color: black; Gardner struggled to adjust to life in prison, as he lost the opportunity to watch his daughter, who was only three when he was incarcerated, grow up. Justice Leslie Abrams Gardner, a federal prosecutor turned federal district court judge, has had her name . 'I'll keep fighting for injustice, wrongful convictions and for people who haven't got voices,' Gardner said. The defendants in the case filed a motion to request that Abrams Gardner recuse herself. 'I met a lot of her judge friends, and they were honored to meet me, as I was them,' he added. At 23 years old, he was sentenced to up to 110 years in prison. He fought his conviction through numerous delays, even writing President Barack Obama, who could not pardon people convicted in state courts. Sentencing Commission for several years as its vice chair. By the fall, he had transferred dozens of hours of credits hed accumulated over the years and was enrolled at Chapman as a senior on a full-ride Presidential Scholarship. One victim chose another suspect in the lineup. He was in solitary confinement, meaning he spent 23 hours in his cell. She has also been involved in recent efforts to push Facebook Inc. and other social media platforms to do more to combat racism and voter suppression on their sites. Cochran was in prison for gang-related offenses and was part of the Aryan Brotherhood, a neo-Nazi white supremacist group. Zain was fired in 1993 and indicted for fraud, according to the National Registry of Exonerations at the University of Michigan. And that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court."[8]. Although the White House has been tight-lipped about its short list, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger are the consensus front-runners among Bidens progressive allies.

Play it now! 'The victims said the perpetrator had a light complexion, Afro-American and 6ft tall,' Gardner said. background-color: #f9f9f9; Abrams is the leader of Fair Fight Action, . Although her resume may not excite progressives seeking more professional diversity on the federal bench, Gardner understands the criminal justice system in a way few justices have. Ballot measures, Who represents me? He is also involved in the Innocence Project, an organization that takes on cases in hopes of freeing people who have been wrongly convicted. On the nomination: Abrams was rated Majority Qualified, Minority Not Qualified by the American Bar Association. The Abrams are daughters of two Methodist ministers from Mississippi and have welcomed Gardner with open arms into their family, who he says are 'extraordinary and remarkable'. If that happens, Bidens pick would be the third Black justice and the sixth woman in the courts history of more than 230 years. 'I had a lot of anger in my first five years, but I understood that I was in a life and death situation. margin-bottom:0px; But the story of Leslies fiance, Jimmie Gardner, is as extraordinary as that of his soon-to-be family members. She was appointed by former California Governor Jerry Brown and is the second-ever Black woman on that states Supreme Court. I was the only male there. State legislature | U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, the sister of voting rights activist Stacey Abrams , has been the center of attention in recent weeks as Republicans continue to criticize her role in . Justice Stephen Breyers retirement plans have quickly created an expectation that President Biden will nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, as he promised during his campaign. [9] On Tuesday, November 18, 2014 the Senate confirmed her nomination by a 1000 vote. According to Abrams Gardner's Dec. 28 ruling, the basic facts of the case were as follows. The board of elections in Ben Hill County determined that Roberts' challenge to the eligibility of 152 of those voters was likely valid, and they designated those 152 voters "pending hearing" and contacted them to advise that they would only be allowed to cast provisional ballots in the January 2021 Senate run-off election, and would subsequently have to "cure" those ballots by providing proof of their residency. On Feb. 1, 1990, Jimmie Gardner was sentenced to serve between 33 and 110 years in prison. From 2010 to 2014, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia. 'Rough situations - guys getting killed on the softball field, in the yard, in cells on lock down, getting stabbed or beaten to death. The D.C. His team insists the state of West Virginia knew as early as 1985 that Zain wasnt qualified as a DNA or bodily fluids expert but still let the man testify in his 1990 trial, which hinged on exactly such evidence. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. border: 1px solid #a2a9b1 !important; On the night of Stacey Abram's victory against Stacey Evans, Gardner and the candidate's younger sister were right by her side in Atlanta. background-color: #f9d334; Biden could also heed calls from his liberal base to add professional diversity to a court without any former public defenders or civil rights lawyers. | She also previously worked for the U.S. [1] Biography [ edit] 'These individuals need hope. margin-top: 1px; Since 2015, Leondra Kruger has served as an associate justice on the California Supreme Court. 'I was stuck for 23 years in state court. 