The youngest is Leslie Abrams Gardner, 45, the sister of Biden vice presidential contender Stacey Abrams. Another name that stands out is Ketanji Brown Jackson, 49, a judge in Washington who was . She would bring another dimension of diversity to the Supreme Court as a former public defender. Cities | Leslie Abrams Gardner. Abrams interest could therefore be substantially affected by the outcome of this proceeding. 'I'll keep fighting for injustice, wrongful convictions and for people who haven't got voices,' Gardner said. She is the daughter of a Jamaican immigrant mother and a Jewish father, both pediatricians. I've met her sisters, mother, father, her family are extraordinary, remarkable, her parents are ministers in Mississippi and I got their approval. She was also a law firm partner, focusing on labor and employment law. Her age -- she is the youngest of Bidens potential picks -- means she could easily serve for three decades or more on the high court. Gardner wasn't incarcerated until years later when officers took DNA from him again during questioning, Gardner, is pictured above second from left at the Mount Olive Correctional Complex in 2002. 'Leslie is brilliant, and that's an understatement,' said Gardner, who added that professionally and at home, everyone has accepted his and Leslie's relationship. This is an obvious case for recusal. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. 'We got together, it clicked, we know that God brought us together for a purpose. 'I like going back to prisons and telling them not to give up. During the investigation, 23-year-old Jimmie Gardner was in Kanawha City playing for a minor league baseball team after being drafted by the Chicago Cubs. Gardner was one of eight kids born in Georgia to a dad who built houses and a mom who worked for a sewing thread manufacturer. No Recusal But Now A Reversal? Federal Judge and Sister Of Leslie 'It's depicted in the Hollywood film as it is, it's not fun, it's not blown out of proportion, it's just like that. Her sister, Stacey, could possibly upset the. .top_disclaimer { I just try to be a good person, I try to treat people with respect.'. 5 Black Women Biden Could Pick For The Supreme Court - BET Leslie Abrams Gardner husband: Who is Jimmie Gardner? I have a pretty unrelenting view of justice, she said in a 2013 interview with NYU Law Magazine. On Feb. 1, 1990, Jimmie Gardner was sentenced to serve between 33 and 110 years in prison. font-weight: bold; A couple months later, another Charleston woman was assaulted in her home by a man with a similar description. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she was an Assistant United States Attorney. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. During her tenure she argued a dozen cases before the Supreme Court on behalf of the government, according to her state supreme court bio. In her most prominent case, she ruled in 2019 that former White House counsel Don McGahn had to testify at a House impeachment hearing. It's traumatic for the parents. Leslie Abrams Gardner - Wikipedia } Fred Zain, a forensic expert at the West Virginia State criminal lab, claimed his samples matched blood from the crime scene, and Gardner was found guilty on that evidence alone, being sentenced to 110 years in February 1990. Both are supportive of Stacey Abrams candidacy and were right by her side when she won the Georgia Democratic nomination for governor after Tuesdays primary. Ruckman even identified another man out of a police lineup as the man who assaulted her, but Zain said that his DNA evidence excluded that man. A top candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court has roots in Miami Ketanji Brown Jackson is sworn in at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leslie Abrams Gardner, U.S. District Judge | Middle District of Georgia Ifill has also been a frequent presence on cable news and in op-ed pages, particularly on issues surrounding voting rights and the crimin system. U.S. Congress | Gardner said it was likely 'dangerous' for Cochran to be helping him due to his connection to the white supremacist group, but they had 'respect for each other'. Leslie J. Abrams was a U.S. attorney until she was nominated by President Barack Obama for a federal judgeship in Georgias Middle District. Even though he knew of this discovery, Gardner would spend another 23 years in prison. Leslie Abrams Gardner, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia: Profile and Biography - Bloomberg Markets Subscribe Live Now Bloomberg TV+ Bloomberg UK A weekly deep. That's how I live my life. Circuit. I kept telling individuals, Im doing to fight until the day I die. Judge rolls back order on Georgia runoff voter challenges Did Stacey Abrams' Sister Oversee a Court Case Involving Abrams? margin-bottom:0px; Judge Who Reversed Controversial Voter Roll Cleanup Ruling Is Stacey Im very familiar with laws, and I got talking with Leslie; we were discussing for hours about judicial laws and different processes.. 'Baseball was going to be my future, God willing. The conversation flowered into a romantic relationship, and the two are engaged to be married later this year. Childs, 55, may have been considered a long shot given that no federal district judge has been directly elevated to the Supreme Court since 1923. Leslie Abrams Gardner ( ne Leslie Joyce Abrams; born December 6, 1974) is a U.S. District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. In late December Biden nominated Childs for a spot on the D.C. Growing up in Tampa Bay, Florida, he was a natural at sports, from football to basketball, but it was baseball that was destined to be his future. On the nomination: Abrams was rated Majority Qualified, Minority Not Qualified by the American Bar Association. .widget-value { Later this year, Gardner is opening Gardner's House, a converted newspaper building that will house up to 48 recently released convicts, giving them shelter, food and opportunities to find jobs. He added: 'I learned the law through Marcus Cochran, he taught me how to review cases, he was a member of the brotherhood. [4][5], On March 11, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Gardner to serve as a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia, to the seat being vacated by Judge W. Louis Sands, who assumed senior status on April 12, 2014. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she was an Assistant United States Attorney.