Man accused of being leader of violent Atlanta street gang convicted of 2007 murders gets new trial – WSB-TV Channel 2

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The Fulton County deputy prosecutor said the retrial will begin July 8.

Redding’s attorney, Manny Arora, said Redding was back in custody at the Fulton County Jail and not the state prison because of an order filed in Butts County in December.

Judge Robert L. Mack, Jr. granted Redding’s request for habeas corpus in the order, ruling that Redding was entitled to a new trial and that his convictions in a 2011 trial for the murders of 2007 were canceled.

“As you sat in your cell, minute after minute, hour after hour, year after year, did you ever believe that you would hear the news you would receive from Judge Habeas? » asked Winne.

“Yeah, I knew I was innocent. In my heart, God has already declared it. I just had to resist,” Redding responded.

“Obtaining a writ of habeas corpus is one of the most difficult things to do in the legal profession,” Arora said. “It takes a lot of courage for a judge.”

Arora said his office took up the case in 2021, long after Redding’s life sentence and after unsuccessful appeals.

Arora said Judge Mack essentially found problems in a public defender’s handling of the case.

He said another man had claimed responsibility for the murders for which Redding was convicted and that a witness at the original trial had recanted his testimony.

“You had a public defender who came to handle the case just days before the trial? » asked Winne. “Days ago,” Redding replied. “A Friday. He came to take care of the case on a Friday and told me that I was going to be tried on Monday.

“Was he a member of 30 Deep?” Winne asked Arora.

“Mr. Redding has strongly denied any gang involvement over the past 18 years,” Arora responded.

“George Redding will not face formal gang charges in this retrial, will he? Winne asked Faucette.

“These are not formal gang charges, but we expect gang-related evidence to be presented in this trial in the form of motive evidence,” Faucette responded.

Arora said he told his client before the interview not to discuss the facts of the case and other aspects because of the pending legal action.

“Even when it was very dark, like I didn’t see any light, I just kept praying. I lost a lot of years,” Redding said.

Winne said she noticed two tattoos on Redding, a cross on his neck and what appeared to look like a small “30” between his eyebrows.

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Winne asked Arora if he thought the “30” tattoo would be an issue in front of the jury.

He said the government would make it an issue because the gang was called 30 Deep.

Faucette said it’s not uncommon for witnesses to recant their testimony, especially in cases involving violent gangs.

As for the man who claims to have committed one of the murders Redding is accused of, Faucette said the investigation does not support that man’s claims.

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