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You can contact Ross at 404-630-6434 or email him at ross.cavitt@wsbtv.com

Dressing for Success: In the Courts By Ross Cavitt | Thursday, September 21, 2006

I’ve been covering a court trial in Cobb County for the last week. While the trial itself has been interesting, much of the weeks real entertainment has happened during the court calendar before the trial starts each morning.

I’d wager most of you reading this have never had to step inside a courtroom. Most often it is an unpleasant experience be it a civil or criminal case. I’ve had a chance to watch a lot of people in the court over the years, and have been astonished how some people treat the occasion.

Let’s face it; what happens in the courtroom will have a major impact on the lives of the people who step across the bar. Whether they are being sentenced for a misdemeanor or facing serious felony charges, appearing before a judge is a significant life-changing event.

But some people treat it like a trip to the convenience store, coming to court dressed in t-shirts, baggy pants, or wearing ball caps. They reluctantly follow instructions, mumble while answering questions, and generally act like the whole thing is a big waste of time. Take it from me; this does not do them any favors before the judge.

And what many people fail to realize is that they may come face-to-face with this judge again. In many counties, when you get in trouble your case is assigned to a judge. And if you get in trouble again, your case is automatically routed to the same judge. Judges get to know certain people really well.

There was a case late last week, when the judge called the case of a young woman facing drug charges. She was not in his courtroom, so he issued a warrant for her arrest. She arrived about a ½ hour later, an attractive young woman, well-dressed in her mid-to-late 20s. The judge noticed her and rather angrily asked her to step forward. He clearly was well-acquainted with her.

When she tried to explain her tardiness, the Judge lit in to her, angrily telling her to be quiet and sit down. When she tried to press her case, he slapped her with a 20-day contempt of court penalty, and threatened her with 20-more days. At this point, I told the photographer I was working with that I would move to the back row and keep my head down.

But what I didn’t realize was that the Judge had seen this act before, and had a pretty good idea what was going on. He asked the woman is she was “clean” and would pass a drug test. The woman said she absolutely was clean and would pass. The Judge then called for a drug-testing officer who popped into the courtroom a few minutes later. He ordered an on-the-spot drug test, and the pair went back into a restroom.

Turns out she failed, tried to bribe the officer, and when that failed took off running. It’s not easy to get out of a courthouse, especially in the rear secured area. Deputies, prosecutors, and others went running and found her in a rear stairwell.

She was brought back into the courtroom, disheveled and panting, and the Judge sent her back to jail for five months saying it would “clean her up.” The Judge knew even before she arrived what was likely going to happen. He had seen it all before.

I felt sorry for the young man who stepped before the judge immediately after that episode. He was a well-dressed young man, perhaps 20, who clearly was not someone used to wearing a tie but taking pains to look presentable. He was literally shaking following the judge’s preceding tirade. But the Judge noted the defendant’s appearance, his on-time arrival, and polite behavior and granted the previously-agreed upon probation and sent him on his way.

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8/21

The murder of JonBenet Ramsey was a tragic, unthinkable event. The person who killed her needs to be caught, and locked away.

That being said, I’ve got to ask you; does this decade-old case demand the immense media attention it’s been getting? Are you really that interested in the minute details of the potential suspect?

The supposed confession of John Karr has taken up much of our news resources, and our newscasts, the past two days. JonBenet’s murder happened in Boulder, Colorado back in 1996, but the story has several Atlanta angles. She is buried in a Marietta cemetery, the family moved here after her death, and many family members still live here. John Karr also has family in metro Atlanta.

During the past two days we’ve reported on such details as John Karr’s marriage to a (gasp!) teenager decades ago. We’ve also heard details about the health of Karr’s father. We’ve interviewed people about how Karr acted as a high school student in Alabama.

A couple of things have bothered me during all this. I think back to cases I’ve covered involving names like Levi Frady, Elaine Nix, Leslie Adams, Shy'Kammia Pate, Sherri Holland, Simon Johnson and Anteneh Kiros. These are just a few of the stories I’ve done involving people, mostly young, who have been murdered or are missing but presumed dead. Although in many instances their stories are as compelling and tragic as JonBenet’s, there has not been nearly as much media interest. Why? Or perhaps more importantly, why not? Does JonBenet Ramsey deserve the compassion, concern, and law enforcement attention while the other victims do not?