[1]. But Collins undoubtedly erred when he claimed that "Stacey Abramss sister is ruling on a case in which her own sister is a party!". from Yale University School of Law in 2002. [10] She received her judicial commission on November 20, 2014.[5]. Here are some of the people whose names have been discussed as prime candidates for an open Supreme Court seat. .widget-row.value-only.black { font-weight: bold; ', Gardner, pictured at West Virginia's Mount Olive Correctional Facility in 1995, studied law while incarcerated in hopes of overturning his conviction, Gardner, pictured at West Virginia's Mount Olive Correctional Facility in 1995, was finally released from prison in 2016. As of Dec. 31, no such order was available on the case's online docket. Gardner hopes the coronavirus pandemic will subside enough by the fall that hell get to walk across a stage rather than accept his diploma in a virtual ceremony. A federal district court judge in Georgia, Leslie Abrams Gardner was appointed to the bench by Obama in 2014. background-color: green; United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, "Leslie Abrams Gardner, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia: Profile and Biography", "Stacey Abrams wins Democratic primary in Georgia. background-color: red; Abrams is the leader of Fair Fight Action, . While he was in prison, Gardner started hatching a plan to become a motivational speaker. I went through 13 attorneys that were on my case, he said. Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, the sister of former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, found that the counties seemed to have improperly relied on unverified change-of-address data to. Gardner is several inches taller than the attacker, at 6 foot 3 inches, and points to his dark complexion. I wanted to keep busy. Gardner claimed he has seen a dozen murders and hundreds other die from inhuman conditions during his time in correctional facilities. Leslie Abrams Gardner moderated a discussion entitled "The Color of Justice," looking at mass incarceration in the U.S., with activist and speaker Jimmie Gardner, middle, and artist Masud Olufani. Sleek spring sweatersThese dupes are the price of the iconic sweater, but still as sleek as a slicked-back bun and hoops. But if the last few decades have taught him anything its that, while life too often isnt fair and dreams do in fact explode, they also can sometimes be put together again. But our Second Gentlemen is lecturing us about 'toxic masculinity'. Based on his own cross-referencing of the U.S. Gardner is the sister of Democratic activist and failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Jimmie and Leslie Gardner met and were married after his release. Prior to her confirmation to the court, she was an assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia. Gardner received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997 from Brown University. 'I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, I'm not going to say it's OK, being convicted of a crime I didn't commit, but we, as humans go through things for a purpose,' Gardner told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. Millions of men out of work and lonely. They argued, in part, that Fair Fight the voting rights group founded and chaired by Abrams was involved in similar litigation before the U.S. District Court in Georgia's Northern District, and the same lawyers represented Fair Fight and Majority Forward in the cases. float: right; A feud could start out of nowhere. He was given an hour a day for recreation or education, during which he studied law and found an unlikely teacher in fellow inmate Marcus Cochran. 'I stand at 6ft 3in and I'm very dark-skinned. 'I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be with such an awesome individual. width: 57%; Brooke joined the Orange County Register in January 2013, covering local communities, cannabis and politics before starting on the environment beat for SCNG in July 2022. Circuit. A former prosecutor nominated by Obama in 2014, she became the . She served as an associate at the law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, from 2006 to 2007. But he also continued taking classes, with professors from nearby colleges teaching a room full of inmates everything from computers to heating and air conditioning repair to culinary arts. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 'I met a lot of her judge friends, and they were honored to meet me, as I was them,' he added. margin: auto; A judge determined that Zains pattern and practice of misconduct completely undermined the validity and reliability of any forensic work he performed or reported.. District Judge Wilhelmina 'Mimi' Wright, Judge on Minnesota's. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Jimmie Gardner was released from a West Virginia prison in 2016, 26 years after being wrongly convicted of sexual assault, robbery and unlawful entry related to break-ins that occurred in the 1980s. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. She has also been involved in recent efforts to push Facebook Inc. and other social media platforms to do more to combat racism and voter suppression on their sites. Biden's Supreme Court shortlist - POLITICO Gardner, 47, is another judge who would be making an unlikely leap from serving on a federal district court. Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams who has led the effort to register voters in the state. Turner was one of those targeted voters. Contrary to Collins' claim, Abrams was not a "party" to the Majority Forward litigation on which her sister ruled in December 2020. Prior to her confirmation last summer, Jackson served as a federal district court judge from 2013 through 2021. display: inline-block; Biden pledged to put a black woman on the Supreme Court. Here's what he 'But no one took on the case. That court is regarded as the second-most influential federal court, behind only the Supreme Court. margin-bottom: 0;

} Two sources close to the Congressional Black Caucus said that Jackson is viewed as a favorite. Zain had died of liver cancer and escaped a custodial sentence for his crimes. The Abrams are daughters of two Methodist ministers from Mississippi and have welcomed Gardner with open arms into their family, who he says are 'extraordinary and remarkable'.

