A judge in Atlanta left a courtroom gasping after he mistakenly delivered a devastating “guilty” verdict for a man charged with murdering a police officer — when the defendant was found “not guilty” on all counts.
Judge Henry M. Newkirk on Friday botched the climax of the week-long murder trial of Alton Oliver, who was accused of fatally shooting off-duty Fulton County Deputy James Thomas in December 2022.
After nine hours of deliberation, the jury found Oliver innocent — but Newkirk left out a critical word, Fox 5 reported.
The judge made the snafu while delivering a verdict on Friday at the conclusion of a week-long murder trial.FOX 5 Atlanta
“We, the jury, find the defendant guilty as to all six counts with the bill of indictment. Sheriff, will you please hand this to the state’s counsel and pass it over to–” Newkirk told the court before he was interrupted by several baffled jurors who had just decided the verdict.
The judge appeared shocked by the reaction, the video shows.
