atlanta news first

2023 was an amazing year for news. Here are the most clicked-on stories from Atlanta News First and AtlantaNewsFirst.com.

Police use facial recognition to link people to crimes they did not commit. Atlanta News First exposes case from Atlanta, Balitmore, New York, to Louisiana.  A common denominator is that law enforcement agencies are not following policy because the policy does not exist.

Randall Reid was arrested in Atlanta for a robbery which occurred in a city he never visited. Before his case, it happened to two other fathers in the southeast. Today, the list grows. As it turns out, bias can be embedded in facial recognition software.  Which means in the search for suspects, there's a list of new victims.

While more and more police agencies are beginning to use the technology, other state agencies are following their lead. The Georgia Department of Driver Services now use the system, too. It raises questions about privacy and state law. 

Read our full series here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/investigate/false-recognition/

Plainclothes drug agents search innocent passengers at airport gates across the United States, looking for cash.

The drug agents seize anything over $5,000 if the passenger can’t prove — on the spot — that their own money didn’t come from drug trafficking. The government seizes the cash when no drugs are found, without arresting the traveler or charging them with a crime. The DEA gets to keep the money it seizes.

Our ongoing investigation revealed that passengers selected for what the government calls “random, consensual encounters” are actually profiled by the drug agents who search Black men far more often than any other group of passengers.

We analyzed data showing that, for drug agents to find just one passenger with money, they have to publicly search 10 departing passengers. Some of those profiled passengers are left deeply scarred by the process, even when nothing is seized.

Read our full series here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/page/in-plane-sight/

Three scientists are calling for more testing of a dangerous toxin impacting residents who live in the Rome, Georgia, area. It’s in response to an Atlanta News First investigation that uncovered elevated levels of the chemical compound in some residents’ blood.

For decades, the Oostanaula River that supplied Rome’s drinking water was contaminated with perfluoroalkyl (PFAS). The chemical group is linked to serious illness, including cancer.

City officials switched to a different water source in 2017, but many residents have always wondered how the contaminated water impacted them prior to the disclosure.

When the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) said it didn’t have plans to investigate, Atlanta News First Investigates purchased testing kits that can measure the total values of some of the most common PFAS and asked Rome-area residents to test their blood.

Read our full series here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/12/06/poisoned-without-permission-georgia-town-exposed-toxin/

Atlanta News First's anchors and reporters share the stories that will warm your heart as we say goodbye to 2023.

27-year-old Mariam Abdulrab was abducted from her boyfriend's driveway in 2021 and later shot and killed. Police soon arrested DeMarcus Brinkley, a repeat sex offender in Georgia with a long rap sheet, including child molestation.

As a repeat offender, Brinkley should have been fitted with an ankle monitor. But a loophole in Georgia law allowed him to slip through the tracks, a loophole that was exposed by Atlanta News First Investigative Reporter Rachel Polansky.

Now, follow Atlanta News First Investigates as Abdulrab's family and friends fight for justice, and learn how our coverage of Mariam's legacy brought a major change to how Georgia monitors its convicted sex offenders.

Read our full coverage here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/mariamslaw/

Jeffery Williams - aka Young Thug - is one of American music's most decorated hip-hop performers. He's also in big trouble with the law, and is facing multiple gang, drug and weapons charges in his high-profile RICO trial in Atlanta.

Atlanta News First's Joy Lin Nakin and renowned Atlanta defense attorney J. Edward Shipp talk about what to expect in Young Thug's trial.

Harry Samler, better known by his 'Better Call Harry' fame, has been solving problems on Atlanta's streets for almost two decades.

In this special edition of Behind the Investigation With Atlanta News First, Harry looks back at some of his 2023 top headlines, including stories on predatory towing, a MARTA bus crash, and Buckhead's tunnel of darkness on Georgia 400.

