[Ben E Lou]

Unfathomably, this story just keeps getting worse. From this morning's AJC...

Nichols' mother sent warning

E-mail suggested he might turn violent at rape trial

Weeks before the Fulton County Courthouse shootings, sheriff's officials received an e-mailed message from the mother of alleged killer Brian Nichols expressing concern that her son could become violent in court if he was convicted of a rape charge, officials said Wednesday.

Chief Deputy Michael Cooke said his office received word of the message during Nichols' first rape trial, which ended in a mistrial Feb. 28. Nichols is accused of erupting during his second trial on the same charges on March 11 and launching a killing spree that left four dead.

Nichols' mother, Claritha Nichols, wrote that she was worried that "if the verdict did not go his [Nichols'] way, he would try to act out in court and take someone's weapon," Cooke said.

Cooke said the Sheriff's Department took the warning seriously.

"We were fully expecting that he was going to react violently to the verdict, if there was a verdict," Cooke said. "We were prepared to have staff available [in the courtroom], which we typically do during any high-profile trial or trial where there is any indication that there is going to be any type of acting out."

The e-mail wasn't the first warning the Sheriff's Department received about Nichols. Two days before the shootings, deputies taking Nichols to court found door hinges modified into homemade knives and hidden in his shoes. Nichols' former cellmate also has said that he filed with jail officials two written reports expressing concerns about Nichols' behavior.

Nevertheless, Nichols was left alone with a 51-year-old female deputy, whom he overpowered on his way to the courtroom during his second trial. He is accused of fatally shooting a judge, a court reporter and a deputy he encountered as he fled. He also is accused of killing a U.S. customs agent after escaping from downtown Atlanta.

Claritha Nichols, who is working as a consultant in Africa, sent her warning in an e-mail to the pastor of an Atlanta area church. Cooke said he didn't know the name of the pastor or the church.

It is unclear what led Nichols' mother to send the message, but a transcript of the first trial shows that she had received troubling e-mails last summer from the woman he is accused of raping. The woman's e-mails suggested that Nichols could turn violent.

The pastor passed the message to Sgt. Jerome Dowdell, a member of his congregation who works for the Sheriff's Department. Dowdell then provided the information to a detention officer, Cooke said. It was relayed to three more members of the sheriff's staff, including the deputy assigned to Judge Rowland Barnes' courtroom, Grantley White.

"He [Dowdell] did what was logical," Cooke said. "He related [the warning] to the court staff."

Dowdell refused to comment Wednesday.

Barry Hazen, Nichols' lawyer during the rape trials, said he was never told of the mother's warning. "I'm flabbergasted," Hazen said Wednesday. "If they [sheriff's officials] knew about some kind of explosive behavior and did nothing about it, that makes me even angrier. We rely on them for our protection. They have a duty to us to do something about it."

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said he also was troubled to learn about the warning for the first time Wednesday — a month after the warning was given to deputies. He said he immediately called Fulton Sheriff Myron Freeman.

"He told the sheriff he expected a full and complete accounting of what the concern was and, further, why we were not informed at the time," said Erik Friedly, Howard's spokesman. "The sheriff has indicated he will give him these answers in a report next week."

Because of these concerns, the Sheriff's Department assigned additional security for Nichols trial, but the shooting took place before the scheduled trial starting time that day, before additional deputies reached the courtroom.

Nichols is being held in the Fulton County Jail. He is expected to be indicted in the murder of Barnes, who presided over both his rape trials. Court reporter Julie Brandau and sheriff's Sgt. Hoyt Teasley also were shot dead. U.S. customs agent David Wilhelm was killed hours later.

Doris Downs, the chief judge of Fulton County Superior Court, said Wednesday that the shootings have shaken everyone's confidence in courthouse security.

"I think you can say we were all too comfortable and casual," she said. "I am confident security has improved. I am certain it will reach a level we are comfortable with."

Freeman has ordered an internal investigation into possible security breakdowns and procedures that might have allowed the shootings. His report is expected by the middle of next week.

At the same time, Fulton judges will select, possibly as soon as Friday, a security expert from the three finalists of seven who submitted bids to do a security assessment of the courthouse. Downs said she did not know how long it would take to complete.