Marc Wilson’s Stand Your Ground Case: Immunity Hearing This Week

The Marc Wilson case is a true test of whether the legal system in Georgia can truly be viewed as just

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Statesboro, GA – The Marc Wilson case is a true test of whether the legal system in Georgia can truly be viewed as just for all as it relates to issues of self defense and stand your ground. Wilson has been charged with murder in the shooting death of Haley Hutchinson on June 13, 2020. Wilson says when a couple of white teenagers, in a truck, saw him, with his white girlfriend, they started yelling racial epithets–and then tried to run him off the road. Wilson maintains that he fired at the truck to protect himself and his girlfriend. Hutchinson, 17, was riding in the truck with the teen boys.

“Marc has sat in pre-trial detention for more than 600 days since his arrest and the question of his being immune from prosecution under Georgia’s Stand Your Ground law, which was before Judge Muldrew’s Court when the proceedings came to a halt, needs to be heard,” said James Woodall, Policy Associate with the Southern Center for Human Rights.

The racial disparity in the application of Stand Your Ground is an important justice issue. In Stand Your Ground states, homicides were ruled justified in 45% of cases involving a white shooter and Black victim, but just 11% of cases involving a Black shooter and white victim.

Senior Judge Michael L. Karpf issued a written order on February 4, 2022 recusing Bulloch County Superior Court Judge Michael T. Muldrew from further consideration in the State vs. Marc Wilson case, a criminal prosecution stemming from the June 2020 shooting death of Hutchinson.

Under Georgia law, recusal of a judge is required where bias or prejudice exists or there is an appearance of bias or prejudice; ex parte contact; or any proceeding in which impartiality might reasonably be questioned. “Judge Karpf’s order reiterates why judicial and prosecutorial accountability is urgently needed now more than ever,” says Nse Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project.

Judge Karpf found Judge Muldrew’s actions in the September 2021 immunity hearing presented an “appearance” of “prejudice and bias” that has “loomed large over” in the “racially charged atmosphere permeating the trial proceedings.” The case is reassigned to Judge Ronnie Thompson.

Marc Wilson continues to passionately maintain his innocence and his legal defense team feels strongly that the evidence presented in the upcoming immunity hearing will overwhelmingly support Wilson’s declaration of innocence. The JUSTGeorgia Coalition, alongside the Marc Wilson Solidarity committee led by his family and other community and legal advocates, will continue to advocate for Marc Wilson to come home.

Look at Judge Karpf’s order here.

To support Marc’s Legal Defense click here.

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