Behind the Investigation from Atlanta News First has taken listeners behind the scenes from our most informative, hard-hitting stories. In this special edition of our podcast, our award-winning team of investigative journalists recount 2023's top stories, including phantom cars, shed living, kicked out, and false recognition.

he old offices where legendary Atlanta newspapermen like Ralph McGill toiled, and a long-forgotten African-American burial ground in the heart of Buckhead have been listed as places in peril by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.

Each year, the trust releases a list of 10 places in peril throughout the state, a list the organization hopes will raise awareness about Georgia’s historic, archaeological and cultural resources that are threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or poor public policy.

“This is the Trust’s nineteenth annual Places in Peril list,” said W. Wright Mitchell, president and CEO of the trust. “We hope the list will continue to bring preservation solutions to Georgia’s imperiled historic resources by highlighting 10 representative sites.”

Jeffery Williams (aka Young Thug) is on trial in Atlanta in a massive RICO case involving himself and five other defendants. Prosecutors allege Williams and his co-defendants are members of the Young Slime Life (YSL) gang, while defense attorneys argue YSL is simply the name of a record label, Young Stoner Life.

In 2022, Fulton County prosecutors included lyrics from the rapper, referencing drugs and violence, as evidence of an “overt act in furtherance of a (gang) conspiracy.”

Here are the rap lyrics that will be admitted as evidence:

• “Come and enroll to the YSL school and I swear I am the principal (slime!). I do not care if you slime for a dollar and chance, it’s the principle.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “I never killed anybody, but I got something to do with that body ... I told them to shoot a hundred rounds ... ready for war like I’m Russia ... I get all type of cash, I’m a general.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “I was a capo in the hood way before a plaque or a mention.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “I’m at the top with bro though, ooh, head honcho ...” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “I just beat a murder rap, paid my lawyer 30 for that ... me and my slimes above the law.” — S. Stillwell, M. Farley, W. Lee, Q. Nichols
• “Honestly, truth be told, YSL won’t fold, pick his a** off from the balcony ... YSL wipe a n**** nose.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “My n***** really be slime and we committin’ them crimes ... hop out and shoot ... you wanna be slime ... go catch you a body.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “Hey, this that slime s*** (hey!), YSL s*** (hey!), killin’ twelve s*** (hey!), f*** a jail s*** (hey!), ... this that mob s*** YSL, this that mob life.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams, D. Kendrick, M. Arnold, J. Winfrey
• “Money longer than the world’s longest ruler, yeah, playing with YSL, n***** gon’ shoot you ...” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “We be on some 2Pac s***, ‘Hit Em’ Up’ ... n**** play with Unfoonk and get hogtied ... n**** play with Unfoonk, then they all die ... why would I lie, I got mob ties, ... knockin’ off you big homie b****.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “Ooh-woo, I done for the crew, ooh-woo, I done did the robbin,’ i done did the jackin’, now I’m full rappin ' ... I escaped everyone of them licks ‘cuz I was supposed to be rich, I don’t care nothing ‘bout no cop, I’m tellin’ you just how it is.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “Gave the lawyer close to two mil, he handle all the killings ... we don’t speak ‘bout s*** on wax it’s all mob business, we known to kill the biggest cat of all kittens.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “I rep my life for real ... for slimes you know I kill.” — D. Kendrick
• “Hey, how you doing? I’m Yak Gotti, I got bodies on bodies.” — D. Kendrick
• “I shot at his mommy, no he longer mention me.” — Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams
• “Where you from? (I’m from Bleveland!) Throw your set up (YSL!) ... the opps hate the crew we gettin’ this paper and we duckin’ cases ... Free Lil Shannon he the one that had them runnin’ with that cannon.” — Wunnie Lee

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/11/09/here-are-young-thugs-lyrics-that-will-come-up-his-trial/

Emory University associate professor of law Alexander Volokh talks with digital content producer Tim Darnell about the use of rap lyrics in Young Thug's trial.

Full coverage from Atlanta News First: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/crime/young-thug-trial/

Jeffery Williams - aka Young Thug - is one of American music's most decorated hip-hop performers. He's also in big trouble with the law, and is facing multiple gang, drug and weapons charges in his high-profile RICO trial in Atlanta.

