Type to search

DeKalb DA withdraws from all cases involving proposed police training facility

Crime and public safety DeKalb County Metro ATL Trending

DeKalb DA withdraws from all cases involving proposed police training facility

FILE PHOTO: DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston speaks to reporters at a press conference on Jan. 25, 2023. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt
Share

This story has been updated.

By Rose Scott | WABE

Atlanta, GA — Breaking News: In an exclusive interview, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston tells Rose she will not pursue charges against several people who were arrested while protesting against the planned Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

Rose Scott also discussed where the nation stands one year after Roe v. Wade’s overturning, as well as Hip Hop at 50: Arrested Development on the June 23 episode of Closer Look with Rose Scott.

Saturday, June 24, marked one year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis discusses life after the high court’s ruling and where the law stands now in Georgia and across the country.

Hip Hop legends Arrested Development reflect on their path and influence on the genre and how the music has changed since their Grammy win.

The DeKalb DA’s office confirmed the news in a press release on Friday, June 23. Here is the full press release:

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced today that she has made the decision to withdraw her office from the prosecution of all current cases related to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in unincorporated DeKalb County.

The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office has been part of a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement agencies tasked with investigating and prosecuting acts of domestic terrorism and related charges occurring in and around the future site of the training center.

Over the last several months, DA Boston and her team have been involved in ongoing discussions with their law enforcement partners about the evidence and charges in those cases. Recent conversations between those agencies have revealed a fundamental difference in prosecutorial philosophy.

DA Boston and her team have spoken to all the stakeholders involved to notify them of her decision including the Georgia Attorney General’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Moving forward, the Georgia Attorney General’s Office will handle the prosecution of the pending cases. Under Georgia law both state and local prosecutors have jurisdiction to pursue indictments of certain offenses, including domestic terrorism.

“My team and I have worked diligently to reach a consensus with the Attorney General’s Office on charging decisions in these cases,” said DA Boston. “At this point, I have decided it is best that we allow them to move forward with the charges they feel are warranted.”

The mission of the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office to safeguard the community through vigorous and fair prosecution remains intact. Should there be any future arrests related to the training center, the DeKalb DA will address those cases like any other in our jurisdiction.

To listen to the full episode of Closer Look with Rose Scott, click here.

Decaturish media partner WABE provided this story