BENJAMIN D. COKER, DISTRICT ATTORNEY 2017 Year in Review Note from Ben Coker, Fayette County 1 Center Drive Fayetteville, GA 30214 (770) 716-4250 bcoker@pacga.org Spalding County P.O. Box 57 132 E. Solomon St. Griffin, GA 30223 (770) 467-4310 Pike County P.O. Box 550 16001 Barnesville St. Zebulon, GA 30295 (770) 567-2020 Upson County P.O. Box 871 305 S. Hightower St. Thomaston, GA 30286 (706) 647-4042 Website: www.dagriffincircuit.org Facebook: @gjcdistrictattorney Your District Attorney This time of year is always a time to reflect on our accomplishments, learn from our mistakes, and plan for the future. 2017 was certainly an eventful year for me and my staff. As your newly elected District Attorney, I set many goals for myself and my offices. Some of those goals were to eliminate a backlog that existed, fully staff each of my offices, and resolve some of the older cases that needed trials. I am happy to report to you that we have met those goals. We drastically reduced the backlog, each office is fully staffed, and we tried multiple older cases that needed resolution. This review is simply a snapshot of our year. If you want more information about any of the cases or events in this newsletter, please visit my website at www.dagriffincircuit.org or my Facebook page, @gjcdistrictattorney. This year has not been easy. These tasks, along with my other goals, have tested the resolve of my staff; however, they never wavered. I am eternally grateful to them. These monumental undertakings required us, as a circuit, to become a team. We are not just an Upson Office, a Pike Office, a Spalding Office, and a Fayette Office. We are the Griffin Judicial Circuit. 2018 will bring about new challenges, and we will continue to work on the backlog. We will try the hard cases, tackle the difficult problems, stare down evil, and we will do it all with integrity. Thank you for your trust in me. I never take it for granted. Your safety is always in my mind. Thank you for the wonderful first year. To the year of 2018, we say, bring it on! Ben
BENJAMIN D. COKER, DISTRICT ATTORNEY Work in the Courtroom Michael Bowman Convicted of Malice Murder and Sentenced to Life Without Parole Michael Bowman was convicted after a two week trial of Malice Murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Bowman was convicted of shooting Griffin Police Department Officer Kevin Jordan multiple times in the back in Spalding County. District Attorney Coker tried the case along with Chief Assistant District Attorney Marie Broder, and Assistant District Attorney Dan Hiatt. Kashif Mohammed Convicted of Home Invasion and Robbery and Sentenced to Life in Prison Mohammed was convicted after a week long trial in Upson County for entering the home of two victims, holding them at gunpoint, tying them up, and stealing guns and money from the home. District Attorney Coker and Assistant District Attorney Mark Irvin tried the case. Thomas Zerbarini Sentenced to Life for Aggravated Child Molestation Thomas Zerbarini was convicted on Friday, December 15th, of Aggravated Child Molestation, two counts of Child Molestation, Incest, and Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes. Assistant District Attorney Dan Hiatt and Deputy Chief District Attorney Warren Sellers with the Fayette County District Attorney s Office tried the case. Bill Moore, Jr. and Todd Jones Retried and Convicted of Malice Murder and Sentenced to Life without Parole Moore and Jones were convicted after a week long trial for the brutal murder of Kevin Harmon in Spalding County. The defendants took the victim to an abandoned lot in the early morning hours of February 14, 2011, stabbed Harmon multiple times and beat him with a baseball bat after robbing him. District Attorney Coker and Chief Assistant District Attorney Marie Broder tried the case. The case was a retrial after a new trial was granted. A co-defendant, Cody Tuggle, was not granted a new trial. His conviction stands.