Atlanta News First's Joy Lim Nakrin and renowned Atlanta defense attorney J. Edward Shipp talk about what to expect in Young Thug's trial, as opening statements begin on Nov. 27.

Jeffery Williams - aka Young Thug - is on trial in Atlanta in a high-profile, organized crime-related, RICO trial. Thugger is facing several counts of gang-related activities, and weapons and drug charges. 

Digital content producer Tim Darnell talks with Mark Calzaretta, a man dubbed by Fox News as "the jury whisperer." Calzaretta, a nationally known jury consultant and co-founder of Magna Legal Services, explains why jury selection lasted longer than any other in Georgia history; what lawyers are looking for in a jury; and the stresses the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates will face in the future, in a trial that has already gotten worldwide attention.

Full coverage from Atlanta News First: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/crime/young-thug-trial/

More than 1,000 people were detained in the Fulton County Jail without charges this summer; about 60 were there for more than a year, and 10 inmates have died while in custody in 2023.  

What happened? Who's to blame? A new jail would cost more than $1 billion, but is that really the right solution?

For the first time and in this series of exclusive interviews, Fulton County’s top elected leaders tell Atlanta News First Investigates what they’re doing to solve the problems surrounding a jail that's been likened to America's notorious military prison off the shores of Cuba.

Paige Watts is the author of a new book, "What's With Atlanta?" The travel writer and blogger shares some fascinating aspects about life in the ATL.

A chimney and fireplace business, a telecommunications company, and a pizza shop. At first glance, these businesses don’t have a lot in common, but all of them have recently found themselves fighting the same battle.

They struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic and now, they’re facing another obstacle: this time, from their insurer, who they claim left them high and dry.

Read the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/10/02/knife-back-3-businesses-claim-insurer-left-them-high-dry/

Eviction court backlogs that continue plaguing metro Atlanta landlords and court systems are jeopardizing the safety of residents at one metro Atlanta apartment complex.

Records show Atlanta police have been called to The Hills at Greenbriar more than 400 times since January 2022. Reports include fights, burglaries and shootings.

In August, a 6-month-old baby boy was killed. His mother and father were also injured in what police called a “targeted shooting.”

Atlanta News First Investigates looked through the properties’ running evictions; 13 non-paying tenants have been involved in some type of incident on the property since their evictions were filed. That includes the mother of the 6-month-old baby boy. The Hills at Greenbriar had been trying to evict her since October 2022.

Read the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/10/12/hands-are-tied-safety-issues-are-linked-eviction-court-backlogs/

Founded in 1871, Doraville is one of Georgia's oldest cities, but features an amazing diversity. Mayor Joe Geierman talks about his city's rich history; the old General Motors plant that was a catalyst for Doraville's economic growth; the new Assembly Atlanta; and the challenges facing this intown Atlanta suburb.

On April 6, 1972, a fire began at the Triangle Refinery in Doraville, starting with an overfilled storage tank. Vapors from the tank reached nearby homes on Doral Circle and ignited a pilot light at one of the homes causing an explosion. The explosion then set three storage tanks on fire. 

In all, 300 people were evacuated from their homes, staying at nearby elementary schools, hotels, or with friends and family. Two people died in the fire, whose flames reached up to 400 feet and were visible from downtown Atlanta.

In 2022, Valerie Biggerstaff wrote a 50-year retrospective on the famous Doraville refinery fire, and shares her research with digital content producer Tim Darnell and ATLVault on Atlanta News First. 

A federal appeals court has ruled police can shoot hostages — even intentionally — if they fear for their lives or to stop a fleeing felon.

The case is more than just a legal footnote to Don Davis. The Georgia truck driver was shot nine times by troopers and deputies who were trying to stop a murder suspect holding Davis hostage in his truck.

While the shooting occurred in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court just this week let stand a federal court ruling that police owe the hostage nothing for his medical bills or the lasting effects of the officer-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Read the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/05/01/can-police-intentionally-shoot-hostages-georgia-yes/