Man accused of killing Georgia officer questions judge

Saturday, December 8, 2012

ATHENS, Ga. - A man accused of killing an Athens police officer admitted to the shooting during a court hearing and questioned whether the judge can be impartial.

Jamie Hood is charged with fatally shooting Officer Elmer "Buddy" Christian and wounding Officer Tony Howard.

His trial was delayed when a previous judge stepped aside because he had visited the wounded officer in the hospital and knew the man's father.

Hood told the new judge on the case, Patrick Haggard, that he did something that he was not proud of and shot "an innocent man I hadn't seen before in my life." Hood has not yet been arraigned.

WSB-TV reports that Hood also said he does not trust the public defenders representing him in the death penalty case.