FILE - Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), looks at a book in the main branch of the public library in downtown Little Rock, Ark., May 23, 2023. An increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins, File)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — A federal judge on Monday struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks found that elements of the law are unconstitutional.
“I respect the court’s ruling and will appeal,” Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The law would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible to children. The measure was signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in 2023, but an earlier ruling had temporarily blocked it from taking effect while it was being challenged in court.
“The law deputizes librarians and booksellers as the agents of censorship; when motivated by the fear of jail time, it is likely they will shelve only books fit for young children and segregate or discard the rest,” Brooks wrote in his ruling.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
“This was an attempt to ‘thought police,’ and this victory over totalitarianism is a testament to the courage of librarians, booksellers, and readers who refused to bow to intimidation,” said Holly Dickson, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas.
But supporters of the law, known as Act 372, say they will continue to fight for its implementation.
“Act 372 is just common sense: schools and libraries shouldn’t put obscene material in front of our kids,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement to KATV-TV. “I will work with Attorney General Griffin to appeal this ruling and uphold Arkansas law.”
The ruling comes as lawmakers in some conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana, and Texas.
FILE - President Joe Biden speaks at the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit at the Department of the Interior in Washington, on Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims’ families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences.
Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people convicted in the slayings of police and military officers, as well as federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals.
FILE – This combination photo shows federal death row inmates Robert Bowers, from left, the gunman who massacred 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, Dylann Roof, who committed racist slayings of nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, convicted for carrying out the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombing attack. (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, from left, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, FBI via AP, File)
Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof, convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history.
Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they’d long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump, a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move weeks before the president-elect takes office.
Victims’ families and former colleagues share relief and anger
Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner, Bryan Hurst, was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the killer’s execution “would have brought me no peace.”
“The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House.
FILE – Marissa Hurst, wife of slain officer Bryan Hurst, left, hugs Sgt. Donnie Oliverio, after Oliverio paid tribute to Bryan, during a service in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 11, 2005. (Fred Squillante/The Columbus Dispatch via AP, File)
But Hurst’s widow, Marissa Gibson, called Biden’s move distressing and a “complete dismissal and undermining of the federal justice system,” in a statement to The Columbus Dispatch.
Tim Timmerman, whose daughter, Rachel, was thrown into a Michigan lake in 1997 to keep her from testifying in a rape trial, said Biden’s decision to commute the killer’s sentence offered families “only pain.”
“Where’s the justice in just giving him a prison bed to die comfortably in?” Timmerman said on WOOD-TV.
Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a 2017 South Carolina bank robbery, called the commutation of the killer’s sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post.
“At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.”
Corey Groves, whose mother, Kim Groves, was murdered in a 1994 plot by a New Orleans police officer after she filed a complaint against him, said the family has been living with the “nightmare” of her killer for three decades.
“I have always wanted him to spend the rest of his life in prison and have to wake up every morning and think about what he did when he took our mother from us,” Groves said in a statement through his attorney.
Decision to leave Roof on death row met with conflicting emotions
Families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church have long had a broad range of opinions on Roof’s punishment.
Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did.
Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing.
FILE – Tyrone Sanders and Felicia Sanders comfort each other at the graveside of their son, Tywanza Sanders, on June 27, 2015, at Emanuel AME Cemetery in Charleston, S.C. (Grace Beahm/The Post And Courier via AP, File)
In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift.
Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for.
“This was a crime against a race of people,” Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.”
But the Rev. Sharon Risher, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out federal death row.
“I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims’ families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Risher said in a statement.
Risher, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, said during a Zoom news conference that families “are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come.”
Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director, said Biden was giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of their political motivations to kill.
“When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said.
Politicians and advocacy groups speak up
Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office.
Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden has shown “the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.”
FILE – Anti-death penalty activists protest in front of the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala., on Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler, File)
Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions.
“Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.”
One inmate’s attorney expresses thanks — and his remorse
Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin.
Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury.
“Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.”
But Ed Dowd Jr., the U.S. attorney in St. Louis at the time of the robbery and now a private attorney, criticized Biden’s move.
“This case was a message to people who wanted to go out and shoot people for the hell of it, that you’re going to get the death penalty,” Dowd said. Now, “Biden is sending a message that you can do whatever you want and you won’t get the death penalty.”
