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The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners

April 05, 2024 / 44:16

This episode covers the violent crimes of Brian Nichols, including his murder of Judge Roland Barnes, court reporter Julie Brandal, and Deputy Hoy Teasley. It discusses Nichols' background, his trial for rape, and the subsequent courtroom rampage that led to multiple fatalities.

Brian Nichols was initially a successful individual until he faced serious charges of rape. His defense attorney, Barry Hazen, describes the challenges of representing Nichols during the trial, which began on February 21, 2005. Hazen noticed troubling behavior from Nichols, raising concerns about his mental state.

On March 11, 2005, during the retrial, Nichols violently attacked a deputy, stole her gun, and proceeded to kill Judge Barnes and court reporter Julie Brandal in a shocking courtroom rampage. Grantley White, a sergeant, recounts the chaos that ensued as Nichols escaped the courthouse.

After his escape, Nichols continued his violent spree, killing federal agent David Wilhelm and taking Ashley Smith hostage. Smith managed to gain Nichols' trust, ultimately leading to his capture. The episode highlights the aftermath of Nichols' actions and the impact on the victims' families.

Brian Nichols was later sentenced to multiple life sentences without parole, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the threat he poses even while incarcerated.

TLDR

Brian Nichols' courtroom rampage resulted in multiple murders and a nationwide manhunt after he escaped custody.