BENJAMIN D. COKER, DISTRICT ATTORNEY Work in the Courtroom Kristopher Cawthon Convicted of Exploitation and Intimidation of Disabled Adult A Fayette County Jury found Cawthon guilty of Exploitation and he was sentenced to 20 years with the first 7 to serve in prison. Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Warren Sellers tried the case David Lee Stewart Guilty of Aggravated Child Molestation Stewart entered a guilty plea in Pike County after evidence was presented at a trial. He was sentenced to Life with 25 years to serve. Assistant District Attorney Michael Rogers handled the case. Quasha Nicole Harris Convicted of Multiple Counts and Sentenced to 30 Years with 15 to Serve in Prison Harris was convicted of Felony Obstruction of a Police Officer, Felony Theft by Shoplifting, Identity Fraud, Forgery in the 2 nd Degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Fleeing and Attempting to Elude, and Driving while License Suspended. Assistant District Attorney Michele McCutcheon tried the case for the State. Cary Wilson Convicted of Aggravated Assault and Sentenced to 20 years in prison A Spalding Jury convicted Wilson for stomping on the face of a man at Kevin s Corner in Griffin. Assistant District Attorney Canon Snow and Assistant District Attorney Donna GoPaul tried the case. Royce Robinson to Serve Life in Prison after Kidnapping Conviction Assistant District Attorneys Kate Lenhard and Morgan Kendrick tried Robinson for kidnapping his estranged wife, beating her, and strangling her. A Spalding County jury convicted him of Kidnapping with Bodily Injury, False Imprisonment, and Battery. Timothy Allen Convicted of Kidnapping and Aggravated Assault Assistant District Attorneys Donna Go- Paul and Kate Lenhard tried Allen over the course of three days. A Spalding County jury convicted him of Kidnapping his ex girlfriend, placing a gun to her head, strangling her, and beating her. Allen was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
WORK IN THE COURTROOM Reginald Lews Blackmon Receives 40 Year Sentence for Trafficking Methamphetamine. An Upson County Jury found Blackmon guilty of possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Assistant District Attorney Michael Rogers tried the case William Bradford Sentenced to 41 serve 21 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Bradford pled guilty to robbing the PNC Bank in Fayetteville. Marcia Annette Demarcus Pled Guilty to Homicide by Vehicle in the First Degree Demarcus pled guilty for killing a 16 year old girl with her car while being under the influence of drugs. She was sentenced to 30 years with the first 15 to be spent in prison. RICO Defendants Entered Pleas Multiple defendants charged with RI- CO in Spalding County cases that were 3-4 years old entered guilty pleas. Each of those cases have now been resolved. Each of the main players received over 10 years in prison and are banished from the circuit. Chief Assistant District Attorney Marie Broder handled the cases. Ruby Coursey Sentenced to Life after Guilty Plea for Murder Coursey pled guilty to abandoning a paraplegic in a wooded area of Upson County in freezing temperatures. The victim died from exposure. ADA s Argued in both Appellate Courts Fayette County ADA, Christy Jindra, argued in front of the Georgia Court of Appeals. Upson County ADA, Ashton Fallin presented an argument in front of the Georgia Supreme Court. Johntavis Bailey Pleas Guilty to Smash and Grab Burglary Bailey pled guilty to burglarizing the Simply Mac in Peachtree City. He was sentenced to 25 years with 20 to be served in prison. Former Spalding County Captain Entered Blind Guilty Plea David Gibson entered a non-negotiated guilty plea and was sentenced to 10 years with the first 3 to be served in prison. Cornelius Henderson Pleas to Voluntary Manslaughter Henderson pled guilty to shooting and killing Demarkis Williams in Spalding County and was sentenced to 20 years with 15 years to serve.
IN THE COMMUNITY It has been a pleasure to get out in the communities of our Circuit and meet all of you. I look forward to spending more time with you in 2018! Peachtree City Fall Fair UGA s Criminal Justice Day Promise Place Candlelight Vigil Fayetteville Public Safety Meeting Kevin Jordan Memorial Highway Dedication Teenage Dating Violence Seminar Fayetteville Fall Fair
2017 Year in Review CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS It has been a pleasure to get out in the communities of our Circuit and meet all of you. I look forward to spending more time with you in 2018! Spalding County Office Donates Toys to Families Pike County Christmas Parade Upson County Christmas Parade
2017 Year in Review IN THE SCHOOLS I believe that the key to curbing crime in our community starts with our kids. Getting out into the schools and interacting with kids has been a highlight of my year. Constitution Presentation to Fourth Graders Career Day for Fayette County Middle Schools Career Day at Upson-Lee Elementary Career Day at Inman Elementary
LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION It was my honor to serve the members of law enforcement in each of the counties. It was a small thank you for our heroes in blue. FAYETTE COUNTY SPALDING COUNTY
LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION PIKE COUNTY UPSON COUNTY Thank you, law enforcement, for all that you do!
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2018 District Attorney Coker and the Spalding County District Attorney s Office prepares to try Franklin Gebhardt and William Moore for the 1983 murder of Timothy Coggins. Three men charged with Home Invasion and Malice Murder will face trial in 2018 for robbing and stabbing Albert DeMagnus in his home on Lake Horton Landing Drive. David Batchelor, a former child care administrator in Upson County, will face trial for dozens of pornographic images of children. He faces hundreds of years in prison. In addition to the cases above, my offices across the circuit will be tasked with trying the 10 pending murder cases on our docket. Michael Lamar Graves and Mustafa Mahdi in Fayette County; Vonterryon Matthews, Johnny Johnson, Earl Cherry, Beatrice Lyons, Sean Evans and John Jordan in Spalding County; and Blake Hancock in Upson County. We will continue to work hard for you in 2018!
2017 Year in Review THANK YOU FROM ME AND MY STAFF FOR A WONDERFUL 2017!