1. Atlanta Spa Shootings process begins.
Lawyers for Robert Aaron Long, the suspect in the Atlanta spa shooting case, are trying to avoid the death penalty while he awaits trial on multiple murder charges in the March 2021 massacre. His trial was due to start in January but has now been postponed for the second time due to scheduling conflicts. The Fulton County judge in Long’s case is also presiding over the criminal trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug. This will be the first time Georgia’s new hate crime law has applied to a Fulton County case.
2. Will Atlanta City Hall be more interested in policing reform?
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and the Atlanta Police Department are under pressure as parents grapple with an outbreak of gun violence involving youth. At the same time, advocates are pushing to shift resources from the police to other social services.
3. What sensitive issues will US Senator Jon Ossoff, chairman of the Senate Standing Subcommittee on Investigations, address next?
In 2022, Ossoff and a group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced legislation addressing unreported deaths in US prisons, sexual abuse, understaffing and criminal misconduct by employees.
4. What’s next for Cop City?
Construction is set to begin on a controversial lot near the site of Atlanta’s proposed public safety training center, dubbed “Cop City.” Five protesters were charged with domestic terrorism after a clash with law enforcement in mid-December. Governor Brian Kemp has vowed to make more arrests of people protesting the site.
5. Will shootings involving officers continue to increase?
In 2022, there were a record 112 shootings involving officials in Georgia. While experts point to a variety of reasons for the increase in shootings involving officers — across the country and in Georgia — there are no easy solutions to reverse the trend.
This is part of WABE’s Storylines To Watch In 2023 series. Click here to see what storylines WABE reporters are following right now – including arts and culture, education, environment, health, housing, immigration and politics – so you know what the year will bring.