Episode

44:16
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in the United States of America some of the world's most dangerous and notorious
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criminals are locked behind bars ran Nichols is not only a murderer who murdered innocent victims in a court of
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law he definitely was somebody who engaged in all kinds of different crimes while on trail for rape Brian
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Nicholls went on a rampage he hit her so hard that her head went against the cinder block wall
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knocked her out I forced my way into the courtroom and I saw judge Barnes laying
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with blood coming out the back of his head a prisoner who was armed and dangerous was free and On The Run he
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forces his way into a gonet woman's apartment I was concerned because he was
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now out I then called my wife and told her to get our daughter out of school he's just willing to mow over anyone who
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gets in his way so he's absolutely still Danger dous uh no matter where he is
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Brian Nichols suddenly claimed the top spot in America's Most Wanted Brian Nichols assaults a deputy steals her gun
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then hunts down and murders judge Roland Barnes and his court reporter outside Deputy Hoy Teasley is shot and killed by
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Nichols on the sidewalk even when he was securely locked behind bars ran Nichols
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posed a serious threat to everyone he met they move him from place to place they do not let the same guards guard
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him for a prolonged period of time because they don't want them to get too comfortable with
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him and if he gets out there's no telling what he might [Music] do [Music] Georgia Diagnostic and classification
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prison is a maximum security facility home to around 2,500 inmates a Maximum Security Prison it's
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more restrictive they have gun post there's more fences the thing that makes maximum
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security prisons more dangerous is that the inmates in there usually usually have a longer
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sentence so they've already made it up their minds that they're going to Live
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and Die in prison that's their home so when it does kick off they go all the
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way they they'll attempt to kill you one of the most feared inmates kept Behind
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Bars here is mass murderer Brian Nichols I think he's the kind of person that's always thinking always analyzing
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always looking for the crack on the wall always looking for the light you know through the door I think Brian could be
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a potential Escape risk I think if Nicholls felt cornered I think he would he very
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possibly kill again he was the natural Bor killer in stark contrast to many of the
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world's most dangerous prisoners 33-year-old Brian Nichols had enjoyed a good
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life he was educated he was employed at a pretty good job and apparently he was pretty good at it and he was he
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basically he was living a successful life but everything changed when he was accused of rape and aggravated abuse by
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a former girlfriend he was facing very significant jail time if he got convicted of any number of the counts
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that were lodged against him Nicholls behavior in court made everyone nervous before I left the house remember the
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last thing I said to my wife was I don't feel safe in that Court their fears were
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confirmed when Nicholls suddenly turned violent and one of the deputies went into the lock up with with her
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gun at that point in time he hit her hit her so hard hard that her head went against the cinder block wall knocked
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her out now on the loose in the courthouse Nicholls went on a killing spree June B wouldn't have seen him come
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into the main room Ryan shot June BS in the left side of the head he then took his Rampage out onto
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the streets there was a house with the door open and there was a federal agent in there working on his b rooms he ended
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up killing the man and shortly after that is when he kidnapped the girl something happened that made him go
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from kind of a regular person to somebody who would kill four people Nicholls grew up in a middle
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class family during the 1970s and 80s in Baltimore Maryland he was a good student and a
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talented Sportsman he had a very involved family and they were intact they were together
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so he had people who who who liked him um he had a body of friends at the age of 21 Nichols was
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kicked off the college football team for stealing and moved to Atlanta Georgia seeming to make a new start
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Nichols secured a steady job at a multinational technology company and he had got himself a girl
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friend she was a very successful woman uh the times I spoke with her I found her to be very
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intelligent um very articulate um very well put together you know intellectually she she had a lot going
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for her and and and that was a good compliment because Brian was also very [Music]
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intelligent in 2004 when Brian Nichols was 32 years old his life took a sudden downward spiral when he was is accused
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of rape I am Barry Hazen I'm an attorney criminal defense attorney and I represented Brian Nichols in 2004 and
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five where he was charged with rape in Atlanta Georgia the woman who lodged the complaint against Brian is is a woman
