For Immediate Release
July 15, 2010
Contact Rob Teilhet
(770) 514-0103

Attorney General candidate Rob Teilhet calls for GA
to adopt DNA expansion legislation on the same day that North Carolina Governor signs it into law
Ken Hodges continues to oppose the legislation

Smyrna, GA—Today, State Representative and Attorney General candidate Rob Teilhet called for Georgia to adopt the DNA expansion legislation, “The Johnia Berry Act,” on the same day that  Governor Bev Perdue of North Carolina will sign House Bill 1403, “DNA Saves Lives,” into law making the state the 24th to pass the life-saving legislation.  Florida , Alabama , Tennessee and South Carolina have already enacted the law.   Rep. Teilhet's bill, HB 1033, would allow law enforcement to collect a simple cheek swab for DNA along with fingerprints and mug shots when booking felony arrestees and has been proven to prevent murders and rapes.  Teilhet's primary opponent in next Tuesday's election opposes the legislation and called Teilhet's effort to save lives “pandering.”

“The Johnia Berry Act” was named after a young woman, Johnia Berry, who was murdered by an unknown assailant in her apartment.  The killer was not found for almost three years.  Her parents, Michael and Joan Berry of Gwinnett worked side-by-side with Rep. Teilhet for passage.  Other organizations including the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault, DNA Saves, Keep Georgia Safe, members of the Surviving Parents Coalition and a victim of rape joined in coalition with them.

Earlier this week,  Teilhet's primary opponent, Ken Hodges, released a negative attack ad claiming State Representative and candidate for Attorney General Rob Teilhet “pandered for votes” with his legislation.   Michael and Joan Berry 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.”

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's legislature passed their bill on Saturday and the Governor is signing it into law today, giving every state that borders Georgia the opportunity to apprehend criminals faster and exonerate the innocent.  President Obama calls bills like Teilhet's “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