GREGORY W. EDWARDS District Attorney DOUGHERTY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT ALBANY DOUGHERTY JUDICIAL BUILDING 7.0. 80x 1607 ALBANY, Ga 1702-1897 SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION SPATE COURT DIVISION ‘CHIEF ASSISTANT CHIEF ASSISTANT. DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT ATTORNEY M. APRIL WYNNE KIMBERLY WESTLEY DATE: March 21, 2024 RE: PRESS RELEASE ‘TO WHOM SENT: WALB News Fox News The Albany Herald: The Southwest Georgia From: Gregory W. Edwards / District Attomey PLEASE CALL IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM RECEIVING THIS COPY Jim.Wallace@walb.com Carlton Flecher @albanyherald.com News@walb.com Newsdesk@wfxl.com Keopello@ishetv.com Kinclead@sbgtv.com Alan.mauld@albanyherald.com Theaswgeorgian@gmail.com FELONY DIVISION MISDEMEANOR DIVISION INVESTIGATION VICTIM ASSISTANCE 209-431-2233 229.831.3212 229.431.2221 229.838.3985 FAX 228-431-2167 PAX 229-878-3104 FAX 229-878-3132 PAX 229-431-2167District Attorney DOUGHERTY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT ALBANY DOUGHERTY JUDICIAL BUILDING P.O. BOX 1827 ALBANY, GA.31702-1897 SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ‘STATE COURT DIVISION ‘CHIEF ASSISTANT. CHIEF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT ATTORNEY M. APRIL WYNNE KIMBERLY WESTLEY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ‘March 21, 2024 DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESENTS DETAILS OF PRETRIAL DETENTION OF MAURICE JIMMERSON Dougherty County District Attomey Greg Edwards today identified factors resulting in the pretrial detention of convicted felon, Maurice Jimmerson, prior to his conviction yesterday in the 2013 homicide case that happened on Willard Avenue (case number 16-R-439). Contrary to media assertions, Jimmerson did not spend ten years in the Dougherty County Jail waiting to be tried. Jimmerson was arrested in March 2013 and charged along with five other persons in an indictment with multiple felony charges relating to the 2013 incident. Jimmerson was granted a bond, which he never posted. The then presiding judge severed the trials of the individual defendants Jimmerson in the interim was convicted and sent to State prison for a crime he committed in the Dougherty County Jail. Two trials in the case were carried out with the other persons charged in the indictment because the then presiding trial judge continued the severance of trials over the objection of the State. The State had asked that all the remaining defendants, including Jimmerson, be taken to trial together. Subsequently, all matters in the courts of the State of Georgia were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further the Dougherty County courthouse was damaged by flooding and no trials or proceedings could be carried out. Following this period, it was discovered that the attorney for Jimmerson had abandoned his representation. It was the combination of these several factors that resulted in the pretrial detention of Maurice Jimmerson prior to his entry of his guilty plea to the crimes alleged in the indictment. A sentence that includes probation supervision was imposed, and Maurice Jimmerson is still in the custody and control of the State with special conditions that must be followed. The State believes that the actual pretrial confinement by Jimmerson is commensurate with his crimes that he pled guilty to. The State is confident that the best interests of justice were served with the case being resolved with Jimmerson’s plea of guilty and sentence. “Lam committed to ensuring that justice is obtained in all cases that are prosecuted in this community.” Edwards declared. “I remain committed to protecting the citizens of Dougherty County and holding people accountable for unlawful behavior.” FELONY DIVISION MISDEMEANOR DIVISION INVESTIGATION VICTIM ASSISTANCE, 229-431-3233 229.431-3212 229-431-3221 229-438-3985 FAX 2% FAX 229-878-3108 FAX 229-878.3132 FAX 229-431-2167