Friday, Mar. 18, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Residents reflect on Barnes legacyBy BEN NELMS Few people across America were able to miss the unfolding events late last week in Atlanta in the wake of the courtroom murders of Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes and court reporter Julie Ann Brandau, followed by the shooting deaths of Dep. Hoyt Teasley outside the courthouse and carjacking victim, U.S. Customs Agent David Wilhelm. All this destruction and more, allegedly at the hands of one man, Brian Nichols. But for so many in South Fulton County where Judge Barnes once presided on local benches, the loss was especially devastating. Prior to taking his place on the Fulton County Superior Court bench in 1998, Barnes served as part-time Fulton County magistrate and city judge in several municipalities in South Fulton County. In Fairburn, Barnes served as municipal court judge. And in the South Fulton communities, many had memories and sentiments for their fallen friend. Fairburn city court clerk Joan Wallace spoke for many that knew Barnes well. She got to know him when she began working with the city court after transferring from Fairburns communications division. Sitting in her office at Fairburn City Hall Monday, Wallace reflected on the time they worked together until Barnes left for the Superior Court bench in the late 1990s. She spoke of the character of the man so many people respected and admired, a caring man with a quick and ready smile. This is a waste and an extreme tragedy. When I heard what happened, it was such a shock, it was an unbelievable event, Wallace said, easily remembering the man that had made such an impression on her. He was a compassionate, caring and attentive judge. He loved life and he loved people. He was a good judge, a fair judge. He was a good person and he will be greatly missed. Palmetto Mayor and Fulton County Marshals Office Maj. Clark Boddie knew Barnes well. Their association spanned a quarter-century. Boddie said he and other marshals were part of the response last week after the shootings erupted in the courthouse, staying just minutes behind Nichols during the carjacking. For Boddie, like others in South Fulton that knew Rowland Barnes, his death created a void. Rowland loved the law and he loved people, Boddie said, clear that the murder of a man he respected represented a much larger tragedy for the communities across the county. His calling in life was to be a judge and every citizen in Fulton County should feel a great loss. Mirroring Boddies sentiment was Fairburn Mayor Betty Hannah. She spoke of the kind of man Barnes was, his sense of justice, his gentle humanity. I thought he was a good judge, good for our city, Hannah said. He was a people person. He was kind and fair, someone with compassion. I saw that in him. I had a high regard for him. He will certainly be missed. Fairburn Deputy Chief J. H. Midkiff and Detective Sgt. Toney Williams said Barnes was a tremendous assistance to them, even in the middle of the night when he had to be awakened to sign a search warrant. On those occasions, as with others, his down-to-earth manner and respectful treatment of those he interacted with set him apart. He was more than a judge and a super nice guy, they said, he was a friend. Union City Mayor Ralph Moore said Barnes was a soft-spoken man with an unassuming personality. Moore said his death represented the loss of a decent life, a loss that will be felt in the legal system. Palmetto Detective John Cooper was a police captain in College Park in the 1980s when he met Barnes. He got to know Barnes on a personal and a professional level. He was fair to everybody and always eager to answer questions about the law, Cooper said. He was very easy to deal with as a human being and a judge. Union City council member Barbara Bohannon wore a black ribbon as she sat at a restaurant table Monday night. She spoke of Rowland Barnes and her friendship with him that spanned more than two decades. She remembered attending the ceremony when Barnes was appointed to Superior Court. To her, Barnes was someone that tried to understand things, someone that tried to help others understand. He was elated to get the appointment. The law was his life, she said with obvious emotion. He was one of the main influences that got me to run for city council. Whether you were a neighbor or a criminal, he always treated you with the utmost respect. He had the heart of a teddy bear. He was a great man. The willingness to find and express humor is a kind of medicine for the soul. Known not only for his compassion and consideration, Bohannon and so many others said Barnes did not mind utilizing his well-known sense of humor to poke fun at his profession. That playful quality was remembered by many that commented on the man and his life. Barnes was also known to display that humor in skits and other fundraising events sponsored by the Atlanta Bar Association. When Palmetto Assistant Police Chief Fred Waddell met Rowland Barnes, the judge was sitting on the Fairburn city court bench. Waddell remembered Barnes willingness to handle all the officers cases back-to-back rather than staggered, out of consideration for Waddell, who he knew had been up all the previous night working his shift. The judge, he said, was genuine with everyone, a man with a true sense of community. He was very community-oriented and he took interest in the community, Waddell explained. He wouldnt blow smoke. It came from the heart. A memorial service for Barnes was held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Georgia International Convention Center in College Park. Barnes, 64, is survived by his wife Claudia, two daughters, four stepchildren and two brothers. Barnes graduated in 1972 from Emory University School of Law and currently served as an adjunct professor there. He received a degree in economics in 1962 from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania and played on the schools football team. Every human being is more than a sum of their history, their experiences, even their actions. All these things and more flow from the foundation of individual character, rooted in a fundamental outlook on life and how it can be lived. And it goes without saying in life, that the only way to make a difference is to be the difference. It is more than obvious to those in South Fulton County that knew him, that Judge Rowland Barnes made a difference because was the difference. All the words you can think of to describe Judge Barnes adds up to the same thing, said Joan Wallace. He was a good person. |
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