Courthouse Shooting Rampage Remembered

ATLANTA - It was five years ago Thursday that Brian Nichols opened fire in the Fulton County courthouse, touching off a bloody rampage that ended with the deaths of four people.

It was on that day that rape suspect Brian Nichols overpowered a sheriff's deputy -- grabbed her gun, shooting and killing Judge Rowland Barnes, court reporter Julia Brandau and Sergeant Hoyt Teasley at the courthouse and immigration agent David Wilhelm as he fled.

Nichols was captured in Gwinnett County a day later and convicted of his crimes and sentenced to life in jail.

Five years later portraits of the three people killed in the courthouse hang in the lobby. Thursday, those paintings were joined by another tribute.

As part of ceremonies remembering the victims of the shooting spree another piece of artwork was unveiled at Thursday's memorial.

"We hoped to get something that would provide a place for the people that are here day to day, to go and reflect on the events that happened. A place to separate themselves from what's happening and just reflect," said Ife Williams, Fulton County Public Art Coordinator.

The creator of the new artwork -- Artist Stuart Keeler -- said, "With this memorial, I wanted to open up ideas of time, either historical ideas of time, or what the future time is, you have to hint to ideas of time and space in a very subtle way, in a conceptual way. That's what makes this work."

The ceremony was held Thursday morning.

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