Covering this story also left a sour taste in my mouth similar to the Jennifer Wilbanks episode (aka The Runaway Bride saga). For reasons I still don’t fully comprehend, the media masses tore into her disappearance hours after she ran, ignoring red flags put up both publicly and privately by law enforcement. Pundits were on the air insisting she’d been kidnapped and/or killed and many tossed accusing glares toward her fiancée. But as we know now, the story changed.

This one might as well.

While we have saturated our valuable news time with JonBenet coverage, life has gone on. A school system shut down after the sexual assault of an employee, a firefighter made a heroic rescue, a court struck down the President’s domestic eavesdropping program, a county’s Police Chief was suspended following allegations of misappropriation, a former Atlanta Mayor has been told to report to federal prison. Those stories ended up getting little attention. Are we serving our viewers? Are you getting the news you want?

I suppose the ratings will give us the answer. Remember, TV News is a business with its primary goal of attracting viewers. That often forces us to balance on the razor-thin line between public service and tabloid fodder. The viewers will ultimately tell us which side of that line to walk on.

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8/18

The murder of JonBenet Ramsey was a tragic, unthinkable event. The person who killed her needs to be caught, and locked away.

That being said, I’ve got to ask you; does this decade-old case demand the immense media attention it’s been getting? Are you really that interested in the minute details of the potential suspect?

The supposed confession of John Karr has taken up much of our news resources, and our newscasts, the past two days. JonBenet’s murder happened in Boulder, Colorado back in 1996, but the story has several Atlanta angles. She is buried in a Marietta cemetery, the family moved here after her death, and many family members still live here. John Karr also has family in metro Atlanta.

During the past two days we’ve reported on such details as John Karr’s marriage to a (gasp!) teenager decades ago. We’ve also heard details about the health of Karr’s father. We’ve interviewed people about how Karr acted as a high school student in Alabama.

A couple of things have bothered me during all this. I think back to cases I’ve covered involving names like Levi Frady, Elaine Nix, Leslie Adams, Shy'Kammia Pate, Sherri Holland, Simon Johnson and Anteneh Kiros. These are just a few of the stories I’ve done involving people, mostly young, who have been murdered or are missing but presumed dead. Although in many instances their stories are as compelling and tragic as JonBenet’s, there has not been nearly as much media interest. Why? Or perhaps more importantly, why not? Does JonBenet Ramsey deserve the compassion, concern, and law enforcement attention while the other victims do not?

Covering this story also left a sour taste in my mouth similar to the Jennifer Wilbanks episode (aka The Runaway Bride saga). For reasons I still don’t fully comprehend, the media masses tore into her disappearance hours after she ran, ignoring red flags put up both publicly and privately by law enforcement. Pundits were on the air insisting she’d been kidnapped and/or killed and many tossed accusing glares toward her fiancée. But as we know now, the story changed.

This one might as well.

While we have saturated our valuable news time with JonBenet coverage, life has gone on. A school system shut down after the sexual assault of an employee, a firefighter made a heroic rescue, a court struck down the President’s domestic eavesdropping program, a county’s Police Chief was suspended following allegations of misappropriation, a former Atlanta Mayor has been told to report to federal prison. Those stories ended up getting little attention. Are we serving our viewers? Are you getting the news you want?

I suppose the ratings will give us the answer. Remember, TV News is a business with its primary goal of attracting viewers. That often forces us to balance on the razor-thin line between public service and tabloid fodder. The viewers will ultimately tell us which side of that line to walk on.

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8/1

I have a picture somewhere of a much younger Ross Cavitt propped on top of a news truck in the middle of a huge sea of media.

Our Channel 2 truck was an island in the center of a huge group of cameras and reporters from around the world. It was taken outside of Richard Jewell’s apartment during the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

I see where Governor Perdue is going to present the now-Deputy Jewell with an award this week for his actions during the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. I’m glad he’s getting it.