float:right; Biden could also heed calls from his liberal base to add professional diversity to a court without any former public defenders or civil rights lawyers.  Growing up in Tampa Bay, Florida, Gardner was a natural at sport, from football to basketball, but it was baseball that was destined to be his future - until he was wrongly convicted, In May 1987, a mother and her daughter were robbed, beaten, and the latter raped at their home in Charleston. Gardner said he has heard about Chapmans struggles to attract and support Black students. I had fingerprints, photos, stayed 90 minutes to be interrogated, they said nothing matched, and wished me well for the season. She has written about the importance of diversity among judges in federal and state courts. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. Its a great opportunity to have two minds come together and be able to share opinions and just really get to know each other.. 	color: white; After his year of service ended, Gardner started a for-profit company called J.C. Gardner Speaks. 	font-weight: bold; Over the years, Abrams has repeatedly confirmed as much, including when she congratulated Abrams Gardner on her U.S. Senate confirmation and appointment as U.S. District Court judge for the Middle District of Georgia, in 2014 and 2015. Gardner plans to use his communications degree to continue sharing his story, shedding light on other wrongful conviction cases and inspiring people to keep fighting for justice. Even though Gardners defense team was not allowed to view the lab results showing that the person who committed the rapes had a different blood type from Gardners, and even though the states stance was that the same person had committed both rapes, he was acquitted of the charges related to Ruckman (pdf) but convicted of rape (of Galati), assault (of Ferrell), battery, robbery and burglary because Zain said that Gardner was one of the few people on the planet who matched the DNA. MEGHAN MCCAIN: Ohio in a poisonous soup. Biden's Supreme Court shortlist - Yahoo! News 	color: white; While working alongside schools and prisons in Georgia, he met his future wife Leslie at a gathering of black female judges. Sherrilyn Ifill is the head of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and another person who has support from some members of the CBC. On March 25, 2016, the judge ruled in his favor. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Black Women Had Some Major Firsts In Last Week's Midterm Elections, Black Musicians Are Not A Monolith: An Interview with Bartees Strange, Stacey Abrams: Here's How Voter Suppression Can Occur. This material may not be reproduced without permission. [8] On November 12, 2014, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed for cloture on her nomination. I encourage them to stay on the good path, don't succumb to the environment they're in. I had a lot of hatred, but knew I had to channel that out of me,' Gardner said. .widget-row.heading { Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Leslie Abrams Gardner are indeed sisters. US District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner of Georgia Gardner, 47, a federal district court judge in Georgia, is also among the many potential Supreme Court nominees. REVEALED: 'Fragile' Justin Bieber was 'FORCED to cancel his tour' by doctors amid fears for his health after Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis: 'Hailey and his family have been so worried', New York Times reporter was SPAT on after 'being recognized in public' after paper's own reporters and woke Hollywood A-listers criticized its trans coverage, Meet the band! 	font-weight: bold; 'I wrote to Obama twice, the third time I wrote I got something back from Eric Holder, the US Attorney General, who explained that they couldn't review the case on as they can't get involved in state criminal matters. Stacey Abrams' sister, federal judge on Biden's Supreme Court shortlist  acquitted of the charges related to Ruckman. Ballot measures, Who represents me? A century and a decade. Zains testimony was used to convict an estimated 136 people in the 1970s and 80s, Gardner later learned. 	margin-bottom: 1px; A three-year-old Stacey can be seen right alongside a two-year-old Leslie center, and their older sister Andrea Abrams, aged six at the time.