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who he had who had been in a relationship with him for a number of years they didn't live together but they
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were very much a couple in in a lot of ways I know they were talking about getting married the relationship was not
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without its difficulties and Brian was not faithful he did have another relationship during that period of time
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um and there was another woman and she became pregnant through Brian and that created a lot of turmoil in Brian's
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relationship Brian's girlfriend eventually left him but Brian was not ready to let her go what's interesting
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about rape is that people think of rape as a sex crime and while yes it has a horrific sexual component the real
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driving Factor behind rape is control and so it sounds like in this case his girlfriend had left him which caused a
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void which caused anger which caused resentment so as a result of that anger he decided to duct tape her and rape her
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and sodomize her in order to exert control over her situation that he no longer had control over the first time I
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met and and saw Brian was at the Fulton County Jail he was being held without bond the conditions at the Fulton can
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were not very good conditions at all of the jails I go to I think it's probably the was the least desirable
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place to be inmates that end up in County Jail can be anywhere from getting a DUI
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driving Under the Influence murder rape molestation robbery armed robbery we spent a probably an hour hour
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and a half talking back and forth about the facts of the case with clients sometimes you build a relationship right
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away sometimes it takes a while but with Brian there there was a bond Barry Hazen
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knew Nichols faced significant jail time as he had been charged with a number of
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offenses I think they're about six or seven counts alog together but of course
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the biggest one was rape which could get you a life sentence in Georgia the aggravated assault was very serious that
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can get you up to 20 years in Georgia the others were less but they serious he was facing very significant jail time if
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he got convicted of any number of the counts that were lodged against him I knew it was going to be a
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challenging case because any time that you have a a sex related case a rape case um you you're you're walking uphill
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with a rock but I liked Brian I found Brian to be very intelligent very articulate very
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warm with me very respectful of me and I believed that there were sufficient facts to work with to be able to defend
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Brian but there was one issue about Nicholls that niggled Barry I thought that Brian was very taken with himself I
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think that Brian had perhaps certain narcissistic Tendencies I didn't think he was
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mentally ill but I thought that there were certain issues that I needed to take note
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of on February 21st 2005 the trial started at fton County Courthouse despite building a strong rapport with
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his client Barry quickly noticed there were red flags and Nicholls Behavior the first day of trial um um I I think the
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judge was being tested by Brian Ryan immediately said he had to go to the bathroom I remember and he must
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have been in there for 20 minutes and the judge was asking where is he where is he where is he what's what's going on
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here and he ordered me to go in there to get him and Brian was just standing there and so I I don't know what was
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going on other than the fact that we already had a judge that was irritated Superior Court Judge Roland
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Barnes was presiding over the hearing he was understanding and he cared about people he couldn't care if you were rich
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or poor he cared about you almost everybody want to go to in front of Judge Barnes because they know they would be
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treated fear the trial continued for 5 days and throughout Barry was concerned about
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what Nicholls would try next I didn't feel threatened by him at all but I I felt that he was
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being kind of a pouty kid in a way being resistive to the authority of the Court
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over him despite Nichols provocative Behavior Barry was doing his best to secure a positive outcome for his client
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it went really well for him I mean um the the vote was 84 not guilty and then there was a discussion with the judge
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and and the district attorney myself it was a hung jury the prosecutors wanted a
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retrial but judge Barnes was not keen the judge did not want to retry the case he wanted him to let it go his fateful
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decision of him throwing up in his hand said okay then we'll retry it on Monday
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the prospect of sitting alongside Brian Nichols again for the retrial made Barry
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nervous I thought the danger was a possibility was up I I wasn't sure what it was I I didn't know if they had
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anything planned but I thought the mind was spinning at that point in time I I thought we could have a
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problem early morning on March 7th 2005 the retrial of 33-year-old Brian Nichols
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for the offenses including the rape and Battery of his former girlfriend began my name is grantley white I'm I was a
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sergeant with the fton county sheriff department and a BFF for judge Roland Barnes on the Brian Nichols
