebox. Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested and charged with breaking and entering and larceny.

Mr. Gideon, uneducated in criminal law, criminal procedure, or the rules of evidence, was nonetheless denied, counsel. The jury convicted him, and he was sentenced to serve five years in prison, the maximum sentence. From his jail cell, Mr. Gideon handwrote a letter to the Supreme Court asking the justices to review his case.

On March 18, 1963, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment guaranteed that Mr. Gideon and all others facing serious criminal charges have the right to a lawyer, whether or not they can afford to hire one. Writing for the Court, Justice Hugo Black noted that “lawyers in criminal courts are necessities, not luxuries.” Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 344 (1963). The Court reiterated that “[t]he right to be heard would be, in many cases, of little avail if it did not comprehend the right to be heard by counsel.” Id.

On re-trial with an attorney, Mr. Gideon was acquitted of all charges.

GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENDER COUNCIL

Christopher Cohilas Judge Murphy Miller

E Lee Morris

Carlos Rodriguez

Donna Seagraves

Edward D Tolley Johhny E C Vines

Lamar Paris

GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENSE FOUNDATION BOARD

Michael "Killer Mike" Render Bradley Boyd

Clay Tapley

Dr Victoria Seals

Sallie Wright

Thomas O'Connor Terry Raiford

Maggie Crow

HONOREES

2023 IMPACT AWARD

PETER BOWMAN “BO” RUTLEDGE

Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge, the holder of the Talmadge Chair of Law, became dean of the University of Georgia School of Law on January 1, 2015

As dean, Rutledge has worked to steer the law school to be one of the best returns on investment in legal education in the country Since 2015, the law school has set fundraising records - both for overall giving and annual giving - during the Commit to Georgia Campaign, which ultimately raised over $61 million for the law school Much of this support has gone to student financial aid which, coupled with a nearcomplete tuition freeze, has dramatically reduced aggregate student indebtedness and per-student indebtedness Along with strong national employment statistics and ultimate bar passage rates, this strategy has been recognized in a variety of media and the school has been rated the #1 or #2 Best Value in legal education by National Jurist for five straight years, including a historic "three-peat" as the #1 Best Value.

He is the author of the book Arbitration and the Constitution and co-author with Gary Born of the book International Civil Litigation in United States Courts. His works have been published by the Yale University Press, the Oxford University Press and the Cambridge University Press, and his articles have appeared in a diverse array of journals such as The University of Chicago Law Review, the Vanderbilt Law Review and the Journal of International Arbitration He also regularly advises parties on matters of international dispute resolution (litigation and arbitration)

In 2008, the U S Supreme Court appointed Rutledge to brief and argue the case Irizarry v United States as amicus curiae in defense of the judgment below He subsequently won the case, joining the ranks of a select few advocates who have successfully defended a judgment below when the government refused to do so Notably, he has served as a judicial clerk at the U S Supreme Court for Justice Clarence Thomas and at the U S Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for Chief Judge J Harvie Wilkinson III

In addition to his academic and legal work, Rutledge remains active in professional circles. He has advised parties on matters of international dispute resolution and has served as an expert in both litigation and arbitration. He is a listed arbitrator with several international organizations. He has testified on several occasions before Congress on pending arbitration legislation, regularly spoken to broadcast and print media, and given speeches to a range of professional audiences on matters such as international dispute resolution, arbitration and the Supreme Court.

He holds a B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard University, an M.Litt. in Applied Ethics from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) and a J D with high honors from the University of Chicago, where he served as executive editor of The University of Chicago Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif

2023 GIDEON AWARD

CHRISTOPHER COHILAS

Christopher S Cohilas graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in Criminal Justice from the University of Georgia in 1999 He went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Georgia State University College of Law in 2002

Currently, Cohilas is a partner at the law firm of Watson Spence LLP, where he specializes in complex litigation He is a trial lawyer representing clients in matters ranging from catastrophic personal injury and death to complex business disputes involving allegations of breach of fiduciary duty and Georgia RICO statute violations

Prior to joining Watson Spence, Cohilas served as the Chief Assistant District Attorney for Dougherty County. As a prosecutor, he headed Dougherty County’s first ever felony Crimes against Women and Children Unit, while still being responsible for many other serious felony matters. As a prosecutor, Cohilas tried all manner of cases ranging from child murder to public corruption. Under his leadership, the newly formed Crimes against Women and Children Unit raised its conviction rate to nearly 100 percent.