James Thomas “Jimmy” Black, age 85, of Demorest, passed away Sunday, December 22, 2024.
Born in Clarkesville on July 10, 1939, Mr. Black was the son of the late Thomas L. and Oma Gastley Black. After high school, he attended Young Harris College, Piedmont College, and the University of Georgia. Mr. Black was an educator, coach, and school principal in the Habersham County School System until his retirement. He was an avid golfer, gardener, Atlanta Braves and Georgia Bulldog Fan. Mr. Black adored his grandchildren and enjoyed following them through their sporting endeavors. Mr. Black was in the Habersham County Hall of Fame for basketball and the Habersham Ring of Honor for football, as well as a national champion in the World Heart Games. He was a member, a deacon, a past Sunday school director, and a head shepherd for Wednesday Night Suppers at Bethlehem Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Black is preceded in death by brothers Jerry Black and John Larry Black and sisters Margaret Cruce, Carolyn Landrum, Beverly Coffer, and Barbara Green.
Survivors include his wife Linda Jean Hill Black of Demorest, son and daughter-in-law Kevin and Beth Black of Anderson, South Carolina; daughter and son-in-law Kristi B. and Mike Dickman of Ball Ground; sister Beth Black of Clarkesville; grandchildren Gibson Black (Elizabeth) of Greenville, South Carolina, Maggie Black of Charleston, South Carolina, Lexi Dickman of Ball Ground and Livi Dickman of Ball Ground, brothers in law Michael Hill (Lawonda) of Clarkesville, Brad Hill (Vicki) of Chiefland, Florida, and Everett Landrum of Clarkesville, sister in law Linda Gail Black Marshall (Hayward) of Clarkesville as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 27, 2024, at Bethlehem Baptist Church, with Rev. Bobby Gastley and Rev. Matthew Butler officiating. Interment will follow the service in Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, December 26, 2024, from 5-8 PM.
Flowers are accepted, or memorials may be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church Debt Retirement, PO Box 488, Clarkesville, GA 30523.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to caregivers Dr. Stuart Sanders, Amanda Vandergriff, Brenda Chambers, and to special angels Cindy Hogsed and Sean Walker.
An online guestbook is available and may be viewed at HillsideMemorialChapel.com
Luansack Oun Vilachit, age 73, of Cornelia, Georgia, passed away on Sunday, December 22, 2024.
Mr. Vilachit was born on September 4, 1951, in Laos. He was preceded in death by his parents, Chan and Sie Phon Vilachit, and his sister, Sy Aumphai Vilachit Phongsavanh.
Mr. Vilachit had worked as a Foreman for Proctor and Gamble Construction. He was a member of the Habersham Lao Association. Most importantly, Luansack was a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years, Vanh Vilachit, of Cornelia; daughters and sons-in-law, Lian and Julius Brown, of McDonough; Dao and Socheat Mom, of Clermont, Florida; daughter, Duanh Vilachit, of Cornelia; son, Sonny Vilachit, of Pensacola Beach, FL; sister, Amphanh and Bounleum Xayavong, of Cornelia; grandchildren, Kiana Chounramamy, Arya Brown, Keira Mom, and Bryce Brown; nephews and nieces, Sai and Tonya Phongsavanh, Rodney Phongsavanh, Chip and Shannon Gohers, Jake and Sophear Xayavong, Jot Xayavong; great-nephews and great-nieces, Dominic, Chase, Zachary, Jayden, Marrissa, Leah, Kelsey, and Alani Xayavong.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, December 27, 2024, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel, 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.
A Kennesaw man was treated for minor injuries after a brief pursuit with a Habersham County Sheriff’s Office H.E.A.T. unit early Monday morning, according to authorities.
Just after 12:20 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 23, authorities say a member of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic unit attempted to stop a blue Infinity driven by Steven Kristopher Wilke, 36, of Kennesaw, on Ga. 365 southbound near Cody Road.
At the intersection of Old Historic 441 at Ga. 15/U.S. 441, the suspect “apparently wasn’t familiar with the area and continued across and crashed into the guardrail on the northbound side,” Special Operations Lt. Travis Jarrell said Monday afternoon.
Wilke was taken into custody and transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville for treatment. He then was returned to the Habersham County Detention Center in Clarkesville just before 6 a.m. Monday.