Richard Jewell was once an intense “person of interest” in the bombing. Federal agents searched his home for several days, I remember, hauling out various pieces of evidence. In the meantime, Jewell wasn’t exactly helping with his own public perception. He tried to duck cameras, avoided interviews, and had no one to speak out for him. The pressure from the media was intense.

As I recall, he was living with his mother, and even as the world’s media filtered away following the Olympics, many of us local reporters kept on the case. I remember having a shouting match with Jewell outside the apartment when he accused me of trespassing. At the time he was an angry man. Understandably.

He was eventually cleared, and a while later I got a call from the then Police Chief of Luthersville, Georgia. He had just hired Jewell to be an officer. Although he said Jewell wanted to remain low-key, I zipped down there for his first day on the job and actually got a nice little interview with him. He was much more relaxed and just trying to get on with his once-shattered life.

Jewell always just wanted to be a cop. His experience during the Olympics made it a tough road, but he’s managed. He’s been working in north Georgia and I hope he’s doing well. He probably saved some lives at Centennial Park that night in 1996, and ten years later he deserves some time in the sun -- out from under that dark cloud.

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7/10 Time Off -- To Stand In Line With The Fishes

I haven’t jotted anything down in a while mostly because I haven’t been around. After working the first half of the year without any extra days off, I had -- just by the luck of the draw – a few weeks off in a row.

A reporter’s job can become rather all-consuming, and a break from the action can really bring me back down to Earth. And believe me; sometimes I need a good readjustment.

One of the things I did during the break was to take my kids to the Georgia Aquarium. I’ve heard good things about it, and enjoy regular visits to the Tennessee Aquarium and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. I liked downtown Atlanta’s newest attraction, but it seems to me Bernie Marcus’ dream has become a victim of its own success.

The place was crowded. Not just crowded, jam-packed crowded. I had done what many had suggested, and went online to purchase advance tickets. I assumed this would limit the number of people inside the attraction, but the place seemed to be on the verge of fire code violations.

The outside waiting area was jammed, with few good signs or greeters to point you in the right direction. Our tickets were for noon, but the doors didn’t open until about 12:30. Once inside the crowd was so thick, it was hard to maneuver toward the individual exhibits. It became clear to me this place simply wasn’t designed for the crowds it was accommodating.

I don’t have any particular phobia about crowds, but it took a lot of patience, and occasional shoving, to get my youngest daughter in a position to see anything. It was a battle that lasted for several hours. At the end, it looked like a half-hour wait just to buy something at the gift store.

My only suggestion to the folks at the Aquarium is to consult someone from Disney (the crowd-control experts), and consider stricter limits on the amount of tickets they distribute. If you can find a time when the crowds are light, the Georgia Aquarium would be a great attraction to visit. Otherwise just tune in to the Discovery Channel from the comfort of your own home.

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6/9

One of the most depressing parts of my job is watching what is happening to some of our young citizens. No, I’m not saying all teenagers are dangerous, troubled people. But I sure see a lot of it lately. Remember the story of the ex-Marine who fought off a robbery by killing a young girl and wounding a friend? Police say the teens were in the middle of an armed robbery spree at the time.

Today, I’m at a small Gainesville take out restaurant where a 15-year-old neighbor has been arrested for shooting and killing a worker. This is a young man who has been in some drug-related trouble in the past, and his friends say his mother had busted her butt to help him out. She got him out of youth detention only a few weeks ago. He repaid that loyalty by (allegedly) finding a gun, and walking two blocks from home to rob someone he apparently knew. The robbery went bad, and turned into a murder.

The incident hit this close-knit neighborhood twice. The murder, then the arrest of the neighborhood kid.

“It just seems like we’ve lost the young people,” a restaurant customer told me. He says not long ago this part of Gainesville was a carefree place, full of hard-working people who looked out for each other.

Now, he says, teenagers can be seen dealing drugs on neighborhood streets. The youngsters seem to have little regard for life or the lives of others. The shopkeeper next door says he has to constantly keep a suspicious eye on the teens gathering outside. He doesn’t like them around, but doesn’t dare tell them that.

