Georgia News(Week 2) - Representative's Immunity Claim Denied

Rep. David Graves was denied his immunity claim by a Cobb County judge yesterday. Graves claimed that since he was at an alleged meeting "tantamount to a committee meeting," his DUI arrest is against the Georgia state constitution provision preventing a lawmaker from being arrested during sessions of the General Assembly or other meetings. Graves was arrested and charged with DUI after being stopped at a police roadblock after leaving the meeting in question. Gary Jones, the prosecutor in the case, argued that "'just because [Graves was] having dinner with other politicians doesn't make it a committee meeting.'" Judge Irma P. Glover agreed, citing a lack of evidence of proving that the gathering was an official committee meeting. Graves' case seems somewhat suspicious here, as it is unlikely that an official committee meeting would involve the consumption of alcohol. While a reasonable defense, especially in its citing of a provision of the Georgia state constitution, the basis of Graves' argument, the "official committee meeting," is suspicious in itself, thus affecting the credibility of his entire argument, and most likely leading to the refusal of immunity.

Link: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0905/27graves.html?cxntnid=amn092705e