'Baseball was going to be my future, God willing. border:1px solid #FFB81F; Gardner spent the next 27 years in the West Virginia prison system fighting for his freedom. Earlier in December 2020, Tommy Roberts a City Council member in Fitzgerald in Ben Hill County challenged the eligibility of 328 registered voters in the county. Two months later, another woman was sexually assaulted. Conservatives would likely focus on her ties to her sister, voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor of Georgia in 2018 and was behind get-out-the-vote efforts that flipped the state blue in 2020. Despite the fact that Gardner is 6 feet 4, has a wide nose and is dark-skinned, Fred Zain, who examined blood for the West Virginia State Police, said that Gardners blood and fingerprints matched the blood and fingerprints that were found at the scene of the crime. A guide to ALL of the characters in Daisy Jones & The Six - from Joan Jett-esque rock icon to the Steve Nicks-inspired leading lady played by Elvis' granddaughter Riley Keough - who based her portrayal on late mom Lisa Marie, PICTURED: Radio host who took down Subway spokesman Jared Fogle with flirty, long-distance relationship to record him describing sick pedo fantasies - only for it to ruin her life, Florida Wheel of Fortune contestant sparks hilarity after getting answer wrong to food puzzle with letters: 'WARM TOASTED BA_ELS WITH LO_ AND CREAM CHEESE', Not very reserved! Growing up in Tampa Bay, Florida, he was a natural at sports, from football to basketball, but it was baseball that was destined to be his future. But Ive had a pleasant experience and I look forward to attracting more individuals that look like me to come to Chapman.. background-color: green; I wanted to keep busy. clear: both; Her sister, Stacey, could possibly upset the. But hes been impressed with the concrete steps the university is taking to improve its diversity and said he wants to support those efforts. In addition to working in the appeals unit of Washington, D.C.s federal public defender office, she served on the U.S. sentencing commission and worked for multiple large law firms. Kruger has written a decision that overturned a precedent and required a warrant for vehicle searches. Leslie Abrams Gardner moderated a discussion entitled "The Color of Justice," looking at mass incarceration in the U.S., with activist and speaker Jimmie Gardner, middle, and artist Masud Olufani. Two sources close to the Congressional Black Caucus said that Jackson is viewed as a favorite. Court Personnel Leslie Abrams Gardner, U.S. District Judge Staff Information Felicia Rushing, Courtroom Deputy/Scheduling Clerk, felicia_rushing@gamd.uscourts.gov, (229) 431-2510 Chambers of Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner 201 West Broad Avenue Albany, Georgia 31701 Trial Trial: Judge Gardner's Voir Dire Questions - Civil Trials Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Photographer: Tom Williams/Pool/Getty Images, Photographer: S. Todd Rogers/The Recorder/AP Photo, Photographer: Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images, President has pledged to nominate first Black female justice, Progressives want more professional diversity on court. The judge, Leslie Abrams Gardner the sister of former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a prominent ally of President-elect Joe Biden who has led voter registration efforts across the state concluded that the counties appeared to have improperly relied on unverified change-of-address data to invalidate registrations in the two counties. Jackson was nominated by Biden and confirmed last year by the Senate to the powerful D.C. Hes married to a high-profile woman whos become his biggest supporter. The defendants wrote: In addition, any relief rendered in the instant case as it relates to the NCOAR [National Change of Address Registry] would likely be cited as persuasive authority in the Fair Fight Litigation. Born in 1966, Childs is still relatively young for a top judge, though she is older than other top contenders at a time when advocates have placed a renewed emphasis on jurists who have the potential to serve for decades. .widget-value { Leslie J. Abrams was a U.S. attorney until she was nominated by President Barack Obama for a federal judgeship in Georgia's Middle District. During that time, Gardner had been studying the law. On the night of Stacey Abram's victory against Stacey Evans, Gardner and the candidate's younger sister Leslie were right by her side in Atlanta, While working alongside schools and prisons in Georgia, Gardner (right) met his future wife Leslie (left) at a gathering of black female judges, Gardner and Leslie, pictured with a friend at the 2018 Innocence Project Gala in May, plan to get married later this year. Leslie Abrams Gardner (ne Leslie Joyce Abrams; born December 6, 1974) is a U.S. District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Gardner was one of eight kids born in Georgia to a dad who built houses and a mom who worked for a sewing thread manufacturer. State and local courts | On Monday, November 17, 2014 cloture was invoked by a 6828 vote. | Her age will almost certainly work against her given the push by both parties for younger justices who can serve longer. She also occasionally teaches community college and writes nonfiction, with her co-authored book Stealing from the Worlds Best Schools available now wherever books are sold. He was 49 years old when he returned home and started getting to know his daughter, who was then 31 years old. Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, has been widely considered the early frontrunner for any Supreme Court vacancy under Biden. Attorney Admissions; Bill of Costs Guide; CJA Attorney Information; CJA eVoucher . U.S. District Court Judge Leslie A. Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams. There are comparatively few Black women in the highest reaches of the federal judiciary, though Biden has been active in bolstering those numbers as part of a broader emphasis on diversifying the courts, both in terms of demographics and professional background. Many felt it was inappropriate for Gardner to rule on the case, a concern that was 'Then fast forward two years, I'm in Florida and Charleston Police say they want to question me about the crimes in 1987. This is an obvious case for recusal. For Stacey Abrams sister to refuse to recuse and issue this decision despite her indisputable bias undermines the integrity of the entire judicial system." On May 16, 1987, a man broke into the home of 82-year-old Bethel Ferrell and sexually assaulted Ferrells 60-year old daughter, Wilma Galati, in the Kanawha City section of Charleston, W.Va. Two months later, Lillian Ruckman was sexually assaulted in her home in Kanawha City. He beat her, raped her 60-year-old daughter, then stole $90 and a cassette player. width: 250px; 'If you've been wrongfully convicted, then keep on fighting, don't give up, and if you're in rightfully, and been given too much time - which the majority have - then also don't give up. Prior to her confirmation to the court, she was an assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia. 