ATLANTA — An attorney who defended the man known as “The Courthouse Killer” says prosecutors are making a mistake pursuing the death penalty in another high-profile murder case.
Robert Aaron Long, the man accused of killing eight people during a spa shooting spree in Atlanta and Cherokee County, has already admitted guilt and is serving four life sentences. He is facing four more murder charges in Fulton County.
Attorney Gary Parker told Channel 2’s Tom Jones that he wants Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to enter into a plea deal with the accused killer, and avoid a death penalty trial.
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“It only takes one person to say we’re not going to vote to kill this kid,” Parker said.
The former state senator thinks Fulton County is wasting its time and money pursuing the death penalty against Long.
“If Brian Nichols didn’t get the death penalty, and I was lead counsel for Brian Nichols, and he killed two people in this very courthouse: one out here on the street and a federal agent. If he didn’t get the death penalty, they’re not going to give this kid the death penalty,” Parker said.
Brian Nichols shot a judge, his court reporter, a deputy and a federal agent in 2005. He is serving several life sentences after a jury voted to spare his life.
Long has pleaded guilty in Cherokee County for killing four people and injuring a fifth during a spa shooting spree in 2021. He was sentenced to four life sentences without parole.
Long now faces the death penalty after prosecutors say he killed four people in Fulton County on a similar spa shooting spree that same day.
Parker says Long has accepted guilt, and he says it’s going to cost taxpayers too much money to try this case.
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“We spent somewhere between $4.5 to 6 million defending Nichols. They spent close to $15 million, or at least 3 times as much as us,” Parker said.
Parker says juries here just don’t vote for the death penalty.
“Who’s gonna be impacted the most? The survivors who have to go through the process,” Parker said.
Jones reached out to the District Attorney’s office for a comment. He did not get a response.
There is still no trial date set in this case.
Parker testified during Long’s motions hearing, arguing the domestic terrorism law he is charged under is unconstitutional, but the judge disagreed.
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