Georgia Today: Rosalynn Carter funeral; Arbery prosecutor misconduct charges; 2025 MLB All Star Game

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, Nov. 29. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, the funeral service for Rosalynn Carter takes place in her hometown of Plains. A former prosecutor accused of hindering the investigation of Ahmaud Arbery's killing faces a court setback, and the Cobb County Board of Commissioners prepares for the 2025 All-Star Game. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Friends and family members of former first lady Rosalynn Carter gathered in Plains today for one final farewell for a hometown figure with a global legacy. At her funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church, her grandson, Josh Carter, talked about her work to fight diseases and oppression and eliminate the stigma of mental illness. He said that he and his cousin Jason Carter called her Mom.

Josh Carter: Today as we celebrate her life, we know that the best part of her life lives on. But I'm still gonna miss you, Mom.

Peter Biello: Carter was set to be laid to rest in a plot within view of the front porch of her longtime home. Fans lined the streets of downtown Plains today for a final goodbye to Mrs. Carter. GPB's Sofi Gratas was there.

Sofi Gratas: A private service for Rosalynn Carter attended by the Carters' friends and family was held at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains on Wednesday morning. Following that, the family motorcade brought Ms. Carter through downtown Plains for a final time. Letitia Burks, born and raised here, has generations of family living in Plains. She remembers seeing the Carters bicycle around town and at the local Boys and Girls Club. Burks took off work to attend the procession.

Letitia Burks: Plains was a good place to be raised. It's a beautiful place. We are one big family and we're all mourning the loss of Rosalynn. Yes, we love the Carters. The Carters love us. They both have lived a good life. But right now we just got to focus on Mr. Carter and make sure that he's OK.

Sofi Gratas: Because looking after each other is just what neighbors do, says Burks. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas in Plains.

Peter Biello: At the state capitol, lawmakers paid tribute to Carter as they began a special session of the General Assembly. State House Speaker John Burns called for a moment of silence and asked representatives also to remember her husband of 77 years.

John Burns: I want to make sure we recognize the loss of President Jimmy Carter in his life and that we all, we recognize and — and say a special prayer for him as he goes through these days and the loss of life of a marvelous person who was his partner in every sense of that word.

Peter Biello: You'll find the service from Maranatha Baptist Church and the latest on the special session at our website, GPB.org/news.

Caption

A view of the back of the Georgia Capitol in downtown Atlanta in an undated photo.

Credit: GPB News

Story 2:

Peter Biello: As we mentioned, lawmakers are under the Gold Dome this week for a special legislative session to revisit the redistricting process after a federal judge ordered new districts. GPB's Stephen Fowler has more on today's hearings.

Stephen Fowler: The state House and Senate gaveled in Wednesday and got to work with committee hearings on new political maps after a federal judge said the old ones disenfranchise Black voters. The ruling requires the creation of additional majority-Black districts, mainly in Atlanta's southern suburbs, in the state legislative and congressional boundary lines. Senate redistricting Chair Shelly Echols, a Republican, explained why so many districts need to look different.

Shelly Echols: It's important to note that the ripple effect is real when drawing plans. When new districts are located in the southern part of metro Atlanta, nearby population has to be adjusted. Those changes then ripple out primarily north until they are resolved.

Stephen Fowler: Committee meetings continue Thursday morning to discuss plans drawn by both parties. The special session is expected to run into next week. For GPB News, I'm Stephen Fowler.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in an unusual case involving a 2012 murder in metro Atlanta's Cobb County. A jury convicted Damien McIlrath on one murder charge and acquitted him on another, essentially finding that he was both sane and insane at the same time. The Georgia Supreme Court vacated both verdicts as logically inconsistent, and the state prosecuted him again. McIlrath's attorneys argued that amounts to a basic law school case of double jeopardy on the acquittal. But Georgia Solicitor General Steven Petrone argued it's not double jeopardy because it was a, quote, "special verdict." Justice Neil Gorsuch:

Neil Gorsuch: Why does that make a difference? An acquittal is an acquittal is an acquittal. Oh, I think it's since time immemorial. Now you're telling us an acquittal isn't an acquittal if it's a special verdict form?

Steven Petrone: No, what I'm saying is: It's not an acquittal if the jury did not, in fact, resolve the factual question that supposedly underlies that acquittal.

Peter Biello: Other justices attacked Georgia's case from other angles. McIlrath remains in jail while the case continues.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: A judge has refused to dismiss misconduct charges against a former prosecutor involved in the Ahmaud Arbery case. Jackie Johnson was accused of hindering the investigation into Arbery's killing in 2020. She'd argued there wasn't enough evidence to support the case against her. But in a one-page ruling yesterday, the judge disagreed. Johnson was the top prosecutor for Glynn County in February 2020, when white men in pickup trucks chased and killed Arbery as the Black man ran in their neighborhood. Johnson was indicted in 2021 and accused of using her office to shield Arbery's pursuers from prosecution. One of them had worked for her as an investigator, and all three were later convicted of murder.

Story 5:

Peter Biello: The long-awaited new animal shelter for Fulton County will open to the public Saturday. Officials cut the ribbon on the $40 million Fulton County Animal Services Facility last week. The 50,000-square-foot new shelter, three times the size of the county's previous main shelter, has been five years in the making. And it comes at a time when animal shelters across Georgia are experiencing overcrowding. Multiple dogs living at animal shelters in a Clayton County shelter just south of Atlanta could be euthanized due to overcrowding if they aren't adopted before the end of this month. Clayton County Animal Control, which houses stray animals at two shelters, said rescue groups have been able to take in some of the dogs, but several more still need homes.

Story 6:

Peter Biello: Atlanta radio veteran Ryan Cameron has become the official voice of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The AJC reports his overhead announcements went live on Thanksgiving eve. Cameron is the voice who will tell you not to smoke at airport entrances, to report any unattended bags to local authorities, and to not leave your vehicle unattended at dropoff and pickup where it will be ticketed and towed. He's also heard in the plane train between concourses. Cameron is an Atlanta native and he's been on local radio for more than three decades. He's also the PA announcer for the Atlanta Falcons' home games. He previously was the in-game announcer for the Atlanta Hawks from 2004 until 2021.

Story 7:

Peter Biello: The Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted last night to set aside nearly $1.6 million for the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be hosted at Truist Park. The five-member board voted unanimously to set aside the money, which would cover security and transportation costs. The All-Star Game had been scheduled to take place at the home of the Atlanta Braves two years ago, but was moved to Colorado after public outcry over the recently enacted changes to Georgia's voting laws, which were criticized as restrictive. Those laws remain in effect. Board chairwoman Lisa Cupid says the county is fortunate to get another chance to host the All-Star Game.

Lisa Cupid: So I'm pleased that we are geared up and ready to host this event once again and appreciate the preparation that's already starting to take place.

Peter Biello: The 2025 All-Star Game will be the first at Truist Park, though Atlanta has played host to it twice — most recently at Turner Field 23 years ago.

And that's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit GPB.org/news. And remember to subscribe to this podcast. We'll be back in your podcast feed tomorrow afternoon. And if you've got feedback or story idea, send it our way via email. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

---

For more on these stories and more, go to GPB.org/news