Jury deliberating in case against former Murray County judge

ROME, Ga. — The jury will begin deliberating in the criminal case against former Murray County Magistrate Bryant Cochran at 1:30 p.m.

The defense and prosecution made closing arguments in U.S. District Court this morning. Cochran faces six charges that include depriving someone of civil rights, conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and tampering with a witness. He could go to federal prison for 20 years, perhaps longer.

In August 2012, prosecutors say, Cochran ordered one of his tenants to plant drugs on the car of Angela Garmley because she accused him of sexually harassing her. The Murray County Sheriff’s Office arrested Garmley, but the local district attorney dropped the charges against her about a week later.

The tenant later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The deputy who arrested Garmley pleaded guilty to obstruction. The captain who told the deputy where to find the drugs — who happens to be Cochran’s cousin and who called Cochran twice during Garmley’s arrest — also pleaded guilty to an obstruction charge.

Federal prosecutors have maintained throughout the trial that Cochran was the triggerman, the one who organized Garmley’s illegal arrest.

“That’s what makes this case so egregious: The defendant was a judicial officer,” Assistant U.S. Attorney William McKinnon Jr. told the jury this morning. “Tell the defendant that we won’t tolerate judicial officers … engaging in criminal acts.”

Cochran’s attorney, Page Pate, said he was angry that federal prosecutors would even think of charging his client with these crimes. He pointed out that prosecutors don’t have a smoking gun, any ironclad evidence that shows Cochran organized the illegal arrest.

The evidence is weak, Pate said. Cochran called about 10 officers in the area and told them that Garmley had drugs. When a deputy couldn’t locate drugs on Garmley’s car, a captain called Cochran to find out exactly where he could find the methamphetamine.

That doesn’t prove Cochran fabricated a tip. The prosecution couldn’t prove Cochran fabricated a tip about Garmley having drugs. Who is to say he didn’t get legitimate information about the drugs — not knowing that his tenant was the one who planted the drugs?

In front of the jury, Pate appeared incredulous. He shook his head back and forth, as if he couldn’t even believe his client was accused of these crimes. He rubbed his temple. His voice broke.

“Yesterday morning,” he told the jury, “I realized for the first time, I’m the only guy here who wants to know the truth.”