Wilke is charged with two counts of DUI, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, driving while license suspended or revoked, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug-related objects, too fast for conditions, failure to maintain lane, failure to obey stop sign, headlight requirements and giving wrong signal.
Authorities said Wilke remained in jail Monday morning. The Georgia State Patrol investigated the collision between Wilke’s vehicle and the guardrail on Ga. 15/U.S. 441 just outside Tallulah Falls.
Earlier this month, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were involved in the arrests of five suspects wanted on separate charges. The arrests took place in a span of four days, according to authorities.
After receiving a tip, Stephens County deputies on Tuesday, Dec. 10, executed an arrest warrant on Theodore Swilling, 75 of Toccoa, who police say was wanted on felony probation charges. Authorities said Swilling was arrested at a family member’s residence and transport him to the Stephens County Jail without incident.
The following day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver in color Lincoln LS near West Currahee Street and Peachtree Street in a separate incident. A run on the vehicle’s license plate determined Joshua Johnson, 36 of Toccoa, allegedly had warrants out of White County. Johnson was transported to the Stephens County Jail and has since been taken into custody by White County authorities.
Then, on Thursday, Dec. 12, authorities say Stephens County deputies responded to an address on Brookdale Road regarding a tip on the possible location of two known fugitives. Suspects Abby Jordan, 30 of Toccoa, and Ian Major, 36 of Toccoa, were wanted by the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol on several charges after allegedly fleeing traffic stops by multiple agencies.
Both suspects were arrested and transported to the Stephens County Jail without incident. Jordan was wanted for failure to appear, probation violation, failure to pay child support, no insurance, failure to obey stop sign, driving while license suspended, and knowingly driving a motor vehicle on suspended registration.
Major was wanted for felony probation violation and two counts of failure to appear. Both Jordan and Major remain in Stephens County Jail without bond.
In a fifth and final arrest on Saturday, Dec. 14, a deputy received a tip that a wanted suspect, Jeffrey Seth-Lamar Hawkins, 28 of Westminster, S.C., had been seen at an address in West Union, S.C.
The deputy then contacted an investigator with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division and the information was provided to Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina.
Deputies and investigators with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office were able to apprehend and arrest Hawkins at the address in West Union. Hawkins is wanted by several agencies in South Carolina and Georgia. He is currently being held in South Carolina and will be extradited to Stephens County in the future pending court proceedings in South Carolina.
The old courthouse on the square is photographed by tourists and locals alike during the holiday season. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
The small town square in Dahlonega was alive with the Christmas spirit on Saturday evening, welcoming the first day of winter with festive lights, holiday cheer, and the joyful sounds of the season. Despite the chilly temperatures, the heart of this charming town was a warm, bustling haven for visitors and locals alike.
As evening descended, every street and shop on the square was beautifully decorated for the season, with twinkling lights, wreaths, and garlands adorning storefronts, adding to the magical atmosphere. The sidewalks were packed with families, couples, and visitors who were eager to experience the unique holiday magic that only Dahlonega could deliver.
The shops on the square in Dahlonega decorated for the Christmas season. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
Tourists flooded the quaint shops that line the square, hunting for that perfect gift or souvenir to commemorate their trip. Restaurants were filled to capacity, with long waits for tables, as everyone seemed eager to enjoy a warm meal in the company of friends and loved ones.
Despite the crowds, the air was filled with a sense of joy and community. Families paused to take photos in front of the grand Christmas tree standing proudly in front of the historic courthouse. The tree, sparkling with colorful lights, was a perfect backdrop for holiday selfies and group pictures.
A lit up horse drawn carriage travels around the square in Dahlonega to give visitors an old fashioned feel as they take in the lights and sounds of Christmas. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
For those seeking a more nostalgic experience, a horse-drawn carriage ride was the perfect way to take in the sights. One of the carriages, glowing with white lights, looked straight out of a winter fairy tale, as if preparing for the arrival of a snow princess. Visitors enjoyed a slow, scenic ride around the square, adding to the old-fashioned charm of the evening.
A few of the Christmas trees on display in Hancock Park for the Festival of Trees sponsored by local businesses. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
Just off the square, Hancock Park offered yet another festive experience. The city’s Festival of Trees was in full swing, with each tree decorated by local businesses and charitable organizations. Each tree had its own theme, showcasing the creativity and community spirit that defines Dahlonega. The park was filled with families strolling among the trees, oohing and aahing at the dazzling displays.
The Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Center with its large tree out front on the square is a great place to get information or just step in to warm up for a moment. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
A trip to the Dahlonega square during the holiday season is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. The festive lights and decorations make it the perfect spot to embrace the spirit of Christmas, whether you’re shopping for a gift, enjoying a meal, or simply taking in the sights.
A view of some of the lights on the square as visitors drive into downtown Dahlonega. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
For those planning an evening out, it’s advisable to arrive early for dinner and join the waitlist—then take a leisurely walk around the square to soak in the decorations and the holiday ambiance. After dinner, a horse-drawn carriage ride will cap off your evening in the most memorable of ways, offering a truly old-fashioned Christmas experience.
The square will be illuminated through December 31, so there’s plenty of time to visit and make memories that will last a lifetime.
The city of Dahlonega recently received contributive funding for future health and wellness initiatives.
Dahlonega announced on Dec. 23 that the city was one of the awardees of the 2024 Health Wellness Grants by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA).
The grant goes to support Dahlonega’s “commitment to facilitating positive change in the workplace culture” and for its specific focus on the health and wellness of its employees, according to city officials.
“GMA is honored to collaborate with the city of Dahlonega at every step of the health wellness journey,” a release from the city states. “Awards are made statewide to participating employers enrolled in one or more medical plans through the GMEBS (Georgia Municipal Employees Benefits Services) Life and Health Insurance Fund.”
The Health Wellness Program at GMA is designed to support its members to “embrace a variety of skills, mindsets and cultures” and to “encourage utmost wellbeing through workplace health wellness initiatives,” officials said Monday.
The initiatives are said to have a “demonstrated track record” of boosting employee wellbeing and quality of life and to “enhance workplace morale,” reducing medical claims and maximizing cost impact.
Then-U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, speaks speaks to reporters in Atlanta following the presidential debate on June 27, 2024. The U.S. House Ethics Committee released a report Monday finding "substantial evidence" of misconduct by Gaetz.
(States Newsroom) — President-elect Donald Trump’s first choice for attorney general in his second presidency, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, paid for sex, including with a minor, used illegal drugs and sought to obstruct investigators, according to a U.S. House Committee on Ethics report released Monday.
The 42-page report, the culmination of a years-long committee investigation, found that Gaetz, who denies the allegations, “regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him,” used cocaine and ecstasy on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2019, accepted gifts including a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, and lied to the Department of State to obtain a passport for a woman he was sexually involved with and who he falsely claimed was his constituent.
“Representative Gaetz took advantage of the economic vulnerability of young women to lure them into sexual activity for which they received an average of a few hundred dollars after each encounter. Such behavior is not ‘generosity to ex-girlfriends,’ and it does not reflect creditably upon the House,” the report stated, noting the former congressman violated Florida prostitution and statutory rape laws.
Gaetz has not been criminally charged.
But the panel cited “substantial evidence” that Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old girl whom they refer to as “Victim A.” Evidence included “credible testimony from Victim A herself, as well as multiple individuals corroborating the allegation.”
“Several of those witnesses have also testified under oath before a federal grand jury and in a civil litigation,” the report continued.
“Representative Gaetz denied the allegation but refused to testify under oath. He has publicly stated that Victim A ‘doesn’t exist’ and that he has not ‘had sex with a 17-year-old since I was 17.’ The Committee found that to be untrue and determined that there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz had sex with Victim A in July 2017, when she was 17 years old and he was 35. Representative Gaetz’s actions were in violation of Florida’s statutory rape law,” according to the report.
Gaetz was chosen by Trump in November as his nominee to run the U.S. Department of Justice, even though Gaetz was previously the target of a department sex trafficking investigation that neveryieldedcharges. Gaetz resigned from the House hours after Trump named him for the position.
After criticism from lawmakers and a spotlight on the House Ethics Committee’s probe, ongoing since April 2021, Gaetz bowed out of the running for attorney general.
Gaetz continues to deny the allegations outlined in the committee report and sued the panel Monday. In the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Gaetz calls the committee’s decision to release the report “unconstitutional” because it does not have jurisdiction over a private citizen.
“There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses,” Gaetz wrote on X Monday.
Gaetz declined an opportunity to present his version of events to the committee, refusing an invitation to sit for a voluntary interview, the report said.
