Courthouse killer gets life in prison
The man who killed four people in a brazen courthouse escape in Atlanta in 2005 was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole, but prosecutors were disappointed the jury failed to agree on a death sentence.
Brian Nichols, 37, was convicted last month of murdering a judge, a court reporter, a sheriff’s deputy and a federal agent. But the jury could not come to a unanimous vote on the death penalty.
The 9-3 deadlock upset prosecutors, who had rejected an offer from Nichols’ attorneys to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.
Superior Court Judge James Bodiford handed down the maximum sentence on each of 54 charges.
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