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case at the courthouse you are controlling the courtroom you are brain inmates in front of the judge ban
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Nichols was very quiet I always carrying carrying the Bible he didn't give any
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problems he complied with whatever he he tell Nicholls appeared to behave himself that was until day four when
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judge Barnes made a shocking Discovery the judge called us into Chambers and he was very angry and which is unusual for
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judge Barnes he was such an easygoing man that he had a a manila folder and he tossed the folder across the desk almost
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at me like an anger and the picture slid out of the folder there were two photographs and he said here this is
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what we found in your client's shoes yesterday they looked like hinges without the spindles because they had
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holes in them and you could see they had been sharpened they had been scraped we
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found out later that it was the frame from the light fixture in his cell that he had taken apart and he had two of
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those planks one in each shoe that's when I thought oh wait a minute we we're
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G Beyond being resistance here something's not right it was a threat he had crossed the line with
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me while Barry could never have imagined what his client would do next the judge
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was evidently nervous the tension level on that Thursday was high the judge it seemed
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concerned the judge said we we need to get things off the tables that he can use for instance you know they have
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these little plastic discs that you run wires through the judge ordered those removed from the table he ordered the
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the water pitches removed from the table so they couldn't be used as a weapon and
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the judge actually said we need more beef in the courtroom that's the way he
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put it I remember looking back to see if there was going to be more beef and they
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they had the same middle-aged woman Deputy about 30 ft behind him and she wasn't going to be any help and so I
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became concerned and then the judge he put his hand on my shoulder and said you need to stay alert cuz
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you're sitting right next to him on the final day of the retrial Nichols was as usual being held in
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Fulton County Jail until proceedings began in the courthouse grantley white was the baith assigned to judge Barnes
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that day I always every morning before the court starts pray for the protection to God to protect
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me this is the first time I have given an interview about what happened it's hard to talk
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about it on March 11th 2005 the last day for the trial of Baron Nicholas I asked the judge if I can go
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if I can get breakfast and he said yes he was just talking to attorneys about their
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fee and he felt safe that nothing would happen Nichols was you're from Rice Street the Fon County Jail by van each
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morning to the uh Courthouse and there's a uh a a sally port kind of on the back
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of the courthouse where they they bring prisoners in they don't come in through
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the main entrance and they're they're brought up in an elevator you know I
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secured elevator to whatever floor the courtroom is on and then he'd be escorted into into
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that um before I left the house remember the last thing I said to my wife was I don't feel safe in that
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courtroom up until the day before I had no problem with him um I I I knew he was being a problem for other
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people but I didn't really think he was a physical threat but suddenly I [Music]
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did at 8:45 a.m. Nichols had been transferred from Fulton County Jail to a holding cell located in the new building
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of Fulton County Courthouse there's always RIS involved when an mate comes to court on
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a jury trial he's brought upstairs to change into civilian clothes he opened
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the door and then you remove the handcuffs from the inmate and place him in the holding cell
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which is very risky because most problems happen when you remove removing the handcuffs from immat Nicholls was
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being escorted into the court by a female Deputy he took pride in being a ladies man and being able to charm
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people the Deputy she liked him she actually told me this guy's innocent so she she she felt that you
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know she she was forming a kinship with him the deputy had built a trust with Nicholls and had let down her
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guard and one of the deputies went into the lockup um with with her gun at that point in time he hit her hit
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her so hard that her head went against the cinder block wall knocked her out he took her key and now he also can put on
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civilian clothes and he's got a gun and then calmly walked across that bridge
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from the new building in into the old building where judge Barnes is as I turned the corner to go down the
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hallway I saw a person with a gun in the hand then I recognize it was brand [Music]
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nck he did didn't shoot me right away so I figured he didn't want to kill me so I
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decid see if I can talk to him and I asked him what he was doing and he kept saying don't do
