She could become the nation's first Black woman governor", "The fate of the Democrats' future may lie in Georgia", "President Obama Nominates Leslie Joyce Abrams to Serve on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia", "Abrams, Leslie Joyce Federal Judicial Center", "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate", "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Leslie Joyce Abrams, of Georgia, to be U.S. District Judge)", "On the Nomination (Confirmation Leslie Joyce Abrams, of Georgia, to be U.S. District Judge)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leslie_Abrams_Gardner&oldid=1142113247, Judges of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, United States district court judges appointed by Barack Obama, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 15:46. The Abrams are daughters of two Methodist ministers from Mississippi and have welcomed Gardner with open arms into their family, who he says are 'extraordinary and remarkable'. I knew he was lying because I knew I hadnt committed the crime, Gardner told the Washington Post. Gardner wasn't incarcerated until years later when officers took DNA from him again during questioning, Gardner, is pictured above second from left at the Mount Olive Correctional Complex in 2002. In December 2020, right-leaning observers and prominent Republican politicians cried foul after a federal court judge blocked attempts to remove thousands of names from voter rolls in Georgia, ahead of January's two U.S. Senate run-off elections in the state. Three years later, in 1993, West Virginias Supreme Court of Appeals received complaints about Zain falsifying evidence. } } But it would take 23 years for Gardner to finally be released, being denied hearing after hearing, and he spent years writing to advocacy groups and even President Barack Obama looking for help. Jackson was nominated by Obama to the federal district court in Washington, winning Senate confirmation in 2013. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. That dream was deferred in 1989, when Gardner was arrested for a brutal crime he didnt commit. I encourage them to stay on the good path, don't succumb to the environment they're in. On Dec. 23, Majority Forward challenged the actions of Muscogee and Ben Hill counties, and filed for a temporary restraining order on Dec. 27. Gardner is the daughter of the Reverend Carolyn and the Reverend Robert Abrams, originally of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams, and ruled on a voter-registration case that was very similar to another case before a different district court in. She has written about the importance of diversity among judges in federal and state courts. Both are supportive of Stacey Abrams candidacy and were right by her side when she won the Georgia Democratic nomination for governor after Tuesdays primary. By Kimberly Robinson, Greg Stohr and Madi Alder. The comments below have been moderated in advance. Her husband was wrongly imprisoned for 26 years for a rape and robbery he didnt commit before getting exonerated. }, Leslie Abrams Gardner is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Circuit and worked in President Barack Obamas Justice Department as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel. Some people you think will be uneasy, maybe her parents won't accept me, but they did. She will serve the American people with integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice. State executives | 'I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be with such an awesome individual. At 23 years old, he was sentenced to up to 110 years in prison. She graduated from Brown University before attending Yale Law School. 'It's depicted in the Hollywood film as it is, it's not fun, it's not blown out of proportion, it's just like that. United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, "Leslie Abrams Gardner, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia: Profile and Biography", "Stacey Abrams wins Democratic primary in Georgia. This is an obvious case for recusal. background-color: #003388; On May 16, 1987, a man broke into the home of 82-year-old Bethel Ferrell and sexually assaulted Ferrells 60-year old daughter, Wilma Galati, in the Kanawha City section of Charleston, W.Va. Two months later, Lillian Ruckman was sexually assaulted in her home in Kanawha City. } Childs is a favorite of top Black Caucus members including Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), according to two senior Democratic aides. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and played for a West Virginia farm team, the Charleston Wheelers, in the Minor League. 