Charges for Lawyer in Mistrial?

A court-appointed lawyer who was supposed to defend a double murder suspect Monday may instead face an indictment from the Gwinnett County district attorney.

In a motion filed Monday morning in Gwinnett County Superior Court, District Attorney Danny Porter said that Atlanta lawyer Herbert Adams had not obtained necessary documents, interviewed key witnesses or reviewed evidence before the scheduled trial of Wesley Harris.

Superior Court Judge Richard Winegarden declared a mistrial in the Harris case Monday afternoon.

The development shocked and dismayed relatives of Whitney Land, 22, and her daughter, Jordan, both of whom were allegedly killed five years ago by Harris.

Sheila Howell, the mother of Land and Jordan's grandmother, said she was hurt and in disbelief at the turn of events.

"There aren't words to describe it," she said. "This is my family. They were murdered and then to have a defense attorney drag this out for his own personal gain. That's exactly what this is."

Porter said he will investigate payments Porter has received for work on Harris' defense.

Porter said Adams has billed Gwinnett County approximately $135,000 for legal expenses in the Harris case. All told, the case has cost the county more than $300,000, said Porter, who said he also will file a formal complaint against Adams with the State Bar of Georgia.

"If he's billed for services he didn't perform, I'm going to indict him," said Porter, who was livid at the developments.

"I am so disgusted and angry I can barely force the words out of my mouth," he said, adding that Adams was "a poor excuse for a human being."

"I think my reputation is an excellent reputation," Adams said to Channel 2 Action News after telling the judge that he has been overburdened by a heavy caseload and that he has been working to be named DeKalb County district attorney.

In a faxed statement Monday evening, Adams did not address Porter's allegations. Adams' statement said defendants in capital murder cases should be satisfied with their lawyers.

"Wesley Harris was not satisfied," Adams' statement read. "A new lawyer will be appointed to represent Mr. Harris."

Porter said Harris may be tried in September but that it could be next year.

Harris, 26, is charged in the deaths of Whitney Land, 22, and her daughter Jordan. The two were abducted from Panhandle Park in Lovejoy on Nov. 8, 1999, and driven to Gwinnett County. Both were shot and placed in the trunk of a car, which was then set afire. Harris could face the death penalty.

Jury selection began Feb. 17 for what promised to be a lengthy trial.

Porter said he's never seen anything like the situation that led to Monday's mistrial.

"Four years of work went up in a puff of smoke because Herbert Adams wouldn't do his job," Porter said. "Here's a man who had a man's life in his hands and he did nothing to prepare. It's obscene."

Channel 2 Action News reporter Ross Cavitt contributed to this report.