In 2006, the State Bar of Georgia awarded Cohilas the Young Lawyer Ethics and Professionalism award for his work as a young prosecutor

In 2007, Cohilas was named one of Southwest Georgia’s 40 under 40 He is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Georgia (“LG”), and a 2009 LG Program Chair Beginning in 2009, Cohilas began his six years of service on the State Bar of Georgia’s Unlicensed Practice of Law Standing Committee

In January, 2013, Cohilas was awarded the Martin Luther King Day “Dream Award” for his service to the Southwest Georgia community. In November 2014, he was elected by the citizens of Dougherty County to serve as Chairman of the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners. In 2017, Governor Nathan Deal appointed Cohilas to serve as a board member of the Georgia Public Defender Council. In 2019, he was elected chairman of the council. In January 2018, Georgia Trend Magazine named Cohilas one of Georgia’s 100 Most Influential Georgians. In January 2019, after running unopposed, he was sworn in to begin his second term as Chairman of the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners. In March 2019, Cohilas was awarded the Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service. He received the award because of his unwavering leadership and support for the Albany-Dougherty community through three separate Presidentially declared major natural disasters occurring in 2017 and 2018

Cohilas is a proud father of four children - Christopher, Nicholas, Michael, and Isabella

2023 DEDICATION TO JUSTICE AWARD

JUSTICE VERDA M. COLVIN

Justice Verda M Colvin was appointed to the Supreme Court on July 20, 2021, by Gov Brian Kemp She is the first African-American female appointed by a Republican governor to the state’s high court Previously, she served on the Court of Appeals, having been appointed by Gov Kemp in April 2020 Her time as judge also includes nearly six years as a Superior Court judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit, during which she served on the Council of Accountability Court Judges

Justice Colvin discovered her love for trial work early in her career as an Assistant Solicitor in AthensClarke County From there, she went on to serve as Assistant General Counsel to Clark Atlanta University and then as Assistant District Attorney in Clayton County. Before becoming a judge, Justice Colvin was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia. She prosecuted a wide range of offenses from drug trafficking to white-collar crime.

Justice Colvin was born and raised in Atlanta and attended Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in government and religion from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and her juris doctorate from the University Of Georgia School Of Law.

Judge Colvin is committed to service professionally and personally In 2019, the Supreme Court appointed her to serve on the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) Additionally, during her tenure as a Superior Court Judge she served on the CSCJ Bench & Bar and Legislative Committees and as a member of the Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) where she was part of the Funding Committee, the Committee Chair for Accountability and Treatment Courts and a member of the CACJ Executive Committee Justice Colvin was serving as co-chair of the Rules Committee for the Council of Superior Court Judges (CSCJ) at the time of her appointment to the Court of Appeals by Gov Kemp She formerly served on Gov Nathan Deal’s Criminal Justice Reform Committee and the Law Enforcement Task Force Committee. During her service on the Court of Appeals Justice Colvin served as a member of the Internal Operations Manual and the Continuing Judicial Education and Inhouse Continuing Legal Education for Staff Attorneys. She co-chaired the Strategic Planning/Court Futures Committee and was appointed to serve on the Continuing Judicial Education Board of Trustees. In her service on the Supreme Court of Georgia, she currently serves as the Access to Justice Committee Chair.

Justice Colvin has served as an adjunct professor at Mercer School of Law, and she is a member of First Baptist Church where she has previously served as a children’s Sunday school teacher and is currently on the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team She is the proud mother of two children, Weston and Taylor, and the wife of Nathaniel Walker with whom she shares two other adult children, Nathan and Nathalie

2023 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AWARD

JOHHNY E. C. VINES

Mr Vines was appointed to the Georgia Public Defender Council in March 2019 and appointed to the bench of Collins Municipal Court in October 2020 Mr Vines is a former public defender and currently has a solo practice primarily focusing on criminal defense throughout southeast Georgia.