'I was stuck for 23 years in state court. That chatter gained volume last year when Biden tapped her to fill now-Attorney General Merrick Garlands seat on the D.C. Over the years, Abrams has repeatedly confirmed as much, including when she congratulated Abrams Gardner on her U.S. Senate confirmation and appointment as U.S. District Court judge for the Middle District of Georgia, in 2014 and 2015. [1] She is the first female black federal judge in Georgia. background-color: red; Play it now! color: black; Ruckman even identified another man out of a police lineup as the man who assaulted her, but Zain said that his DNA evidence excluded that man. The judge released him April 1, 2016 on a $10,000 bond. 'She's very experienced - numerous years in political spectrum,' Gardner said. U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, the sister of voting rights activist Stacey Abrams , has been the center of attention in recent weeks as Republicans continue to criticize her role in . Despite the fact that Gardner is 6 feet 4, has a wide nose and is dark-skinned, Fred Zain, who examined blood for the West Virginia State Police, said that Gardners blood and fingerprints matched the blood and fingerprints that were found at the scene of the crime. [1], On January 27, 2022, United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officially announced he would retire at the start of the court's summer recess, which typically took place in late June or early July. | A state judge denied his petition. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. Ifill, 59, would be a bold choice and send a strong statement about Bidens prioritization of civil rights. The judge said I had been held in legal purgatory for 23 years in state court and it was a complete miscarriage of justice, Gardner recalled. Gardner later learned that lab results actually showed the attacker had Type O blood, while he had Type A blood. One name being discussed nationally is the sister of Georgia politician Stacey Abrams. Her brother, Walter, has been incarcerated and experienced mental health and substance abuse problems. 'If you've been wrongfully convicted, then keep on fighting, don't give up, and if you're in rightfully, and been given too much time - which the majority have - then also don't give up. In 1993 the West Virginia Supreme Court found that Zain had a long history of falsifying evidence in criminal prosecutions. An investigation concluded that Zains pattern and practice of misconduct completely undermined the validity and reliability of any forensic work he performed or reported and that as a matter of law, any testimonial or documentary evidence offered by Zain at any time in any criminal prosecution should be deemed invalid, unreliable, and inadmissible . Brooke Staggs covers the environment for Southern California News Groups chain of 11 newspapers. As president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund -- a position once held by the late Justice Thurgood Marshall before he was nominated -- Ifill has been at the center of policy debates and pressure campaigns involving voting rights, police brutality and job discrimination. Im very familiar with laws, and I got talking with Leslie; we were discussing for hours about judicial laws and different processes.. Read More: A Supreme Court Path for Potential Black Female Nominee. In November the organization announced that Ifill plans to step down in the spring after more than nine years in charge. font-weight: bold; Gardner was 20 years old, pitching for the Charleston Wheelers in West Virginia in 1987. Leslie Abrams Gardner The sister of voting rights activist and Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is 47 years old and currently presides over a federal court in Atlanta, having been nominated by President Obama in 2014. width: 150px; font-weight: bold; Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams who has led the effort to register voters in the state. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. U.S. District Court Judge Leslie A. Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams. She has also been involved in recent efforts to push Facebook Inc. and other social media platforms to do more to combat racism and voter suppression on their sites. Meanwhile, Gardner, who earned three degrees while he was incarcerated, is in the process of converting a building that housed an old newspaper into the Gardners House, a facility that will house formerly incarcerated people, providing them with the opportunity to find housing and jobs. While that claim was later disputed, they charged him with both assaults. It can happen at any time. She would be the oldest new justice since Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed at age 60 in 1993. 'I left when I was 23 and 50 when I returned, but in her mind I was 13, it was a psychological thing. He vowed to God that if he ever got out, hed speak for free for one year. Kevin Lamarque/Pool via AP. He agreed there had been a miscarriage of justice, but it still took 46 months before Gardner was released, and the state wasn't willing to give in, and wanted a retrial, even offering him ten years if he admitted his guilt. How much damage does wrongful incarcerations have on mothers and fathers? He is seen with his sister Tracey (left), mother Gladys (front and center), nephew Khori Sims, who is in the arms of friend Ed Hansley, and friend Sheilah Lewis, 'It looked like I was guilty, but you had a man falsifying it, that's ridiculous, it's horrible, who does that?'