<jennifer Moulliet: "david did you want to talk about the records that were released today by Winters' camp? I know someone from your campaign actually went over there and looked through them is there anything that you guys found, anything you want to talk about?"
David Cooke : "i'm sorry i'm due back perhaps we can do that another time." >
David Cooke... The Democratic Candidate for Bibb County District Attorney... refuses to talk about case records released by the DA's office today.
Hello everyone. Thank you for joining us.
I'm Leah Johnson
And I'm Frank Malloy.
This is Eyewitness News at Six.
For weeks... Cooke has criticized incumbent Greg Winters' record as a prosecutor.... and talked about a list of cases that Winters allegedly dismissed.
Jennifer Moulliet has been following those allegations and joins us now from the Eyewitness Newsroom.
That's right Frank... Weeks ago...Cooke released this list of of over one hundred cases that he says current D.A Greg Winters mishandled...he even went as far as saying Winters was trying to keep those records secret until *after* tomorrow's election.
We put in an open records request for those case files...and last week...Randall Savage got to review more than a dozen murder and rape cases.
He found that all of them were dismissed for what seemed to be good reason.....like mistaken identity...witnesses giving different statements.. and in one case... a video that didn't support the accusation.
Today we got to review more records....for six child molestation cases that Cooke has talked about.
And once again...the records show that all six were dismissed....for apparent legitimate reasons...like lack of evidence.. or the victim's mother asking for the case to be dismissed.. or the alleged victim giving false statements.
Now. ...Cooke has listed those cases in this document that he released....criticizing Winters' track record...and he's talked about them in ads.
But employees in the D-A's office told us Cooke has never requested the files on those cases to find out why charges were dropped.
At David Cooke's news conference today....we wanted to ask him why...and to explain why he cited those cases...to criticize the incumbent.
As you see....he didn't want to talk about it today and said...maybe some other time.
Voters will choose between the two men tomorrow.
The D-A is chief prosecutor for the Macon Judicial Circuit... which covers Bibb... Peach and Crawford Counties.
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Call them signs of the season... the election season.
It's when many people like to advertise which side they're on.
Today...Tom George spoke with one north Macon couple who leave no doubt.... about where they stand.
Sign ... sign ... Everywhere a sign....
And if you've driven by Bob and Jo Ann Nystrom's white picket fence at Bass and Zebulon ... You've probably seen a lot of them.
<if you're a Republican, and you want to put a sign on that fence ... You're more than welcome.>
Their property features the Stars and Bars, stickers on all their cars, an Obama empty chair, and large "no rich people, no jobs" sign right on the road.
<ask any wealthy, wealthy, man and he'll tell you don't have people who have money, to start jobs, youre arent going to have any >
And with such partisan signs, not everyone is happy.
<that big sign .. They've taken it down and stomped on not once, not twice, but three times..>
<now you can see just how much traffic goes by this section of Zebulon Road, and if you're driving by, you have no choice but to see the signs that are put up here by the sign of the road... It's why the Nystrom's say ... They like it that way. >
<it's a lot of fun ... I think maybe we've changed a few people's minds... I hope... >
But some say it's just a big eyesore...
<I think it takes away from the area, I think it looks kind of messy. >
<they already know or have their own opinions on who they're going to choose, and I think the signs is a little bit excessive. >
But love it or hate it ... It seems until Tuesday, you won't be able to ignore it.
<well that's their tough luck ... Tell 'em to close their eyes as they go by... hahaha>
In Macon, Tom George, 13WMAZ Eyewitness News.
Jo Ann Nystrom says if President Obama wins.... she might keep those signs up anyway.
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More than a million and a half Georgians have already voted...but two million or more will head to the polls tomorrow.
And if you're one of them...you need to be prepared.
Judy Le explains what you need to know to make sure your vote counts.
There are three things you have to remember, photo I.D, clothes, and precinct.
To vote, you must be a U. S. citizen...a Ga. resident...and at least 18 years old.
Georgia has a strict photo ID law....which means you must present proper I.D to a poll worker.
That can be a driver's license, voter ID card, or passport.
If you show up without proper identification...you can still vote using a provisional ballot. That means you have three days to show your ID card to your county's board of elections office for your ballot to count.
There are also clothing restrictions. Don't wear anything that campaigns. That means no campaign buttons, stickers, or t-shirts.
On election day, make sure to vote at your polling precinct. To find that, visit My Voter Page. That will show you polling locations, sample ballots, and voting times.
Judy Le 13wmaz eyewitness news
The Secretary of State runs the My Voter Page.
To link to it....look for this story at 13-wmaz-dot-com. You have 12 hours to vote on election day. Polls will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM.
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The race between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is a close one.
In fact it's so close.. we could see a repeat of the 2000 presidential election.
That's when the popular vote picked Al Gore.. but George W-Bush had the electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
It's a part of the U-S political system that leaves many voters confused.
Political analyst Clif Winkinson with Georgia College and State University is here to explain how the electoral college works...
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The man accused of killing Bibb county deputy Joseph Whitehead in 2006 will head to trial at the end of this month.
Over the next couple of weeks, Damon Jolly's attorneys and the prosecution team will work with the judge to tie up loose ends before the trial starts on the 26th.
Candace Adorka has the story.
Damon Jolly has about a month before his fate is decided... in the murder case of Deputy Joseph whitehead.
But Monday morning, he was here at the Bibb county courthouse for a pre-trial hearing.
The main issue ...was which autopsy photos to show the jury. The District Attornye's office selected 12 photos to show how the fatal bullet travelled through whitehead's body. The defense argued 4 of those would serve no purpose...except inflame the jury.
<any time you show autopsy pictures once the Y incision has been made, that's what gruesome is. We just think it's prejudicial, inflamatory but it's also not relevant. >
<it's the state's responsibility to prove the cause and the manner of death these pictures depict exactly how deputy whitehead's death was caused. They're not unduely gruesome. A gruesome photograph would be showing the Y incision. The state has been very careful not to show photographs that are unduly gruesome.>
The judge ultimately sided with the prosecutors and allowed all 12 photos.
The lawyers also discussed jury selection. The defense team says a new statewide system of selecting jurors... using drivers licenses and voter i-d's.. is more likely to exclude minorities...women...and young people.
Defense lawyer Jeff Grube told Self that the state's list of more than 200 thousand potential jurors...includes many duplicate names...and also some dead people.
Judge Self says he'll make a decision on the jury selection issue this week.
Candace Adorka 13 WMAZ eyewitness news.
Jolly's trial is scheduled to start November 26th.
Judge Self says they'll likely start with questioning potential jurors to see who's suitable for the trial.
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Over the past 12 years... Crimestoppers tips have helped central Georgia law enforcement clear more than five thousand cases..
Today dozens gathered at the Macon Centreplex for the non-profit group's 11th annual community luncheon.
They celebrated how Macon Regional Crimestoppers works with the community and the media to bring those responsible for crime to justice.
So far this year...more than 350 arrests have been the results of anonymous calls to Crimestoppers.
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Hurricane Sandy knocked out power and caused destruction to thousands of homes.
It also cancelled more than 320 scheduled blood drives along the east coast... According to the Red Cross.
Blood drive coordinator Kristen Keifer says those cancellations... Resulted in the loss of 12-thousand blood and platelet products.
That... plus the increased demand caused by people injured in the storms... Put the organization at a shortage.
At Warner Robins Christ United Methodist Church in Warner Robins today... More than 180 people made appointments to give blood.