No, I don’t have the answer. Certainly I think parents bear a lot of the blame. There seems to be a lot of parents who don’t want the responsibility – or the hassles – of the job. But I also realizes there are other factors at work.

I don’t have the answers, I just have worries for the future.

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6/5

In many ways our business is like being a firefighter. One shift is non-stop work and excitement, but the next shift may be deadly dull. It is a slow morning today, so I offer some random thoughts.

Georgia Geography

While I was trying to give someone directions around downtown Atlanta the other day, I thought about some of the strange aspects of our area’s layout. For instance, the 1600 block of Peachtree Street is NOT right after 16th Street. Why? I don’t know, but it leads to constant confusion.

I also run into confusion, especially from new folks in our newsroom, about a quirk in Georgia’s city names. We have 159 counties in Georgia (more than any other state), and did you know that:

Forsyth, GA is NOT in Forsyth County

Jasper, GA is NOT in Jasper County

Douglas, GA is NOT in Douglas County (although Douglasville is)

Clayton, GA is NOT in Clayton County

Floyd, GA is NOT in Floyd County

Jackson, GA is NOT in Jackson County

Gordon, GA is NOT in Gordon County

Dawson, GA is NOT in Dawson County (although Dawsonville is)

And I am sure there are many others. It’s confusing when you see highway signs for Buckhead, GA more than an hour east of Atlanta. Signs for Cobbtown down on I-16 also make you wonder if you took a wrong turn.

And before I forget

While covering a trial last week, I learned some interesting facts about stoplights. Did you know the “standard” time for yellow lights in the state is 4.5 seconds? And once the light clicks from yellow to red, ALL lights should be red for 2 seconds before the other side turns green. Local DOT’s can change these times depending on the layout and speeds around an intersection.

Until next time

Hopefully we get some more exciting news this week. I did cover the story last week on the ex-Marine who killed one suspected armed robber and wounded another in a midtown skirmish. The five young folks suspected of being in that so-called “robbing crew” were – by most accounts – promising young kids who had good families and promising futures. I wonder if their parents feel they gave their kids a bit too much slack when they would go out at night.

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5/29/06

The story I covered last week was one of the sadder tales I’ve had to report on in quite some time. It was the conclusion of a trial involving a 26-year-old Floyd County man. Matt Dunagan’s pickup truck has slammed into Candice Bendek’s SUV at an intersection back in 2004. The accident left Bendek, 21, in a coma for weeks; she lost her unborn child. Candice is still confined to a wheelchair unable to speak these many months later. Her prognosis for recovery doesn’t look good.

Prosecutors charged Dunagan with drunken driving and reckless driving, with a felony charge of “Serious Injury by Vehicle” attached to both of those accusations. The jury eventually found Dunagan NOT GUILTY of the drunken driving charge, but GUILTY of reckless driving. The judge gave him the max, a 17 year sentence with 10 years to serve in prison.

I had a chance to speak with Dunagan, his family, and the victim’s family before and after the verdict. Everyone involved seemed like nice, reasonable people.

After the verdict, Dunagan’s family was furious. They say since the jury found him NOT GUILTY of driving drunk, they should have acquitted him of reckless driving. They were upset the jury heard of Dunagan’s prior drunken driving charges, but were not allowed to hear that the intersection where the accident happened was poorly designed and dangerous. There have been a series of bad accidents there, including a fatal wreck just months before Dunagan hit Candice Bendek.

But even though the jury acquitted Dunagan of drunken driving, the judge noted during sentencing that Dunagan had admitted having two beers before the wreck. With three prior DUI arrests (one just 10 months before he hit Bendek), having any alcohol before driving was a serious error of judgment, Judge Bryant Durham said. With little chance Dunagan could help pay much of the $2 million in medical bills for Bendek, Judge Durham said the verdict pointed to punishment.

On a personal note, I will say if the speed limit on State Road 53 is still 65 miles-an-hour which is WAY too fast for that highway. I can also say I was surprised at the stiff sentence.

But it was hard to argue when Candice’s father responded to the Dunagan family by saying, “I understand they are hurting, but we are hurting too. Their son got 17 years, Candice got life.”

