ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News had exclusive access inside the court office that could help make sure the guilty do not go free.
Channel 2′s investigative reporter Mark Winne was inside the Superior Court Clerk’s Office, with the woman set to take on that job and her plans to fix broken parts of the justice system.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Many folks may not know what a Superior Court clerk does and even those who do may think of it as pushing paper.
But Che Alexander, suggests she was shocked and humbled when soon-to-retire Fulton Superior Court Clerk Tina Robinson told Alexander she would appoint her to take her place.
“I’m just so honored that she felt that I was prepared for this position,” Alexander said.
Alexander believes because of her unique experience in fixing parts of Fulton County’s criminal justice system already, as the clerk, she believes she can help make metro Atlanta streets safer.
“I can honestly say, I can assist the sheriff and the D.A. in a way that they’ve never been assisted before,” Alexander said.
She wants to help clear court backlogs, help get people out of jail faster when they should be out, and make sure they stay in when they are supposed to.
TRENDING STORIES:
- HCSO: Deputies find $77,000 worth of meth inside backpack during traffic stop
- Police searching for missing K-9 in Carroll County
- Deputies rescue 5.6-foot alligator found in the middle of Georgia road
She seems to have support from some major players.
“She certainly brings to this position practical, relevant knowledge as to the inner workings of every player in this equation, which is invaluable,” Judge Robert McBurney said.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said she is excited about the announcement of Alexander becoming the clerk.
Alexander said she’s gotten unusual insight into what works and doesn’t work when she was in charge of merging a bunch of criminal justice computer systems.
“Before Odyssey, there were 14 legacy systems,” Alexander said.
She served as the expediter to help ease the overcrowding crisis at the Fulton County Jail and helped figure out the best candidates for release early in COVID-19.
She led a pilot project funded by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce involving serious felonies to address a long-time problem the county has had.
“We had convictions that weren’t in, so we didn’t know we were dealing with repeat offenders,” Willis said.
The D.A.’s office said at the same time, people who had been cleared could lose out on jobs or apartments if the record didn’t reflect it.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
“We’ve been blessed to have clerk Robinson for many years. The clerk’s office, as it exists today, is fundamentally different from how it looked when Clerk Robinson began. I think we all owe her a debt of gratitude for getting us here. I want to celebrate that and mourn her departure. But, I am excited at Ms. Alexander’s arrival,” McBurney said.
Alexander said the clerk’s office is not just about criminal cases. There are more civil cases such as divorces and lawsuits than criminal ones. Robinson helped put her in a position to know about those too.
IN OTHER NEWS:
©2022 Cox Media Group
