FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Former East Point police officer Richard Gooddine is on trial for a second time at the Fulton County Courthouse in downtown Atlanta on charges of raping at least five women, including two minors, while on duty.
The second trial comes after the original 2022 proceeding resulted in a partial mistrial. That trial ended when a single juror believed Gooddine was innocent and refused to deliberate further. Gooddine has remained out on bond since the 2022 trial.
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Jury selection presented challenges due to the nature of the allegations against the former officer. Questions put to prospective jurors focused on how they would perform under pressure while deliberating with strangers.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes was in the courtroom as state prosecutors noted during the selection process that the rape claims would understandably disturb potential jurors.
Gooddine was allowed to move freely inside the courtroom because of his bond status. While he was not permitted to speak during the proceedings, he sat and observed potential jurors as they answered questions from attorneys.
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The case that initially drove the 2022 trial involved a 15-year-old girl who stated that Gooddine stopped her for an alleged curfew violation. The teenager reported that Gooddine placed her inside his patrol car before raping her.
Police obtained hospital surveillance video showing Gooddine walking near hospital rooms at the same time the teenager underwent a rape kit examination.
Jury selection will continue on Tuesday morning.
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