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anything don't do anything s don't do anything and I tried to tell him there's no reason for him to do it
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he said it's too late for that rather than make his Escape it appear he that Nichols had a plan and
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was intent on Vengeance and took grantley hostage and he put the gun to the back
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of my head and he took my gun he walked me into judge's office and when I walked through the
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door I saw there were some of the folks that worked for the judge and barica said to me H up these
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folks I didn't want to do it one of the lady said please gry please do what he
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say then he said handcuff yourself BR Nichols threw the handcuffs at me and I look at it and I saw blood on
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them I knew it belongs to my Deputy her name was engrave on the thought ran through my mind that
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he had killed her I handcuffed myself and I tried to make them loose so maybe I can get out of
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them because I knew that under the judge's desk was a duress button as I stand over by the
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desk I thought to myself how am I going to do this so I decided to fake a heart attack
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and fell down on my knees and as I fell down on my knees I pushed the button underneath the judge's desk
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central control responded to the alarm call but Nicholls was ready and reported all was well but operators sense
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something was very wrong one of the the sergeants in the central control knew my
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voice and said that's not white that's not Sergeant White's voice then I
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heard one of the ladies say Sergeant he's gone he's gone while grantley grabbed his radio to tell central
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control what had just happened Nicholls was tracking down his first kill he then
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calmly walked into judge barnes's Chambers remember judge Barnes is on the bench on the divorce case he walks into
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Chambers unlocked door and then goes from chambers into the court room judge Bon wouldn't have seen him come into the
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main room and just immediately Brian turned to his right shot jge bars in the left side of the head
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when Julie brandall the court reporter turned around he shot her and then left the courtroom through
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the main door grantley had heard the gunshots and ran to the courtroom I forced my way
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into the courtroom and I saw judge Barnes laying by his desk with blood coming out the back of his head and I
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saw Julie a bunch of deputies grabbed me and pulled me out of the courtroom Nicholls
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was making his Bol for Freedom he then went uh down the stairs and one of the deputies went running after
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him having shot the judge and the court reporter Brian Nichols began his escape from the county courthouse Nicholls
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targeted the judge because he really believed the judge was probably responsible for his fate while the judge
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may have been responsible for having f finding him guilty or not guilty and imposing sentence what Nicholls is
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unable to process in his mind is that it's not ultimately the judge's fault
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it's his fault he's the one that chose to engage in the rape he's the one that
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chose to engage in the violence he's the one that got himself arrested but he's
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unable to take accountability for his actions Nichols was trying to escape the courthouse but was being chased
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down he got down to the bottom floor and when the deputy came running after him through the the door shot the deputy
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also Deputy Teasley I thought in my mind that uh maybe a deputy had shot bar nich but he
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had shot one of one of the deputies that proceeded down the stairs behind him it was
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horrible it was a horrible day as 43-year-old father of two Hoy t Lay Dying Nichols went on the
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run it really shows not only the level of savagery and sadism that Nichols was willing to go to in order to gain his
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freedom in a way that was clearly never going to work long term but also his lack of accountability what makes
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Nicholls such a dangerous prisoner is that he's willing to go to Really Great
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Lengths to get his needs met that's just the way Nicholls thinks there there's no other way for him to
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escape threat other than violence unaware of his client's Killing Spree defense attorney Barry Hazen was
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making his way to the courthouse to get ready for the 915 start as I was walking
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to the courthouse I heard sirens maybe four or five seconds after I heard them these cars were whizzing past me police
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cars whizzing past me to the courthouse um and then I saw deputies pouring out of the courthouse
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from different different exits guns drawn and I I I knew I just knew that it had to involve
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Brian one of the deputies who I know came running up the street and shoved me into a storefront and said you're in
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danger your client is just shot judge Barnes I was concerned because he was now out I then called my wife and told
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her to get our daughter out of school and do not go home if he was looking for Revenge I don't know how he felt about
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me but it was a pretty tense tense time I mean we didn't know where he was or what he might