. I was the only male there. While working alongside schools and prisons in Georgia, he met his future wife Leslie at a gathering of black female judges. A federal district court judge in Georgia, Leslie Abrams Gardner was appointed to the bench by Obama in 2014. The federal judge denied Gardners initial petition but assigned him a federal defender and agreed to let them present his case in court. During his trial, both victims said that Gardner was not the man who raped them. A couple months later, another Charleston woman was assaulted in her home by a man with a similar description. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas responded by tweeting: "This is absurd. In December 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner ruled on a case to which her sister, Stacey Abrams, was a party. As a California Supreme Court justice since 2015, she has developed a reputation as a careful, incremental jurist -- a trait that might disappoint some liberal advocates while potentially attracting Republican support. Sleek spring sweatersThese dupes are the price of the iconic sweater, but still as sleek as a slicked-back bun and hoops. None of the victims identified him as their attacker. Celebs Wiki Leslie Abrams Gardner fans also viewed: After he was released, Gardner began working with Georgia schools, prisons and organizations as a motivational speaker and criminal-justice advocate. She was one of six children. 'It's a strong testament to be just yourself with people. But Collins undoubtedly erred when he claimed that "Stacey Abramss sister is ruling on a case in which her own sister is a party!". One hundred ten years. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney. The Abrams aren't the only high-profile names Gardner has mingled with since his release - he has also connected with John Lewis, Gardner works at the Innocence Project alongside Amanda Knox, who attended an exoneree event in April 2018 (pictured above), Exonerated prisoners from around the world gathered for a march (pictured above) in April. Just because the courts arent hearing me, Im not going to stop.. Gardner, pictured with Georgia Governor candidate Stacey Abrams, said he and Leslie's relationship has the support of their families, In 2015, when Leslie Abrams was being sworn in as a US District Judge in Georgia, her older sister Stacey posted a throwback photo of them together. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { In addition to working in the appeals unit of Washington, D.C.s federal public defender office, she served on the U.S. sentencing commission and worked for multiple large law firms. A three-year-old Stacey can be seen right alongside a two-year-old Leslie center, and their older sister Andrea Abrams, aged six at the time. [16], The United States Senate confirmed Abrams on November 18, 2014, on a vote of 100-0.[3]. ', Gardner, pictured at West Virginia's Mount Olive Correctional Facility in 1995, studied law while incarcerated in hopes of overturning his conviction, Gardner, pictured at West Virginia's Mount Olive Correctional Facility in 1995, was finally released from prison in 2016. Three years later, Gardner learned that all of Zain's cases involving DNA were being reviewed after it was discovered that he had lied in hundreds of murder and rape cases and locked up innocent men by falsifying evidence and tampering with forensic work. To contact the reporters on this story:Kimberly Robinson in Arlington at krobinson103@bloomberg.net;Greg Stohr in Washington at gstohr@bloomberg.net;Madi Alder in Arlington at malder5@bloomberg.net, To contact the editors responsible for this story:Elizabeth Wasserman at ewasserman2@bloomberg.net;Seth Stern at sstern22@bloomberg.net. Many felt it was inappropriate for Gardner to rule on the case, a concern that was Abrams Gardner added that "an order detailing the court's reasoning" was forthcoming. The judge, Leslie Abrams Gardner the sister of former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a prominent ally of President-elect Joe Biden who has led voter registration efforts across the state concluded that the counties appeared to have improperly relied on unverified change-of-address data to invalidate registrations in the two counties. Gardner, 47, is another judge who would be making an unlikely leap from serving on a federal district court. Leslie Abrams Gardner. Whatever was offered, I took it. She received her bachelors degree from the University of South Florida and received both a business and law degree from the University of South Carolina. Jimmie Gardner was released from a prison in West Virginia in 2016, 26 years after being wrongly convicted of sexual assault, robbery and unlawful entry related to break-ins in the 1980s.
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