Angela Garmley Statement in Sentencing for Ex Judge

He has been taken into custody.

More from court tonight on WDEF News 12 at Six.

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Rome, GA (WDEF) Here is what Angela Garmley will have to say about Judge Bryant Cochran.

He is being sentenced Wednesday morning for a conspiracy to frame her because she refused his sexual advances.

Her attorney, McCracken Poston, released her planned statement to the court at today’s sentencing.

Your Honor Judge Murphy,
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak to the court.
I would also like to thank the GBI and FBI for all of their hard
work bringing this case forward, revealing the conspiracy that the
former Judge Bryant Cochran set in motion. And I would also like
to thank the federal prosecutors in this case, Jeff Davis and Bill
McKinnon, for their determination in seeking justice. I know that I
was not always an easy witness for them.

Your honor, Judge Cochran tried to take advantage of me on
two different occasions. In the first, I would have had to perform
sexual favors to get justice in his court. For a couple of days I
actually thought this was the only way I would get the people who
assaulted me brought to justice. When I ended up not complying
with his requests, he treated me rudely in court, and the cases of
the three people who assaulted me vanished soon after their arrests.
Secondly, after I went public with Judge Cochran’s sexual
demands, the JQC was called in to investigate. Judge Cochran,
knowing that I had issues with meth, for revenge or to damage my
credibility, or both, had meth planted on my car, had me stopped
and arrested – taken from the car in front of and from my 6-yearold
daughter Nikki Jo – and I was taken to jail. My daughter was
terrified and heartbroken. Later, my mug shot was all over the
news.

Your honor, Mr. Cochran caused me great emotional pain by
violating my civil rights in having the drug planted on my car and
then having me falsely arrested. From that moment my life would
never be the same, nor would that of my children. We find it hard
to trust anyone, especially the law. This drove me even deeper into
my meth habit and bad associations and I was arrested again, but
this time I deserved it, last July. That arrest was finally a wake-up
call for me. I want the Court to know that I have completed the
house arrest portion of my sentence for that offense and have been
in counseling and that I am drug free, and have taken on greater
responsibilities in my career.

These things that were caused by Bryant Cochran, however,
have hurt my family and me, emotionally and financially. Even
since he was found guilty, my car has been vandalized on three
different occasions that I have reported. I am in fear of going
everywhere because of not knowing what could happen next. The
embarrassment and the emotional impact, and fear, will be felt for
many years to come.

Your Honor, I urge this court to send the message in the
sentence that in North Georgia corrupt judges will not be tolerated.
If citizens cannot trust judges, then there is no one to trust.
Thank you,
Angela Garmley

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