Debate over release
The committee wrestled with the decision to release the report, blocking the decision after meeting on Nov. 20 before reversing course in a Dec. 10 vote.
Committee Chair Michael Guest said in a statement Monday that he opposed the report’s release.
“I believe, have publicly stated, and remain steadfast in the position that the House Committee on Ethics lost jurisdiction to release to the public any substantive work product regarding Mr. Gaetz after his resignation from the House on November 14, 2024,” Guest, a Mississippi Republican, said.
“While I do not challenge the Committee’s findings, I did not vote to support the release of the report and I take great exception that the majority deviated from the Committee’s well-established standards and voted to release a report on an individual no longer under the Committee’s jurisdiction, an action the Committee has not taken since 2006,” Guest’s statement continued.
File photo
(Official White House Photo by Oliver Contreras)
(States Newsroom) — President Joe Biden commuted the sentences on Monday of 37 death row inmates, citing his conscience as a force behind the decision. He also left the death sentences unchanged for three men charged with hate-motivated mass shootings and terrorism.
Biden, who imposed a moratorium on federal executions during his administration, commuted the death sentences to life sentences without the possibility of parole, saying in a statement that he’s dedicated his career “to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system.”
“Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden said.
“But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”
The three men Biden left on death row Monday include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, sentenced in 2015 of bombing the Boston Marathon in 2013; Dylann Roof, sentenced in 2017 of fatally shooting nine members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina; and Robert Bowers, sentenced in 2023 for the deadly shooting in 2018 that killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
The president’s commutations Monday come after he commuted the sentences on Dec. 12 of 1,500 people who were placed in home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic. He also granted pardons for 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes.
Biden received criticism from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and others for including among the mass commutations a Pennsylvania judge convicted in 2011 of sending children to prison in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks from a private jail — a crime that became known in the commonwealth as the “Cash for Kids” scheme.
Advocates for abolishing the death penalty and some U.S. House Democrats had pressured Biden to commute death penalty sentences ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Trump expedited some executions during his first term.
According to the White House, the names of the death row inmates whose sentences were commuted Monday are:
A group of nine sixth-graders deliver a holiday performance for students, friends, and family, performing "12 days of Winter Break," bringing laughter and smiles to everyone who watched. (Tallulah Falls School)
The sixth-grade class at Tallulah Falls School performed a rousing holiday performance for students, friends, and family on Wednesday, December 18. The performance consisted of a compilation of holiday poems recited by the nine sixth graders.
The students spent their recess time twice a week practicing the classic “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and other holiday favorites, such as Shel Silverstein’s “Snowball” and Kelly Roper’s “The Dreaded Christmas Fruitcake.” They ended the performance with a lively rendition of “The 12 Days of Winter Break,” leaving the audience smiling and laughing.
Parker Bryant, Emily Papandreas, Joe Jordan, and Audrey Roy perform the 12 days of Winter Break for a delighted audience at their holiday program. (Tallulah Falls School)The sixth-graders met during their recess to rehearse for the holiday program held Wednesday, December 18. (Tallulah Falls School)
“This group of kids was dedicated to the process, and I am so proud of the performance they shared today. It’s not easy to perform in front of your peers with little rehearsal, but they did it beautifully,” said drama teacher Carrie Layer.
Demorest resident Regina Patterson recently donated a check to Habersham's Sheriff's Office to pay for a protective vest for canine Bane (Habersham County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Christmas came early for Habersham County’s newest canine officer.
Last week, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office received a generous donation to pay for safety apparatus for it’s newest canine officer.
After training, canine officer Bane will now be set to start next year with a newly-issued protective vest, which will be paid for by Demorest resident Regina Patterson. Patterson presented a check to the sheriff’s office last Wednesday.
“I just wanted the dogs to be safe,” Patterson said. “I love animals and I want them to be safe in protecting us, and I thought it would be a great idea.”
Demorest resident Regina Patterson speaks to Sheriff-elect Robin Krockum (Habersham County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
Deputy Holden Helcher, Bane’s handler, said the vest is critical for his partner – just as a ballistic vest is important for human officers.
Patterson said she’s glad to help the animals that work alongside Habersham’s law enforcement officers.
“This is my Christmas present, and I’m just happy that i can share it with the dog and his handler,” Patterson said. “I just hope that people will realize what these dogs do and what y’all do and maybe we can encourage others to do the same.”
