Multiple life sentences for Nichols

Fulton County Judge James Bodiford has sentenced Brian Nichols to hundreds of years in prior for the 2005 killings of four people. Nichols escaped the death penalty after jurors deadlocked earlier this week. When a jury can’t agree on the death penalty, Georgia law kicks in and requires a judge to consider life in prison with or without a chance of parole. In 2005, Nichols was on trial for rape in Fulton County, when he grabbed a guard's gun and fatally shot the judge overseeing his case, a court reporter and a sheriff's deputy in a downtown Atlanta courthouse. During his day long escape, Nichols shot and killed an off duty federal agent, and took a local woman hostage. In his defense, Nichols claimed to be a slave revolting against his captors. Judge James Bodiford sentenced Brian Nichols to seven life sentences and four sentences of life without parole plus 485 years.

Names of Columbus shooting victims released

Columbus Police Command and Control van outside of the emergency room of Doctors Hospital in Columbus, GA., where one of the shootings took place, on Thursday, March 27, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Authorities have identified two of the three victims of Thursday's revenge shooting at Doctors Hospital in Columbus.

Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren identified the two as 44-year-old Peter D. Wright and 76-year-old James David Baker. A third person who was shot and killed in the attack has not yet been identified.

Wright was shot inside the hospital and Baker was shot and killed a short time later outside, in the hospital's parking lot.

Charles Johnston, who police say shot and killed the three, has been confirmed as having taught for the Muscogee County School District:

"Charles Johnston was a full-time employee for MCSD from September 1973 to December 1973 at Rothschild Junior High (Teacher's Aide) before resigning. In March 1997 he enrolled in the substitute training class and is last listed as receiving pay from the MCSD in May 2007 as a substitute teacher,"

Valerie Fuller, MCSD director of communications said in a statement released Friday.

Click here for more GPB coverage of the shooting attack.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Nichols judge quits case

There will be a new judge appointed to the case of accused Atlanta courthouse gunman Brian Nichols. Superior Court Judge Hilton Fuller stepped-down yesterday. The move comes in the firestorm of comments attributed to him in a recent magazine article. In the New Yorker article, Fuller says of Nichols "everyone in the world knows he did it". Fuller later said he didn't recall making the comment, but that damage had been done. Fuller said he was no longer hopeful he could provide a trial preceived to be fair. Nichols is accused of killing four people in a 2005 shooting spree.

The case has been plagued by funding problems for the defense. Barry Fleming, Republican Representative from Harlem, led the committee looking at the finances of the Nichols-case.

"I think it was the correct thing for the judge to do, given all the trouble that has gone on with bringing this case to trial. I think he did the right thing...unfortunately I wish it would have occured maybe much sooner than now, and we would have saved three years of time for the victims and the families going through this, and also millions of dollars to the taxpayers".

No word yet as to who the next judge in the case will be.

Nichols judge considers contempt charges

In the case of accused courthouse shooter Brian Nichols, the judge said today he will consider whether to hold the state public defender office in contempt for not complying with previous orders to fully fund Nichols’ defense. Nichols’ lawyers have argued the state hasn’t provided enough money to cover his legal costs, which have already reached two million dollars. Attorneys said the defense team hasn't been paid since July 1st. Nichols is charged with killing four people in March 2005 after escaping custody at the Fulton County Courthouse.

Nichols trial resumes today

After delays and continuing funding problems for the defense, the trial of accused courthouse killer Brian Nichols resumes today in Atlanta. The court-appointed lawyers for Nichols have warned that without sufficient resources to defend their client, any conviction could be challenged. In 31 months of court proceedings so far, the Nichols-defense has already drained the state public defender’s office of nearly 2-million dollars. Nichols is accused in a March 2005 shooting spree of killing a judge and court reporter, two lawmen outside the courthouse, and later a federal agent.

Judge in Nichols cases forces trial forward

The case of accused Atlanta courthouse killer Brian Nichols still has financial problems, but the judge in the case has not ordered any further delays. Superior Court judge Hilton Fuller said Thursday that questioning of prospective jurors will stay on schedule to begin October 15th. However, the judge has expressed concern whether the trial will be fair, as the Nichols defense lawyers have not recently been paid for their services. The Nichols case has been beset by public defender funding problems--it has already cost the state 1.8 million dollars.

Nichols' lawyers want death penalty option out

Lawyers for accused Atlanta courthouse gunman Brian Nichols are hoping a judge will prevent prosecutors from seeking the death penalty against their client. Defense lawyers in a motion filed late yesterday say the request is based in part because they've been told, there will be no more money from the state to pay their bills. The motion says the state public defender's office told Nichols' lawyers only one-third of projected costs would be covered, but that the offer has now been withdrawn. At last check, the Nichols' defense has cost the public defenders council more than 1.8 million dollars. Nichols is accused of the killings of a judge and three others in March 2005. There is a hearing set for this morning.

Accused courthouse killer trial pushed back again

There will be another delay to the start of the trial for accused courthouse killer Brian Nichols because funding problems continue to plague the defense.

Jury selection will now begin October 1st--it had been scheduled to start September 10th. Opening arguments wouldn’t begin until early next year.

Nichols is accused of escaping from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta in March 2005, killing four people, including a federal agent. Nichols’ lawyers have demanded that there needs to be enough state money to pay costs for their client's defense. State officials last month estimated a price tag of nearly 2-and-a-half million dollars to defend Nichols.