Mr. Vines is a lifetime member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the bars of the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, Southern District of Georgia. He is also a Marine Corps veteran who received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from Thomas M Cooley Law School

2023 SHAPING TOMORROW'S LEADERS AWARD

DR. VICTORIA SEALS

Victoria Seals, Ed.D., C’91, is the sixth president of Atlanta Technical College. She previously held several leadership roles at Gwinnett Technical College, including vice president for academic affairs. Seals began her teaching career in Athens, Georgia. She was employed by Athens-Clarke County Public Schools for two years and Athens Technical College for six years

During her time in Athens, Seals also served as an assistant basketball coach for the Clarke Central High School girls’ basketball program and as a tutor/proctor for The University of Georgia Athletic Department The Association of Community College Trustees recognized Seals as the 2020 Chief Executive Officer of the Year for the Southern Region

In 2017, she was named Educator of the Year by the South Fulton Chamber, recognized by Year Up Atlanta with the Urban Empowerment Award, and honored by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta at its 56th Equal Opportunity Day. She received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Spelman; a master’s in mathematics from the University of Georgia, where she also received an educational specialist degree in mathematics education and an Ed.D. in educational leadership.

2023 WINDSHIELD AWARD KENYA HOLMES

Kenya Holmes is a Social Work Specialist at GPDC with over five years of experience in advocating and ensuring that all people have equal access to the resources and opportunities that allow them to meet their basic needs Specializing in case management, Ms Holmes uses that experience to assist non-violent offenders in alleviating recidivism

Ms Holmes has put her Bachelor of Science degree earned at Florida A&M University to great use by focusing on meeting client needs. Over the past year, Ms. Holmes has developed community partnerships, coordinated referrals and resources, and develop treatment plans to help guide assigned clients toward self-sufficiency.

2023 WINDSHIELD AWARD

SHUNTA WILLIAMS

Shunta R Williams was born and raised in Albany, Georgia She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia; Masters in Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology; and Juris Doctorate from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law

The road to this dream was a long and difficult one After subsequently sitting for the Georgia Bar exam three times, being notified of unsuccessful passage twice Ms Williams was alerted of a fatal error with the Georgia Bar Exam Ms Williams was one of 90 individuals who were told in error that they’d failed the Exam in the past year and half, but had actually passed. This experience fueled her determination and passion even more.

She began her career in private practice as an Associate at the Law Office of Maurice Luther King Jr. and in 2017 began her career with the Georgia Public Defender Council in the Southwest Circuit. She now practices in the Dougherty Circuit. She never anticipated that her career path would lead or remain in criminal law, but now cannot imagine herself without it. The feeling felt every time she graces a podium before a jury confirms God’s design and purpose for her life Truly a story of a little girl from the east side of Albany living out her dreams, being a servant, and being led by God

Ms Williams is the mother of one son, Jaxson Williams The daughter of James and Patricia Williams, sister of Darrius Williams, and granddaughter of Ethel Roberson

AGENDA ONWARD!

THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF GIDEON V WAINWRIGHT

Award Presentation - Omotayo Alli, Executive Director, GPDC

Professionalism - Justice Verda M Colvin, State of Georgia Supreme Court

Reception

Friday, March 17

8:00 - 9:00 AM

9:00 - 9:30 AM

Breakfast

Registration

Welcome & Greetings - Omotayo Alli, Executive Director, GPDC

Christopher Sanders, Stone Mountain Memorial Association

Dr Beverly Jones, Mayor of Stone Mountain, Georgia

Awards Presentation

A Legislative Perspective - Representative Scott Holcomb

A Judge’s Perspective of Public Defense: Then and Now – Judge Yolanda C Parker-Smith