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took intent on evading Justice Nichols turned his attention to getting out of Atlanta in 2005 I was working at the
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Atlanta Journal Constitution I was a featured reporter and it was a good job I parked in the usual spot I always
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parked and I usually got there around 9:30 or so I didn't have the radio on so
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I didn't hear any news what what was going on it just seemed like another ordinary
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day so I locked my car and was about to leave when the SUV pulled in beside me nice looking black man with no shirt
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said do you know how to get to Linux Square which is a local shopping mall being polite I started giving him
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Direction he got out of the car and walked around I didn't think anything about it until he pulled the
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gun Dawn was the fourth person Nicholls had confronted since escaping he was completely unaware the man holding the
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gun was a multiple murderer when he said give me your keys I said to myself this is the car jack
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just just stay calm give him the keys and he'll drive off and that's it but
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then when he took my keys and unlocked the trunk and told me to get in I knew this was serious
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business he was giving orders like a drill instructor he was not erratic he was amazingly calm he was just upset
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that I wouldn't follow his directions we kind of stared at each other for a few
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minutes and he said get in the trunk I'll kill you I shook my head and he kept kept closer and flared at me and he
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said get in the trunk I'll shoot you and after I refused to get into the trunk he ended up hitting me over my eye
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and I fell and then I scrambled to my feet and ran out this way this was the most terrifying thing that
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ever happened I never had a gun pointed at me i' had never been threatened but I
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think I was reasonably calm considering the situation and I went two blocks up that
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way and ran into a fellow reporter and he told me there had been a shooting at the courthouse the judge had been killed
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two other people shot and he said sounds like the same guy and he said they police put down a block interviewing
00:29:00
people and so I went there told him what had happened describe my green Honda that he had taken and then I went to the
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medical center to get my wrist fixed and my eyes stitched and that was my morning
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so far while law enforcement were desperately trying to locate nickels the scene at Fulton County Courthouse was
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one of devastation it still affects me up to this day it's hard to talk about
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it judge bur was not only a judge he was my friend Julie was special she was really kind Julie made
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sure that the jury got how a cake every morning she was really really nice [Music]
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Julie brandow she was warm and wonderful and friendly it went with judge Barnes his Chambers was a place if if you had
00:30:09
some time between cases and you wanted to hang out somewhere you can go there and just sit there and eat popcorn have
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a cup of coffee he didn't have a lock on the store all the other judges did his
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was wide open and Julie brandal had that attitude also she was just this this really nice
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person as Atlanta Police Department took over the crime scene officers had no idea where Nicholls was and offered a
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substantial reward for information what he had done was to drive my car up one level backed it into
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the parking space taking my Navy Blazer out of the car put it on walked across to the martar the mass
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transit system took the train to Lin square with Nichols now the focus of one of the biggest manhunts America had ever
00:31:08
seen police were unaware he was just 7 m away in the streets around the Lenn Square shopping mall 13 hours on from
00:31:18
his first kill he was about to take another innocent life he was looking for a place to hide
00:31:30
or whatever and there was a house with the door open and there was a federal agent and they're working on this
00:31:36
bathroom the crime spree continued with Nicholls shooting and killing US Customs
00:31:41
agent David Wilhelm at his home he then steals his pickup truck badge and Pistol it was a pretty
00:31:50
tense tense time I mean we didn't know where he was or what he might do what we
00:31:54
did find out is that he committed another another killing that night we shot the federal Marshall um which is
00:32:01
about a half a mile from my [Music] house with the murder of off-duty federal agent David wilham freshly in
00:32:09
his wake Nicholls headed 30 Mi North to gnet [Music] County I was asked to come down to
00:32:21
downtown Atlanta they wanted to film a a request for him to turn himself in and all of a sudden a a driver gets in the
00:32:29
van and a reporter gets in the van and we take off and he says oh he's in Gwynette County I'm just sitting in his
00:32:34
van at this point in time I'm like a [Music] prisoner at around 2 a.m. Ashley Smith
00:32:49
was unpacking her new apartment when she headed out briefly to buy cigarettes on her return Nicholls was
00:32:57
waiting in the Shadows placing a gun to her back he forced his way into her apartment he forces his way into a gonet
00:33:06
woman's apartment a swap team surrounds [Music] Nicholls having killed four innocent
00:33:19
people in a murderous Rampage alleged rapist Brian Nichols was on the Run he had reached a town 30 m north of of
00:33:27
Downtown Atlanta a lot of people high on psychopathy actually tend to be very impulsive and not engage in long-term
00:33:36
thinking and those four people were in his way and so it was a means to an end Nichols was aware the police were on his
00:33:43
Trail and had taken a hostage single mom Ashley Smith Ashley Smith had managed to stay
00:33:51
alive by gaining the trust of Nicholls spending the night talking about God and forgiveness
00:33:59
they believe there is a hostage situation going on right now this is in duth Georgia it's about 15 miles north
00:34:05
of the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta where we know three people were killed