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5/23/06

I’m a dues-paying member of the group that’s known in the industry as the “General Assignment Reporter.” That means I am the one often sent just to “check something out.” Many things we get calls about, or hear over the police radios, never actually make it on the news. But sometimes they have a story all their own.

Not long ago, I was dispatched to a stabbing at a local motel. We rushed to the address, thinking this might be newsworthy. I’ve been to many parts of the metro area, but had never been here. It was one of those weekly-stay motels tucked on a side street just off I-285. Easy to make a quick getaway from here, if you know what I mean.

When we arrived, the place was full of cops and investigators, and surrounded by a crowd of residents. They were all watching the victim being placed in the ambulance. The victim had claimed he opened the door to his room after someone knocked, and was promptly stabbed! But he told police he never got a look at his attacker. Couldn’t even tell them if his attacker was a man or woman, or give them a race. Despite the fact the motel was full of residents, many of whom were outside, no one said they’d seen the attack, or the attacker, or anyone running away.

The investigators just shrugged and told me that besides putting out a “BOLO” for the invisible man, there was little they could do. The victim was rushed to the hospital, the crowd milled about, and the police gradually pulled out. There was nothing for us to put on TV; this was a neighborhood where they clearly wanted to keep their business, well, their business.

Traffic enforcement?! Bravo!

I’ve mentioned before I am a reformed type-A driver, a former left-laner now trying to enjoy life in the slower right lanes of traffic life. I will admit it was the gas-saving advantages that encouraged the move.

Friday night I was heading home on I-75 (Speed Limit 55; Actual Speed 75.2) and actually saw a group of Atlanta Police motorcycle officers doing speed control! Holy Cow! Atlanta could pay to repair its crumbling sewer system if they ran the radar everyday. Keep it up! Even this reformed speeder thinks the highways of North Georgia are out of control.

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If you had a home built but it was so poorly done you couldn’t live in it, I imagine you would go to court and hopefully get some of your money back. But if the same thing happens to state taxpayers, it is apparently not so simple.

In case you missed it, I did a report last Thursday night about a “new” $18 million building built for the state in Milledgeville. The Payton B. Cook building was supposed to be finished in 2003 and provide nearly 200 beds for criminals or suspected criminals with psychiatric problems.

As the state prepared to move in three years ago, inspectors found a series of problems. That list has steadily grown to include; buckling floors, a security and fire alarm system that doesn’t work, elevators not up to specs, leaking walls and ceilings, ceiling tiles falling down, and even walls that do not contain rebar! The building has never been used.

Do the taxpayers get their money back?

Despite the long list of problems, and the fact that the building sits empty, the contractor and builder have both been paid (although the builder says he’s still waiting on the final $75,000). The state’s construction chief, Dr. Gena Abraham, told me they are working with the Governor’s office and the Attorney General to find any avenue to get some money back.

But it is clear getting a refund for a defective building built with taxpayer's money is not an easy thing to do.

So who is to blame?

I could write a book on this, but here’s a quick rundown.

The state blames “unbelievably poor construction” and faults the architectural company (Perkins + Will) for signing off on the “completed” project back in 2003.

The architect blames shoddy workmanship.

The contractor (LPS Contracting out of Statesboro) blames the lack of state oversight on the project. LPS says there should have been a state inspector watching the project progress week-by-week. A company VP told me there was little oversight, and the long list of problems is just NOW being presented to them.

The state does admit their inspectors have been overburdened in the past, and have taken steps to reduce their workload so they can inspect projects more often.

So for the $18 million building that isn’t fit to be used, the current “fix-it” price is nearly $8 million and will likely grow. And unless the Attorney General can figure something out, taxpayers will get billed for all of it.

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5/4/06

(ALONG I-75)---Several months ago, during our first flirtation with $3.00 a gallon gasoline, I did a report on ways people have found to save on gas. There were several interesting methods (my favorite was the folks who turned their diesel cars into vegetable oil-fueled cars), but there were few that really would help my trusty old Ford Taurus.

