Griffin Speaks

COURTHOUSE SHOOTING

Several people were murdered on Friday morning, March 11, 2005, by Brian Nichols, a rape and aggravated sodomy defendant in Atlanta Georgia. Three people were shot in the Fulton County Courthouse in downtown Atlanta. Among the murdered were Judge Rowland Barnes, his court reporter, a deputy and a Federal Customs agent shot a day later. Nichols was facing a possible life sentence if convicted on rape and aggravated sodomy charges. His earlier trial was declared a mistrial on Monday when jurors voted 8-4 for acquittal. His defense attorney Barry Hazen believed that Nichols would be convicted in the second trial because the evidence presented at that trial was more compelling. What made Brian Nichols flip out? 

Brian Nichols age 33 lived in Buckhead and drove a BMW. He attended private schools while growing up in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended college in Pennsylvania where he was a linebacker. He grew up in a middle class family. Brian’s world turned upside down when he was accused of rape and aggravated sodomy by his ex-girlfriend whom he had a 7-year relationship. What made Brian Nichols flip out? 

Brian Nichols was hit by that “uncontrollable moment” that most people who commit murder experience. In my years of involvement with law enforcement and the criminal justice system I am convinced that everyone is capable of murder even mass murder if they do not learn how to deal with that “uncontrollable moment”. What is this “uncontrollable moment”? It is the moment that a person is so frustrated and angry that they have no regard for the consequences of their actions. It can be experienced in the parking lot at Wal-Mart, inside the workplace, in the home or anywhere on the face of the earth. 

How is it that most people are able to avoid this “uncontrollable moment”? I believe that most people learn how to manage their anger during childhood. They learn that anger eventually goes away. There are no living creatures that remain angry forever.  

Brian Nichols has destroyed the lives of four innocent people and consequently destroyed his own. It happened because he allowed himself to become a victim of that “uncontrollable moment”. He must face the music now and the music will not be sweet. 

We must teach our children how to manage their anger. “Those whom the Gods choose to destroy, they first make mad!” Whatever happens to you refuse to get mad! When you become mad you risk becoming the victim of that “uncontrollable moment”.

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com