HB 941 - Urgent Action Needed

Feb 9, 2016

HB 941 is the proposed bill that greatly alters a law enforcement officer's right to be in grand jury. You will no longer have an absolute right to be in the grand jury throughout the presentment. You will be notified at least 20 days before the grand jury hears a presentment against you. If you notify the DA, you may appear as a witness and make a statement to the grand jury. Your attorney may appear with you and you may step outside the grand jury room to consult with your attorney should you desire; however, your attorney may not ask any questions or make any statement in the grand jury room. If you do make any statement, you will be subject to questioning by the prosecutor and grand jurors.

 

There will be a hearing (only) of HB 941 this Friday, February 12th at 10 AM by the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee at the Capitol (room TBD). Please contact your representative and any or all of representatives of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee below asking them (in a professional way) to protect your right to a grand jury:

 

                                                                

Representative                    Home County                   Committee Position                               

Golick, Rich                         Cobb                                Chairman                         rich.golick@house.ga.gov

 

Pak, B.J.                              Gwinnett                          Vice Chairman                 votebjpak@gmail.com

 

Abrams, Stacey                    DeKalb                            Member                           staceyabrams@gmail.com

 

Atwood, Alex                        Glynn                               Member                           alex.atwood@house.ga.gov

 

Ballinger, Mandi L.               Cherokee                         Member                           mandi.ballinger@house.ga.gov

 

Coomer, Christian                Bartow                             Member                           christian.coomer@house.ga.gov

 

Cooper, Sharon                    Cobb                               Member                           sharon.cooper@house.ga.gov

 

Dickerson, Pam                    Rockdale                        Member                           pam.dickerson@house.ga.gov

 

Gravley, Micah                     Douglas                          Member                           micah.gravley@house.ga.gov

 

Hightower, Dustin                 Carroll                            Member                           dustin.hightower@house.ga.gov

 

Kendrick, Dar'shun               DeKalb                          Member                            dkendrick@kendrickforgeorgia.com

 

Ramsey, Matt                       Fayette                          Member                            matt.ramsey@house.ga.gov

 

Randall, Nikki T.                   Bibb                               Member                            nikki.randall@house.ga.gov

 

Reeves, Albert                     Cobb                             Member                             albert.reeves@house.ga.gov

 

Setzler, Ed                           Cobb                             Member                             ed.setzler@house.ga.gov

 

Strickland, Brian                 Henry                             Member                             brian.strickland@house.ga.gov

Trammell, Robert               Meriwether                     Member                             bob.trammell@house.ga.gov

 

Link to your representative: http://www.house.ga.gov/Representatives/en-US/HouseMembersList.aspx

 

Talking points for your consideration and feel free to draw your own ideas from the bill: 

 

1. Transparency is needed and transcribing the testimony of witnesses, officer's statement, and questions/instructions of DA is a great change in the law.
    
2. The grand jury process is an important protection against political prosecutions of law enforcement officers and elected officials.
    
3. It is important to note that this bill will only affect law enforcement officers.
    
4. Officers & their attorney need to be present throughout the presentment to be able to fairly present their assessment of the incident to the grand jury.
    
5. Officer should have an absolute right to be in the grand jury.
    
6. Officers are making a statement as the subject of the bill of presentment and not as a witness.
7. Certainly it would be appropriate and very helpful for grand jurors to ask clarifying questions of the officer following his or her statement.
    
8. Officers are not there as a witness for the prosecution and should not be subject to questioning by the DA.
    
9. The DA should not be able to call rebuttal witnesses following the officer's statement, this is not a trial.
    
10. If the officer is denied being in the grand jury throughout the presentment, the officer's attorney should get the complete transcript at same time as DA.