Over and over, experts advised just to slow down, keep tires properly inflated, and the car well maintained. I did a road test that went against my years of Atlanta-driving inspired instincts. I slowed down. Went slower on the interstates and highways, accelerated gently from stops, and coasted longer distances.

I was shocked to learn I gained nearly four miles a gallon!

I was also surprised to find another benefit. My ride down the highway was less stressful. Somehow traveling at 65 miles an hour, with traffic whizzing by to my left, lowered my stress level. I suppose it takes slightly less concentration, and when I practiced my typical ‘type-A’ driving there always seemed to be some #$%^ in my way.

Now that I’m back in fuel conservation mode, the drive doesn’t seem that tense. My XM radio helps a bit, as well. So what if I get home three or four minutes later, if I save enough gas for an extra trip to work, I’ll take the less stressful lane from now on.

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5/02/06

(ATLANTA)--Boy, it’s been interesting following this legal tug-of-war in the Paul Howard case. As we’ve reported ad nauseum, Howard is the Fulton County District Attorney accused of tussling with a deputy in a courtroom. That deputy claims Howard separated her shoulder.

Let’s recap the all the legal maneuverings in this case:

1.Deputy Levoular McCray hires Defense Attorney Dennis Scheib. Scheib and McCray march down to the Fulton Courthouse and draw up a warrant application to charge Howard with aggravated battery and other charges.

2.Fulton Judges all recuse themselves from taking up the request. 3.Cobb County Superior Court Judge James Bodiford is appointed to hold a hearing to determine if Howard should be criminally charged.

4.Howard’s lead attorney, former Governor Roy Barnes, successfully asks Fulton Chief Magistrate Joann Bayneum to call off the hearing, citing technicalities.

5.Bayneum sends the case file to the state Attorney General to review the case.

6.Paul Howard’s office then sends a letter to the Attorney General recusing his office from the case, essentially sending the whole thing to the Attorney General.

7.Defense Attorney Scheib then goes to other Fulton County judges to seek warrants against Howard, but is rebuffed.

8.In an unusual - but legal - move, Scheib then convinces a judge in neighboring Douglas County to issue six arrest warrants, three of which are for felony charges. Reporters flock to the Fulton County jail anticipating Howard turning himself in.

9.The next morning, another Howard attorney, Manny Arora, travels to Douglas County and convinces the Judge he was premature to issue the arrest warrants. The Judge issues a stay, essentially tossing the ball back into the Attorney General’s court.

10.The Attorney General appoints Richmond County D.A. Danny Craig as a special prosecutor in this case. Craig promptly orders the arrest warrants cancelled, and calls in the GBI to start an investigation. He promises it will be complete in “a couple of weeks. After that, he could prosecute Paul Howard, send it to a grand jury, or drop the case.

Even as I write this, the legal wrangling continues. What’s next in this politically-charged case? I wish I had some witty retort, but all I can do is toss out one of the oldest clichés in the reporter’s handbook; only time will tell. Stay tuned.

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4-27-06

(Marietta) -- Similar Transactions. The phrase makes criminal defense attorneys cringe. It's the legal ability prosecutors have to introduce past crimes of a defendant in a trial. The law states you can't bring up a defendant's past indiscretions during a trial, but the similar transactions provision is a way around that.

I learned a lot about similar transactions while covering the Lynn Turner trial. She is the woman accused of using anti-freeze to kill two men nine years apart. A jury convicted her last year in the 1996 case, in large part due to the use of similar transaction evidence. The death of one man linked to Turner by anti-freeze is one thing, but two seemed more than a coincidence.

Cobb County prosecutors are trying to use similar transactions again in the case against John Peek. He will soon go on trial for the 2005 murder of his estranged wife Kasi Peek in Smyrna. Peek was the prime suspect nine years earlier in the death of his common-law wife Carol Marlin and her friend Margaret Ginn.

Prosecutors argued the cases are similar enough that a jury should hear about all three murders during the upcoming trial. But Peek's lawyers argue that Peek was only arrested for the 1996 murders AFTER he was charged in the 2005 case. And little new evidence has been found since.