00:34:09
yesterday Ashley had made Nicholls breakfast and encouraged the killer to turn himself in he refused at around
00:34:17
9:15 a.m. Ashley managed to persuade Nichols to let her go and see her daughter as soon as she was in the car
00:34:26
she dialed 911 one police quickly surrounded the area we were about maybe I don't know
00:34:33
150 ft from where he was perhaps and the apartment was surrounded and I thought if he doesn't come out
00:34:39
they they're going to kill him but fortunately he waved a white shirt and then they swarmed him and and he was
00:34:45
just covered you couldn't even see him at that point in time he did ask for me
00:34:49
to come talk to him I declined my attitude was that I represented him on a rape case I was not
00:34:56
representing him on a murder case especially given the fact that I knew the people who had killed um I knew
00:35:04
judge B I knew J brandow and there's no way I could do that as the city of Atlanta emerged from a 26-hour lockdown
00:35:12
Brian Nichols was securely locked away once again at Fulton County Jail when a person commits a crime out
00:35:22
on the streets they get arrested they go to the police department to get processed and then they'll go to county
00:35:27
jail that's where they'll take away their belongings dress them out in inmate
00:35:32
attire and fingerprint them book them and they wait there until they get scheduled to go to
00:35:39
[Music] prison just under two months later Nichols was indicted by a Fulton County
00:35:46
grand jury on 54 counts citing mental health issues Nicholls pleaded not guilty he may have
00:35:55
planned these murders in order to get the death penalty it seems more like his goal was just to escape the courthouse
00:36:02
just to escape prison and not think much about the future while awaiting trial at Fulton
00:36:13
County Jail Nicholls attempted to enlist two sheriff's deputies while plotting an
00:36:20
escape it is safe to assume that every inmate wants to escape from prison I would say some personality
00:36:29
traits of somebody attempting to escape or wanting to escape would be maybe growing out their hair one day or
00:36:35
cutting it to the next to be able to disguise themselves as they attempt to flee getting physically fit so that they
00:36:42
are able to run or walk multiple miles learning the layout of the surrounding areas in towns maybe
00:36:50
acquiring a map a compus a cell phone to Aid them in an escape those are the type
00:36:54
of ones that are kind of smart with it deemed a high security risk Nichols was moved to decob county jail he remained
00:37:04
here for 2 years until on July 10th 2008 Nicholls murder trial began he maintained his
00:37:16
plea of Not Guilty by reason of insanity well it was actually the first time i'
00:37:21
had been a witness in a trial especially when I was one involved with it and it was
00:37:28
um I was very nervous they asked me to point him out in the courtroom that's when I had flashback
00:37:36
because I I knew I was going to have to tell the story again and the image flashed through my
00:37:44
mind about everything and yeah I know I wouldn't want to be in the same room with him
00:37:56
again I actually broke down on the stand Nicholas was sitting with attorneys next
00:38:03
to him I kept looking at him I kept staring at him I could not help but stare at him
00:38:12
I'm such an evil person it was hard because of the loss of my my friends judge Julie
00:38:23
deputies something I would never forget [Music] I'll live with it for the rest of my
00:38:31
[Music] life in an incredible turn of events it transpired that Nicholls had killed the
00:38:40
man about to give him his freedom about 6 months after the shooting I got a telephone call from an
00:38:50
attorney who told me that the night before the shooting that he had a conversation with
00:38:55
judge Barnes about the case judge barnens told him he was going to cut Brian Nichols free by granting a
00:39:03
motion for directed verdict of a quiddle if the defense thinks there's not enough
00:39:09
evidence legally for for a jury to even find somebody guilty Beyond A Reasonable
00:39:15
Doubt is a legal issue it's insufficient you can make a motion for a directed
00:39:19
verdict of equ quiddle so Brian killed the person that was going to cut him loose the case would not even gone to
00:39:26
the jury Brian was going to go [Music] home the jury deliberated for 12 hours over 2 days before finding Nichols
00:39:42
guilty of four counts of murder and 50 other charges sentenced to multiple life sentences with no chance of parole
00:39:50
Nichols was spared the death penalty when the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision I think two or three people
00:39:58
voted against it but it all depends on who the jury is if if someone is looks they say looks like a Killer looks
00:40:08
like a horrible person they're more likely to do that but he looked like an ordinary middle class
00:40:20
guy they blamed it on something mental not the fact that he was a natural Bo killer
00:40:28
yes I was ple with the verdict because he's got a long time to think he was given over 200
00:40:37
years I think him BR in prison is worse than the death penalty it should be sentenced to four consecutive life
00:40:47
sentences Nichols was incarcerated in Georgia Diagnostic and classification state
00:40:55
prison with a history of of Escape attempts and plots Nicholls remains a high security risk to those guarding him
00:41:04
my understanding is they move him from place to place they do not let the same guards guard him for a prolonged period
00:41:10
of time because they don't want them to get too comfortable with him right that
00:41:16
they you know they move him around different people interact with him because he's considered to be a high
00:41:21
security risk and I believe he is I think if he felt cornered I think he would very possibly kill again barck is
00:41:29
a person you cannot trust he is a wolf and sheep clothing Nichols wrap sheet which features the deaths of so many law
00:41:39
enforcement officials has given him Kudos with other prisoners reputation in prison is pretty
00:41:47
much everything so if a suspect committed a crime out on the streets would it carry over the reputation
00:41:53
inside a prison that all depends on the notoriety that it make the used was the person that the crime was committed
00:42:00
against was it a police officer so depending on who the victim was and the circumstances of the crime absolutely
00:42:07
that reputation carry inside the prison my guess is he's probably got a bit of notoriety there in the prison
00:42:18
population if you don't have much in prison you try to G what little you do have he'll die there unless he you know
00:42:25
escapes one thing remains clear to all involved in this case Brian Nichols is still one of the world's most evil
00:42:34
Prisoners the the the impact of what he had done he had taken a judge everyone liked he took a court reporter a
00:42:45
beautiful person he took a deputy life a deputy that will be there for you anytime he had impact so many people
00:42:55
lives all the families of the victims no one would ever be the [Music] [Music] same
00:43:29
[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 90
    Most shocking
  • 90
    Most intense
  • 90
    Most unpredictable
  • 85
    Most heartbreaking

