
In 2013, Maurice Jimmerson was charged with murder. Ten years later, he still hasn't received a trial. Even though two of Jimmerson's codefendants were acquitted in 2017, Jimmerson—who pleaded not guilty—still languishes in jail in Dougherty County, Georgia, with little hope of a trial anytime soon. Making matters worse, he hasn't had a lawyer since last summer.
According to Gregory Edwards, the local district attorney, several factors have led to Jimmerson's absurdly long wait time for a trial. Edwards told Atlanta News First (ANF), a local news station, that the COVID-19 pandemic, a 2021 courthouse flood, and the decision by the previous judge to try Jimmerson and his codefendants separately caused the delay. Making matters worse, Edwards also says the county has been unable to find a public defender for Jimmerson, which has lengthened his time behind bars.