GEORGIA NEWS: Cool spell to arrive Tuesday

Brief cool spell arrives Tuesday

ALBANY — After running well above normal temperatures so far this fall, Southwest Georgians are expected to finally get a taste of autumn on Tuesday with below-normal temperatures.

Highs over the past few days have been touching on and exceeding the 90-degree mark, about 10 degrees above the normal high of 82 for this time of year. On Tuesday, the high is expected to top out around 72 degrees, a sharp change brought on by a cold front that moved into the area Monday.

After a low of 49 Tuesday night, the projected high for Wednesday was forecast to be around 77.

Unfortunately for those ready for cooler fall weather, the dip in temps will be short-lived.

“Afternoon highs will be about 10 degrees below normal on Tuesday, though warm back to normal (low 80s) by Wednesday as the cold pool aloft erodes,” meteorologist Donal Harringan said in the forecast discussion for the National Weather Service Office in Tallahassee.

As the week wears on, conditions “will result in moderating overnight lows and warming afternoon highs. Above-average temperatures across the board are expected by Friday,” Harrigan said.

By the weekend, the forecast calls for highs in the low- to mid-80s and lows in the low- to mid-60s.

Bishop heads up military family summit

COLUMBUS — U.S. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr., co-chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus, will host a Military Family Summit Tuesday at the National Infantry Museum near Fort Benning.

The Albany Democrat will be joined by caucus co-chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., as well as senior administration officials, military families and stakeholder organizations.

The purpose of the summit, Bishop’s office said, is to connect military families with members of Congress and their staff, officials from the Department of Defense, and personnel from numerous military family support organizations to discuss pressing issues impacting America’s service members and their families.

Military families will be able to participate in panels to discuss issues faced on a daily basis, such as family health, resiliency, spouse employment and education, military child education, transition assistance, retirement, benefits and financial readiness for the future. Additionally, resources specific to military families will be provided by attending support organizations.

Officer-involved shooting case to go forward

ATLANTA — The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday ruled that prosecution of former DeKalb County police officer Robert Olsen – charged with shooting and killing an unarmed nude man in 2015 – may go forward.

Olsen had moved to get his indictment thrown out on the grounds that a large number of “unauthorized” persons were allowed in the grand jury room during the prosecutor’s presentation of evidence, arguing it had unfairly hurt his case.

The high court, however, upheld the DeKalb County court’s order dismissing Olsen’s motion.

“No unlawful conduct is shown in this case, and no prejudice is demonstrated by the manner in which the prosecutor conducted the evidentiary stage of the grand jury proceedings,” Justice Robert Benham wrote for a unanimous court.

According to briefs filed in the case, Hill had received a medical discharge from the Air Force following service in Afghanistan and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder. He was being treated for both.

On March 9, 2015, employees of the apartment complex in Chamblee where Hill lived called 911 after seeing him roaming about the complex nude and acting strangely. Olsen, a seven-year veteran of the DeKalb County police force, responded alone in a marked patrol car.

According to Olsen’s attorney, while the officer drove around, he spotted Hill, who suddenly sprang from a crouched position and sprinted toward the officer’s car. Olsen got out and told Hill to stop. Hill ignored the command and when he was within a few feet of the officer, Olsen shot him twice in the torso, killing him. Olsen claimed self-defense.

Prosecutors contend Olsen was armed with handcuffs, a baton, pepper spray, and a Taser, in addition to his service weapon.

In 2016, a DeKalb County grand jury indicted Olsen and charged him with felony murder, aggravated assault, violation of oath of office and making a false statement. In June 2016, Olsen’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss based on the presence of “unauthorized” individuals in the grand jury room.” The trial court denied the motion but permitted Olsen to apply to the state Supreme Court to consider his pre-trial appeal.

The opinion says that the issue in this case “concerns the secrecy and confidentiality of the evidentiary stage of grand jury proceedings. While federal rules strictly specify what persons are authorized to be present during the presentation of evidence to the grand jury, no such limitation exists pursuant to Georgia statutory law or procedural rules.”

The justices determined Olsen was unable to demonstrate that his case or his legal rights were damaged by the number of persons from the prosecutor’s office who were present at the proceedings, or by the presence of the expert witness for the state.