Break

Lunch and Keynote - James King

Balancing the Scales of Justice: The Ideal We Aspire To - Angela Dillon 1:45 - 2:45 PM

Breakout Group for Investigators/Admins/Case Advocates - D’Andre Berry

Gideon At Work Panel

4:00 - 5:00 PM

Mindfulness and Building Community - Amber Pittman

Dinner on your own

Saturday, March 18

8:30 AM

Breakfast

Updates and Outcomes from the Early Intervention Program - Jerry Word

A Judicial Perspective - Judge Arch McGarity

10:30 - 11:00 AM

A Closing Argument in Defense of Public Defenders - Arnold Ragas

CLE CREDIT

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Judicial Council Of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts

SPEAKERS

Michelle Barclay, Esq, staffed the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Committee on Justice for Children’s for many years, starting in 1996.

Today, she is the Director of the Communications, Children, Families, and the Courts Division for the Judicial Council/Administrative Office of the Courts Before becoming a lawyer, she was a nurse specializing in ICU and trauma care at Grady and Emory Hospitals

Her degrees include a Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Emory University, and a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies from Georgia State University

She is also co-founder, along with her husband, Andrew Barclay, of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University School of Law. The Barton Center is partially funded by a donor-advised fund with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta which is named in honor of Andy Barclay’s maternal grandparents, Lewis and Sarah Barton.

Rebekah Sawyer is a Business Support Analyst Supervisor with Georgia Public Defender Council With a bachelor’s degree in organizational management, and a master’s degree in teaching, she has spent the majority of her career in education as a teacher and university academic advisor.

She is a licensed minister and former youth pastor and has spent over 30 years mentoring youth. Rebekah is a freelance editor, working primarily with first-time authors.

Her career choices reflect a commitment to using her knowledge and expertise to help others, which is why she was drawn to work with the GPDC Since joining GPDC in September 2022, she has provided administrative support to the HR department and the Alternate Public Defender and Appellate units

Michelle Barclay Director of Communications

Rebekah Sawyer Georgia Public Defender Council

Christopher Sanders Stone Mountain Memorial Association

SPEAKERS

Sanders serves as the Executive Director of the East Metro Community Improvement District

Before working for the CID, he previously was with the Georgia Department of Revenue as an Assistant Director and Georgia Pacific in various roles such as customer relations, marketing, and business development.

In his spare time, he participates in various activities at his old Alma Mata Redan High School, serves on The University of West Georgia Alumni Association Board of Directors, MBA recruitment ambassador for the Professional MBA program at the University of Georgia, and serves as a men ’ s group and boys’ high school group leader at Buckhead Church

Sanders holds a B B A in Business Management from the University of West Georgia and a M B A from the University of Georgia

SPEAKERS

Dr. Beverly Jones is the first Black woman elected mayor of Stone Mountain.

Jones took office in January 2022 with typical mayoral goals: to boost economic development, improve the city's image and ensure residents' safety But Jones is far from typical

Dr Beverly Jones is a global native that has lived as far as Okinawa, Japan and is a world traveler, but over the past 25 years, she emerged into one of Dekalb County's greatest champions in activism for health, education and social justice Beverly's heart for activism began as an adolescent serving as an usher and Sunday School teacher at her childhood church and was refined during college matriculation. Dr. Jones earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Theology, Doctor of Christian Counseling, Master of Ministry in Christian Counseling, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership.

Dr. Jones currently works as a GED, Post-secondary Education Specialist, and a Paraclete and Behavioral Health Counselor. She supports churches, prisons, businesses, and professional organizations in their mission to provide aid for underserved communities afflicted by health and education disparities Dr Jones is known in her industry for developing programs and events such as Women In Need (WIN), Prison 2 Pageantry, and Health Night Out, which connect women with resources for a brighter future and assist them with implementing strategies for success She has worked tirelessly to promote her programs and initiatives to strengthen families and enrich women in need In her own right, Dr Jones is a philanthropist, activist, motivational speaker, and campaigner in the fight against diabetes, mental illness, and Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Beverly Jones Mayor, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Rep. Scott Holcomb Georgia House of Representatives

SPEAKERS

Scott Holcomb represents District 81 in the Georgia House of Representatives. Scott serves on the following committees: Judiciary; Ways & Means; Public Safety and Homeland Security; Defense & Veterans Affairs; Higher Education; and Juvenile Justice.

