The Merchant Law Firm, P.C. has filed a lawsuit against Cobb County in relation to the county's ongoing judicial bias scandal. This lawsuit comes no more than a week after Attorney Ashley Merchant requested to have Cobb Superior Court Judge Reuben Green recuse himself after discovering evidence in a courtroom security recording showing the judge privately discussing a case with prosecutors without the presence of defense attorneys. Following this incident, the case's defendant, Tomdrick Cromer, was found guilty of armed robbery and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Since this controversial recording became public, Ashleigh and John Merchant have encountered considerable difficulty when filing Open Records Act requests for additional recordings. The suit alleges that the county attempted to deter firm and other members of the public from accessing recordings from courtroom proceedings by imposing unnecessary fees to view the tapes – a practice which did not exist before the scandal began.
A representative from the Sheriff's Office claimed that the recordings were only retained for a period of 15 to 30 days, and that security videos need to be reviewed by a deputy to identify any information found within that could negatively impact security. When calculated, the cost of having a deputy review a video would equate to $25.64 per hour.
The lawsuit seeks a court order preventing the county from violating the Open Records Act and allowing the firm to view the recordings as requested.
Seasoned Trial Attorneys in Marietta, Georgia
The knowledgeable Cobb County criminal defense lawyers at The Merchant Law Firm, P.C. have handled hundreds of cases over the past 18 years and can use their extensive legal knowledge to help you during your difficult time. If you are facing charges, call (404) 828-0969 or request a free consultation today to get started towards retaining the results-driven advocacy you deserve.