Across Georgia

Ga. top court reverses murder conviction

ATLANTA - The Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that a man convicted of murder should get a new trial because prosecutors failed to disclose their key witness had worked out a deal that could have reduced his sentence.

The court on Monday reversed the conviction of Richard Anthony Gonnella in Richmond County for the 2002 shooting death of John Henry Williams.

Evidence showed that Gonnella and Christopher Evans went to Williams' apartment. Evans said he heard a gunshot while waiting in his car.

The two later turned themselves in and Evans told police where to find the gun.

Gonnella was convicted of felony murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Evans was sentenced to 15 years after a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter.

The court said prosecutors deprived Gonnella of the ability to impeach Evans' testimony.

Father of toddler who shot himself charged

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - A Hall County man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after his 21-month-old son found a loaded handgun in the man's home and accidentally shot himself to death.

Hall County Sheriff's Col. Jeff Strickland says the father, 33-year-old Raley A. Lane, was in the same room when the boy shot himself on Saturday. Strickland says the father rushed his son to a hospital but the child died after being flown to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

The Times of Gainesville reports that Strickland says sheriff's officers arrested Lane and charged him with involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children and reckless conduct. He was being held at the Hall County Jail.

Fulton County elects new chief judge

ATLANTA - Georgia's biggest county court system has elected a new chief judge.

Cynthia D. Wright will succeed Doris Downs and become the next chief judge of the Fulton County Superior Court in May. Wright has been a judge on the court since 1986 and is now a family court judge who specializes in domestic cases.

County judicial leaders declared an economic state of emergency last week as the judiciary faces proposed cuts of more than $50 million. Wright said in a statement she will make it a priority to work with county officials and state lawmakers to address the funding crisis.

She says no one can point fingers if everyone joins hands.

Atlanta police makes inroads after botched raid

ATLANTA - Three years ago, a 92-year-old grandmother was killed in a hail of bullets during a botched police raid in a crime-ridden section of northwest Atlanta.

Now, police officers, prosecutors and city leaders are returning to the neighborhood to talk about how they've rebuilt ties with skeptical residents - and the work that still needs to be done.

Neighborhood leaders say the blighted area has improved since Kathryn Johnston's 2006 shooting death, but that more needs to be done.

Businessman John Gordon says improving the community is good for everyone.

Atlanta mayor to teach at Spelman when term ends

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin will teach at Spelman College after her final term ends.

Franklin will join the historically black women's college in January under its William and Camille Cosby Endowed Professorship Program, dedicated to the fine arts, humanities and social sciences. The multidisciplinary initiative is designed to enhance the intellectual, cultural and creative life of Spelman.

Franklin was elected the city's first female mayor in 2001 and re-elected in 2004. She is barred by term limits from running for mayor again. The 63-year-old Franklin is an alumna of Howard University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Franklin's term ends Jan. 3 and she will begin her one-year professorship after leaving office.

Emory University units receive gifts

ATLANTA - Emory University says its Oxford College and Candler School of Theology have received gifts totaling more than $4.25 million from the Charles Edwin Suber Foundation.

Oxford received a $3.35 million gift, the largest cash gift in the college's history. The theology school received $903,177. Both gifts were unrestricted.

The Suber Foundation was established by his estate. The 1942 graduate of Oxford College died in November 2007.

He attended Emory University and was retired from the Fulton County Superior Court system as court clerk.

Of the Oxford College gift, $100,000 will be used to establish a scholarship in Suber's name.

Alpharetta man pleads guilty to impersonation

ATLANTA - An Alpharetta man has pleaded guilty to charges of impersonating a federal agent.

Louis Joseph Aprile entered the plea in federal district court on Monday, admitting to pretending to be an agent of the National Security Agency.

The 49-year-old initiated meetings with local law enforcement from May 19 to June 9 and repeatedly portrayed himself to be the deputy director of the National Security Agency.

He tried to convince officers he was from the National Security Agency to organize an anti-terrorist task force, specifically targeting some individuals whom he claimed were Iraqi terrorists about to engage in terrorist acts.

Aprile could receive a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for February 3.