Scott has practiced law since 1998. He began his legal career in the U.S. Army, practicing as a prosecutor and later, as an advisor on international law and the laws of war. Following his military service, Scott entered the private sector and focused his legal practice on litigation. Georgia Super Lawyers Magazine twice recognized him as a “Rising Star.” He is a founding partner of Holcomb + Ward, LLP, a boutique law firm based in Atlanta. Scott is a strong advocate for veterans’ issues, and he has provided pro bono representation to veterans and their families since leaving active duty.

Scott earned his MBA from the University of Georgia and his MPA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, while serving in the Legislature and working full-time. He received his law degree from West Virginia University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut. Scott is married to the former Kathleen Oh of Reidsville, Georgia. They have a son, Carter, and a daughter, Kirsten, and attend Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

Judge Yolanda C. Parker-Smith was elected in 2020 to serve as a Superior Court Judge in DeKalb County, Georgia. Prior to her election to the bench, Judge Parker-Smith was recruited to the Office of the Public Defender, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, to establish the Parent Attorneys Division. This was the first of its kind in the State of Georgia committed to defending the rights of indigent parents and guardians in child protective services cases.

In 2006, Judge Parker-Smith launched the Parker Smith Law Group, and from 2004 to 2006, Judge Parker-Smith worked for the Fulton County District Attorney’s office as an Assistant District Attorney to create a new unit focused on reducing juvenile gun violence in Fulton County.

Judge Parker-Smith attended the University of Florida where she earned both her Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Judge Yolanda C. Parker-Smith Superior Court Judge, Dekalb County

SPEAKERS

James King, managing partner of The Cochran Firm Detroit., has been a criminal defense attorney for the better part of a decade Prior to transitioning to the firm, James was a supervising trial attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) where he amassed a 96% success rate in dozens of jury trials ranging from assault, weapons offenses, and homicide Outside of the courtroom, James displayed an equally impressive success rate in revocation hearings before the U S Parole Commission and sealed proceedings for juveniles charged with wide-ranging criminal offenses Additionally, James was an integral member of a legal team that achieved a sentence reduction for a man who had served thirty-seven years of a life sentence. Having fully investigated hundreds of criminal cases as part of his caseload, James developed a profound understanding of the complexities of the criminal justice system and the abuse doled out by police misconduct and brutality. As a result, James authored, argued, and obtained case dismissals in criminal cases prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.

Galvanized by the horrors experienced by underrepresented communities, James served as one of the founding members for the Black Public Defender Association He is also a long-standing board member of Lawyers for the People, a charitable organization that provides intense legal representation to low-income members of the community

In addition to his criminal defense practice, James has served as a volunteer for the Mississippi Center for Justice and the D.C. Prisoners Project (Washington Lawyers Association). He has trained various public defender agencies, Criminal Justice Act panels, private practitioners, and students. James also previously served as an adjunct at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.

James is an accomplished attorney, educator, advocate and author. He continues to advocate justice for individuals in need of criminal defense or civil representation in the areas of police misconduct, police brutality, civil rights, and personal injury

James King Attorney, Activist, Humanitarian

SPEAKERS

Angela Dillion is a graduate of Emory Law School and was in private practice since 1995 until recently joining GPDC as a Managing Attorney for the Southwest Alternate Public Defender Office

Her practice has focused on criminal trials and appeals She is admitted to practice before both the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court She currently lives on her family farm in Marion County

D’Andre Berry serves as the Director of Performance Metrics for the Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC) Mr Berry has 30 years of experience in the justice system and 25 years of management experience. He is an Office of the Public Defender in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit veteran, where he served as its Deputy Director of Litigation and Administration through September 2017. He earned his JD from Howard University School of Law.