'I stand at 6ft 3in and I'm very dark-skinned. She graduated from Brown University before attending Yale Law School. Thats how long some people thought it would take before a black woman even came close to the governorship in notoriously conservative Georgia. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .succession-table th, .succession-table tr { Web shopping giant PAUSES construction at huge new HQ2 near DC as bosses continue with deepest ever job cuts, Scientists urge pregnant women to avoid using plastic bottles after study finds microplastics can enter the FOETUS, 'F***ing amateur hour': Democrats fume at Biden for siding with Republicans on DC crime bill - as AOC says he should push harder for capital to become its own state. The judge, Leslie Abrams Gardner the sister of former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a prominent ally of President-elect Joe Biden who has led voter registration efforts across the . Abrams interest could therefore be substantially affected by the outcome of this proceeding. Gardner later learned that lab results actually showed the attacker had Type O blood, while he had Type A blood. A federal judge in Georgia on Monday ordered two counties to reverse a decision removing more than 4,000 voters from the rolls ahead of the Jan. 5 runoff elections that will decide control of the U.S. Senate. Gardner was eventually released on bond on April 1, 2016, and on Sept. 7, 2016, all charges against him were dismissed. In 2012, he filed his own petition for relief in federal court, knowing full well that it would likely be denied since he technically hadnt exhausted his options in state court. The pair got married in November 2018, and he said, Its just been wonderful ever since. But he never got the chance,' Gardner said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president certainly stands by his campaign commitment. To make a donation to Gardner's House, please email admin@jcgardnerspeaks.com. As a California Supreme Court justice since 2015, she has developed a reputation as a careful, incremental jurist -- a trait that might disappoint some liberal advocates while potentially attracting Republican support. But no one's story can be quite as astonishing as Gardner's. That dream was deferred in 1989, when Gardner was arrested for a brutal crime he didnt commit. She received her bachelors degree from the University of South Florida and received both a business and law degree from the University of South Carolina. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. Every opportunity I had to take a class or learn a vocation, I took advantage of it, Gardner said. But the Abrams aren't the only high-profile names Gardner has mingled with since his release - through his work he's also met Amanda Knox and John Lewis. 'I then wrote to the Innocence Projects all over the US and even Germany. Gardner is the daughter of the Reverend Carolyn and the Reverend Robert Abrams, originally of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Leslie Abrams Gardner (ne Leslie Joyce Abrams; born December 6, 1974) is a U.S. District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. He started sharing his story, with no idea the woman he was speaking to was a federal judge. For this reason, Judge Gardners impartiality might reasonably be questioned were this case to proceed before her. S. Todd Rogers/Pool via AP. Theres a moment Jimmie Gardner has rehearsed in his head for more than three decades. Childs noteworthy decisions include a 2014 ruling in favor of a lesbian couple who sought to have South Carolina recognize an out-of-state marriage. A century and a decade. She would be the youngest Supreme Court nominee since 43-year-old Thomas was selected in 1991. Childs, 55, may have been considered a long shot given that no federal district judge has been directly elevated to the Supreme Court since 1923. I dont want to discount anyone elses experience, he said. [6] On February 15, Biden announced he would nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson. Now the 51-year-old has found love with Georgia District Judge Leslie Abrams (left), Leslie, 43, is the sister of Stacey Abrams (pictured), who became the first black female governor nominee ever in the United States when she won the Democratic primary in Georgia on Tuesday. Then Zain claimed the man identified by one of the victims couldnt have been her attacker. margin-bottom: 0; It was a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Over the years, Abrams has repeatedly confirmed as much, including when she congratulated Abrams Gardner on her U.S. Senate confirmation and appointment as U.S. District Court judge for the Middle District of Georgia, in 2014 and 2015. But West Virginias chief blood analyst at the time, Fred Zain, said evidence from both sexual assaults suggested Gardner couldnt be ruled out as a suspect. Like other potential candidates, she has an Ivy League background. width: 100%; He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and played for a West Virginia farm team, the Charleston Wheelers, in the Minor League. .widget-row.heading { color: black; Three years into his sentence, other agencies started questioning the reliability of Fred Zains DNA evidence. Kruger graduated from Harvard and received her J.D. Between seasons, he enrolled in his first college classes, imagining the day when hed walk across a stage, flip his tassel, and take home a degree in business management. | Her age -- she is the youngest of Bidens potential picks -- means she could easily serve for three decades or more on the high court. Gardner attended the event. Brooke joined the Orange County Register in January 2013, covering local communities, cannabis and politics before starting on the environment beat for SCNG in July 2022. Leslie Abrams Gardner.

