For Immediate Release
July 13, 2010
Contact Rob Teilhet
(770) 514-0103 

Hodges Calls Legislation that Saves Lives ‘Pandering for Votes' in New TV Ad
Parents of murder victim Johnia Berry disagree 

Smyrna, GA —Yesterday candidate for Attorney General Ken Hodges released a negative attack ad claiming State Representative and candidate for Attorney General Rob Teilhet “pandered for votes” with his legislation, HB 1033 . The bill, named “The Johnia Berry Act” after a young woman who was murdered in her apartment by an unknown assailant, would have expanded Georgian's current DNA database to include samples collected upon felony arrest. Mr. Hodges has come out in opposition to the legislation.

Michael and Joan Berry, the parents of Johnia , were saddened by Hodges' statements both in the television ad and at the Attorney General debate broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting Sunday night.

“Our daughter's murderer was not caught for three years. If all states would pass a bill like Rep. Teilhet's, our daughter's murderer would have been apprehended in a matter of weeks, ” said Michael Berry. “Mr. Hodges has never talked to Joan and I, never came to the capitol to hear our story and he certainly has no idea how hard we have worked on this. It's astonishing to us that a candidate for Attorney General would oppose legislation that would save innocent lives. ”

Mr. and Mrs. Berry have tirelessly worked with crime prevention advocates in several states to pass the DNA expansion bill.

“We never want another family to go through what we have and we thank Rob for standing with us and fighting to keep Georgia safe,” said Joan Berry. “To call the work we did ‘pandering' is disrespectful to anyone who has been a victim or lost a loved one to violent crime.”

“Crimes like rape and murder absolutely shatter the lives of victims and their loved ones. It's extraordinary that my opponent opposes legislation that has been proven to prevent those crimes from happening. And to call the work that so many brave people engaged in at the capitol ‘pandering' is cheap and insulting,” said Teilhet. “Georgia can't afford an Attorney General who only cares about crime after it has been committed. Simply put, prosecuting a crime is not enough. Georgia deserves an Attorney General who will fight to prevent crime from happening in the first place.”

Rep. Rob Teilhet introduced the bill in the 2010 legislative session and worked with a strong coalition of organizations , including the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault, Keep Georgia Safe, DNA Saves, members of the Surviving Parents Coalition and Mr. and Mrs. Berry, for passage. Twenty-four other states and the federal government have passed a bill similar to HB 1033. With passage have come groundbreaking studies clearly proving that capturing DNA upon felony arrest, via a simple swab of the cheek at the time when fingerprints and mug shots are taken, will prevent murders and rapes from occurring.

Recently a suspect was apprehended in California after a nearly 30 year search for a serial killer called the “Grim Sleeper.” The suspect, who has been charged with ten murders dating back to the 1980s, has been arrested at least fifteen times over the last four decades for crimes such as burglary and assault. However, his DNA was never collected. Had it been, there might be several murdered women alive today.

“We know that 7% are responsible for 60% of the crime. An expanded DNA database would allow us to apprehend those 7% faster before another innocent person is victimized,” said Teilhet.

North Carolina became the 24 th state to pass this legislation just this past Saturday—legislation that President Obama calls “the right thing to do.” As of April this year, 2,700 cases have been aided by DNA in Georgia. In addition to preventing crime, solving cold cases and resolving open investigations faster, an enhanced DNA database will exonerate the innocent. More than 200 wrongfully convicted individuals have been exonerated through new DNA tests, eight of those people in Georgia. Many were not fully exonerated until after a sample from the DNA database matched to another offender.

Rob Teilhet's campaign for Attorney General focuses on protecting Georgia's children, crime prevention, ethics in government, and consumer protection.  Teilhet is widely known as a champion in the General Assembly for protecting Georgians from rip-offs and con artists.  He has been a reliable supporter of law enforcement and crime victims as a member of the House Judiciary Committee.  Teilhet has also consistently fought for stronger ethics laws.

Teilhet's campaign boasts numerous endorsements including former prosecutor, Speaker of the House, Lt. Governor, appellate judge and Supreme Court Justice George T. Smith , the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys , the IBEW Local 613 , Marshal Greg Countryman of Muscogee County, former legislator and U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin , DeKalb Solicitor General Robert James , Civil Rights Leaders Representative Tyrone Brooks and Elder Bill Harris , the Chairmen of the Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Emanuel Jones , and well over Democratic members of the state legislature.

Rob Teilhet (pronounced tuh-lay) has represented Smyrna and Marietta in the Georgia House of Representatives since his election in 2002 at the age of 28.  He is the Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus and serves on the Judiciary, Education, and Industrial Relations Committees.  He is a partner in the Marietta law firm of Rogers, Strimban & Teilhet.  More information about his campaign and other endorsements can be found at his website, www.robforgeorgia.com .

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Contact Campaign Headquarters at:
Teilhet for a Safer Georgia • PO Box 25 Marietta , GA 30061 • Phone: 770-514–0103