Episode Highlights

  • Brian Nichols: A Dangerous Criminal
    Brian Nichols, a murderer and rapist, poses a serious threat even while incarcerated.
    “Nicholls suddenly claimed the top spot in America's Most Wanted.”
    @ 01m 02s
    April 05, 2024
  • The Shocking Discovery
    Judge Barnes uncovers a weapon hidden in Nichols' shoes, raising alarm in the courtroom.
    “We found out later that it was the frame from the light fixture in his cell.”
    @ 13m 49s
    April 05, 2024
  • The Courtroom Rampage
    Nichols violently escapes custody, leading to a deadly rampage in the courthouse.
    “I saw judge Barnes laying with blood coming out the back of his head.”
    @ 22m 47s
    April 05, 2024
  • The Courthouse Shooting
    A chaotic scene unfolds as deputies rush to the courthouse after a shooting.
    “I knew I just knew that it had to involve Brian.”
    @ 25m 33s
    April 05, 2024
  • Nicholls' Escape and Rampage
    Nicholls goes on a violent spree, killing multiple people in a desperate attempt to evade capture.
    “He was looking for a place to hide or whatever.”
    @ 31m 26s
    April 05, 2024
  • Ashley Smith's Hostage Situation
    Ashley Smith manages to gain Nicholls' trust during a tense hostage situation.
    “Ashley managed to persuade Nichols to let her go and see her daughter.”
    @ 34m 20s
    April 05, 2024
  • The Trial of Brian Nichols
    Nichols faces trial for his crimes, with witnesses recounting their harrowing experiences.
    “I actually broke down on the stand.”
    @ 38m 01s
    April 05, 2024
  • Nichols' Sentencing
    Nichols is sentenced to multiple life sentences, avoiding the death penalty.
    “I was pleased with the verdict because he’s got a long time to think.”
    @ 40m 30s
    April 05, 2024

Episode Quotes

  • He was the natural born killer.
    The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners
  • I don't feel safe in that courtroom.
    The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners
  • It's not ultimately the judge's fault, it's his fault.
    The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners
  • He was giving orders like a drill instructor.
    The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners
  • I was reasonably calm considering the situation.
    The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners
  • He’s considered to be a high security risk and I believe he is.
    The Courthouse Killer | World’s Most Evil Prisoners

Key Moments

  • Rampage Begins00:28
  • Trial Tension12:49
  • Shocking Discovery13:49
  • Courtroom Violence22:47
  • Tense Courthouse Scene25:33
  • Hostage Negotiation33:51
  • Trial Testimony38:01
  • Final Sentencing40:30

Tension Over Time

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown