Henry Daily Herald

Special Photo Henry County Senior Assistant District Attorney, Jim Wright wants to become the next Henry County District Attorney. Wright has recently announced he is running to replace outgoing Henry County District Attorney, Tommy Floyd, who has served in the position for more than two decades.

The Senior Assistant District Attorney in Henry County, Jim Wright, has announced his candidacy for the Office of District Attorney for the county’s Flint Judicial Circuit.

Wright, 54, has been with the Henry County District Attorney’s office for 26 years, and has served as a prosecutor with the office for 21 years. The office he is seeking deals with those charged with felony crimes, such as murder, rape, armed robbery and aggravated assault.

Wright is a 1981 graduate of Valdosta State University. He also is graduate of the Atlanta Law School in 1990, with honors. He also is a former Henry County policeman, and reached the rank of lieutenant.

Wright joined the district attorney’s office in 1986 as an investigator.

“Back then we were a four-county circuit that included, Butts, Monroe, Lamar and Henry counties,” said Wright. “It was my primary duty to prepare cases and indictments to be presented to grand juries in those counties.”

The former officer said he believes his police training was advantageous in investigating cases for the district attorney’s office.

“I had a better idea of what evidence was needed to charge a particular crime,” Wright continued. He then worked his way up to second in command.

As Senior Assistant District Attorney, Wright has found himself tackling high-profile cases, including four involving the death penalty. Included on the list are the murder trials of the parents of elementary student Joella Reaves, the St. Ives shooting murders of Yahshika Frye and Molly Cohran, and the murders of Brandon Hollis and his mother, Miriam.

In the murder trial involving Hollis and his mother, Wright secured convictions of Musafa Raheem, who remains on death row at Jackson State Prison. Raheem’s co-defendant, Michael Jenkins, received a life sentence.

In April 1999, Raheem, 21, befriended Hollis, 18, recalled Wright.

“He was able to coax Brandon into a wooded area in the north end of the county off Hearn Road, under the pretense of target shooting,” said Wright. “He shot and killed Brandon and left his body in the woods. He obtained the keys to the Hollis’ residence out of Brandon’s pocket and went to the Hollis residence, where he shot and killed Brandon’s mother, Miriam.

“Raheem put Miriam Hollis’ body in the trunk of her car and drove to Fairburn, Ga.

“He attempted to burn her body,” said Wright. “Ultimately they [located] her...We had witnesses who were friends of the defendant who said they saw the mother’s body in the car.” Raheem and Jenkins were convicted and sentenced for the double murders of the Hollises in 2001. He also has successfully argued dozens of cases before the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court.

If elected, Wright said he would ensure the office is operated in a professional, competent, and efficient manner. “I believe that the rights of the victims should be protected just as much as the rights of the defendants,” he continued.

Wright said he instituted the “Fast Track” program and played a key role in the organization of the Henry County Superior Court Drug Court program.

“The Fast Track program is where we try to identify defendants who are in the county jail and cannot make bond,” explained Wright.

The defendants have an option to plead guilty and bypass the grand jury process, to begin their prison sentence, said Wright. “Fast Track saves the county taxpayers money by removing the inmate from the county jail into prison,” he added.

Another program in which Wright has an integral role, is the Superior Court Drug Court program operating out of the courtroom of Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero.

“It involves participants who are repeat drug offenders, and who have been found to have an addiction,” said Wright. “They are given an opportunity to participate in the program, rather than entering into the state prison system.”

Wright has lived in Henry County for 31 years. He and his wife of 28 years, Jamie Coker Wright, have two daughters, Caitlin and Emily. The Wrights are members of Glen Haven Baptist Church.