TATTNALL COUNTY, Ga. () — The man accused of orchestrating a murder for hire plot in Glennville was back in a Tattnall County courtroom Thursday.
The alleged gang leader, Nathan Weekes, appeared in court for two motion hearings. Weekes is among four individuals accused in the 2021 murder of 88-year-old Bobby Kicklighter.
Kicklighter lost his life during a home invasion. Prosecutors state that he was mistakenly targeted and that the actual intended victim was a correctional officer at Smith State Prison.
Will the trial take place in Tattnall County?
Weekes’ attorneys argue that conducting the Bobby Kicklighter murder trial in Tattnall County is prejudicial to their client, as the victim is highly regarded and beloved in the community.
The defense also stated that the amount of publicity surrounding this case and the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) facilities in Tattnall mean the jury would be “inherently prejudice.”
“The combination of pretrial publicity and community atmosphere could lead to a presumption of prejudice, requiring a change of venue,” Attorney Elise Burnum said.
The prosecution referenced an argument made by the defense that the case is known state wide.
“The state has a vested interest in the defendant getting a fair trial, and we only want to try this case once.” Allison Mauldin, Chief ADA with the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, said. “Where in the state are we going to go?”
Defense makes motion to suppress evidence
Weekes’s lawyers are asking Judge Jay Stewart to suppress evidence. According to the defense, a recorded conversation between Weekes and Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Special Agent Christian Johnson should not be used against him at trial.
At the witness stand Thursday, Johnson said Weekes requested a meeting with him in an effort to “strike a deal” with the district attorney’s office.
There was confusion, according to Weekes’s lawyers, if the conversation was on or off the record. Johnson said he made it clear throughout the interview.
“I told him that nothing that we talk about can be off the record at the beginning of our interview,” Special Agent Johnson said. “I did tell him that it was me and him talking and that it was off the record in the context that I was not going to tell his staff or other inmates. I immediately followed that up with, ‘whatever we talk about here will be reported, and I will report back to the DA’s office.’”
Judge Stewart did not make a decision on these motions Thursday. A trial date has been set for Aug. 11, 2025.