The two cases do seem similar in many ways. But the Turner case had something this case does not; anti-freeze. Anti-freeze as a murder weapon is very unusual and provided a link between the two cases too big to ignore. In John Peek's case, the women he's suspected of killing were murdered in two different ways. The victims were beaten in 1996, Kasi Peek was shot last year.

Judge Kenneth Nix heard the arguments and will have to decide if jurors will hear about the deaths of three women linked to the same man, or just hear about the murder of Kasi Peek. It'll be a tough call, and could decide the case either way.

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Sometimes politicians can be a get much to take. But sometimes they'll surprise you.

When the first soldiers with Georgia's 48th Brigade arrived home Wednesday night, the Governor's office said he planned to be there to greet them. After all, Sonny Perdue had been at the National Guard unit's departure ceremony nearly one year ago, and he was – technically – their commander. It had the potential of becoming a blatant campaign appearance.

But even when the arrival of the first plane was pushed back to the wee hours, the Governor kept his promise. He greeted each soldier with a handshake and a kind word at the bottom of the steps, only briefly engaging in conversations with some troops. The line, after a long flight home, kept moving.

The Governor also spent time visiting with the hundreds of family members anxiously awaiting their loved one's arrival. He waded through the crowd, offering encouragement, congratulations, and posing for pictures. It was actually a good diversion for the families worrying and wondering how their reunions would go.

And after the soldiers marched onto the field, almost within touching distance of their reunions, the Governor stepped up to the microphone. It was the shortest political speech you'll ever hear. After telling he troops he loved them for their service to the state and country, he stepped aside. The families poured toward the soldiers, into a sea of kissing, hugging and crying. The pain of separation began to melt away.

The Governor watched it all from the sidelines, and when the crowds of happily reunited families melted away, he was gone. The focus throughout the day stayed where it should have, on the soldiers and their families. This was not a day to campaign.

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I had a friend who called me from Pickens County earlier in the day. She is helping to arrange the funeral for a young Jasper man who was killed in Iraq. Specialist David Collins was serving with the Army and died in the line of duty.

The friend knew I was at Fort Stewart covering the return of the 48th Brigade of the Georgia National Guard. I sensed she just wanted the feeling of the joyous anticipation of the families here after she was enduring days of grief.

There is a lot of joy here, but I sense the overwhelming emotion is that of relief. Stateside spouses tell me they worried every day they would get "that visit." The daily stress of getting the kids to school, holding down a job, and running a household was more than most expected.

They also expect – and have been told by counselors – that it will take some time for the families to become families again. Families have been advised not to pepper the returning soldiers with questions about their deployment. Many have already planned vacations to get some quality family time before they try to slip back into a normal civilian life.

It will take weeks, and dozens of flights, to get the entire brigade back to Georgia. It will take months – or maybe longer – for our citizen soldiers to adjust to the way life used to be.

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Paul Howard seems like a guy who is eager to speak his mind. But not this week.

Fulton County's District Attorney was on spring break when a courthouse deputy accused him of separating her shoulder. The incident happened March 31 immediately following a trial in Judge Jackson Bedford's courtroom, in which a jury acquitted an accused rapist. The Judge allowed the Assistant District Attorneys who prosecuted the case to interview jurors. He considered it a learning experience for the losing team of lawyers.

But Howard, who came into the courtroom for the verdict, took over the questioning. The Judge told him to stop. He reportedly did not, leading Judge Bedford to order deputies to remove the DA from the courtroom. The female deputy said it was during that incident she suffered her injury.

In written statements, a few deputies claim Howard loudly told them to help him "prevent Judge Bedford from getting away with this."

After the deputy filed a warrant request, Howard's office issued a statement saying he was eager to tell his side of what happened in the courtroom that day. But so far he's said nothing. The county's top prosecutor has lawyered up, hiring a three person law team that includes former Governor Roy Barnes.

When Channel 2's Lori Geary asked Barnes why the strong-willed Howard is holding his tongue, Barnes replied, "He has some strong-willed lawyers, too."

A hearing will be held May 3, at which time a judge will decide whether Howard should faces charges in the incident.