} Childs is a favorite of top Black Caucus members including Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), according to two senior Democratic aides. Jackson received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard University.. One hundred ten years. In December 2020, right-leaning observers and prominent Republican politicians cried foul after a federal court judge blocked attempts to remove thousands of names from voter rolls in Georgia, ahead of January's two U.S. Senate run-off elections in the state. --With assistance from Jordan Rubin and Ellen Gilmer. From October 2016 to October 2017, with support from family and advocates, he volunteered to share his story and to advocate for social justice reform everywhere he could. US District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner of Georgia Gardner, 47, a federal district court judge in Georgia, is also among the many potential Supreme Court nominees. In a 2018 interview, Kruger told the Los Angeles Times that her approach as a judge reflects the fact that we operate in a system of precedent.. word-wrap: break-word; Even though Gardners defense team was not allowed to view the lab results showing that the person who committed the rapes had a different blood type from Gardners, and even though the states stance was that the same person had committed both rapes, he was acquitted of the charges related to Ruckman (pdf) but convicted of rape (of Galati), assault (of Ferrell), battery, robbery and burglary because Zain said that Gardner was one of the few people on the planet who matched the DNA. A judge determined that Zains pattern and practice of misconduct completely undermined the validity and reliability of any forensic work he performed or reported.. Six months later, as university President Daniele Struppa committed to new diversity initiatives aimed at better supporting students of color on campus in the wake of George Floyds death, Gardner was invited to share his experience during a virtual town hall. [7] On June 19, 2014, her nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote. Ketanji Brown Jackson is sworn in at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Ifill has also been a frequent presence on cable news and in op-ed pages, particularly on issues surrounding voting rights and the crimin system. Another name that stands out is Ketanji Brown Jackson, 49, a judge in Washington who was .

float:right; Another opinion let CNN and other media organizations use a state free speech law to block lawsuits alleging workplace bias or retaliation.  Circuit that is due to open up in February when Judge David Tatel assumes senior status. Zains testimony was used to convict an estimated 136 people in the 1970s and 80s, Gardner later learned. Childs would bring a different set of experiences to the Supreme Court as a non-Ivy League law school graduate -- she graduated from the University of South Carolina -- and a former South Carolina labor official. 	color: white; A man who spent nearly three decades in prison after being wrongly convicted of rape and assault is marrying a federal judge who is the sister of Stacey Abrams, the first-ever black female nominee for governor in the United States. One name being discussed nationally is the sister of Georgia politician Stacey Abrams. The federal judge denied Gardners initial petition but assigned him a federal defender and agreed to let them present his case in court. She also has experience working at the Supreme Court as a clerk to former Justice John Paul Stevens. And hes involved in multiple criminal justice reform efforts, including a seat on the board of the Georgia Innocence Project, which works to free wrongfully convicted prisoners. Leslie Joyce Abrams was nominated by President Barack Obama to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on March 11, 2014. The Muscogee County Board of Elections determined that Russell's challenge was probably valid, and contacted those 4,033 "targeted voters" to inform them they could only cast provisional ballots, and would have to provide proof of residency. 'We need a fresh beginning. The southern California native has traditional bona fides, including 12 Supreme Court arguments. The conversation flowered into a romantic relationship, and the two are engaged to be married later this year. 	text-align: center;  [16], The United States Senate confirmed Abrams on November 18, 2014, on a vote of 100-0.[3]. I felt like I was 13 years old. 	font-weight: bold; This material may not be reproduced without permission. Cities | U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams, and ruled on a voter-registration case that was very similar to another case before a different district court in Georgia, which involved Abrams' voting rights organization Fair Fight. 

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