At GPDC, Mr. Berry is tasked with developing useful agency metrics and meaningfully organizing and presenting this data to inform the decisions of agency leaders and CPDs to ensure clients attain satisfactory outcomes for themselves and their families

D'Andre Berry

Georgia Public Defender Council

Angela Dillon Georgia Public Defender Council

SPEAKERS

Gabrielle Amber Pittman is the Chief Assistant Public Defender in the Towaliga Judicial Circuit Amber began her career in 2003 as a fellowship attorney at the Multi-County Public Defender (which became the Georgia Capital Defender in 2005) defending death penalty cases in both the trial and appellate divisions Upon completion of her fellowship, she worked as an assistant public defender in Savannah, followed by several years in private practice before returning to public defense in 2013.

As head of the Middle Georgia Regional Capital Defender Office from 2013 to 2022, she tried multiple death penalty cases and successfully argued State v. Towns, 307 Ga. 351, 834 S.E.2d 839 (2019) before the Georgia Supreme Court.

She is licensed to practice in Georgia (2004), South Carolina (2003, inactive) and North Carolina (2009)

The Honorable Arch W McGarity is a University of Georgia graduate and a graduate of the Walter F George School of Law at Mercer University, where he was a Law Review member He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1977 as a Henry County Bar Association member and former Flint Circuit Bar Association president

Judge McGarity was appointed to Superior Court Judge for Henry County, Flint Judicial Circuit in 1995 by Governor Zell Miller and became Chief Judge in 2007. He also served two terms as the Administrative Judge for the Sixth Judicial District from July 2010 to July 2014.

Judge McGarity retired as a Henry County Superior Judge in 2018 and was appointed Senior Judge in the Flint Circuit that same year. From 2011-2018 Judge McGarity also served on the Georgia Public Defenders Standards and Training Council Board of Directors for eight years.

Judge McGarity is a lifelong McDonough, Georgia resident, a dedicated family man, and a very active member of Wesley Way United Methodist Church and the Henry County community

Judge Arch McGarity

Senior Judge, Flint Judicial Circuit

Amber Pittman

Chief Assistant Public Defender Towaliga Judicial Circuit

SPEAKERS

Gerald P. "Jerry" Word graduated from West Georgia College in Carrollton in 1973 with an AB in Mathematics and Political Science and from Emory University with a JD in 1975.

He was in private practice in Carrollton for 29 years doing mainly criminal defense and personal injury law. In 2004 he was appointed Circuit Public Defender for the Coweta Judicial Circuit. In 2007 he took over as the Capital Defender, where he oversaw the handling of roughly 250 death penalty cases until his retirement in August 2020. Since that time, he has returned to private practice continuing his work consulting on capital cases and potential capital cases under the Capital Early Intervention Program.

He served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Federal Defender Office for the Northern District of Georgia, two terms on the Georgia Indigent Defense Council, and was the only member of the GIDC to be appointed to the 2003 Georgia Public Standards Council, where he served a 6-year term.

As Deputy Director/Managing Attorney of the Specialized Unit he leads the Early Intervention Unit, which aims to reduce the number of death noticed cases, and the Complex Case Unit, which aims to surge resources into regions where CPDs petition for assistance on major cases. Prior, he served as Managing Attorney in the Cherokee and Rome Conflict Office. He developed a reputation as someone who would enthusiastically try any case, any time, anywhere irrespective of the facts and still expect to win. More often than not, he would.

In a recent nine month period, he secured acquittals in trials for murder, drug trafficking, aggravated assault, rape, and possession with intent, without a single loss. In the past month, he concluded a thirty day stretch with three trials: two murder/home invasion trials and one arson/attempted murder trial. The results of those trials: an acquittal; a hung jury in a case unlikely to be retried; and a probation plea after the close of the state’s case.

As a poor kid from the housing projects of New Orleans, he sees the humanity in every indigent person he represents and feels honored and privileged to fight for them.

Arnold Ragas Georgia Public Defender Council

Jerry Word Capital Defender Emeritus

CLE CREDIT

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