Image 1 of 14 ▼

Fed up with crime, Buckhead residents are taking action and asking questions. They called a meeting Thursday night with Atlanta Police and Fulton County's Chief Judge.

Amber Connor says it feels like crime is out of control and no neighborhood is off limits.

"There's not a day that goes by that there's not 6 degrees of separation, someone you know has been hit by crime," said Connor.

The robbery and shooting death of Christian Broder as he was leaving a wedding reception at the Capital City Club is what spurred this group into action, asking police questions about crime and repeat offenders, and asking Chief Judge Robert McBurney about the judicial process.

"There's something about this whole case that has ignited a lot of questions," said Ann Walsh who attended the meeting.


Police say 17-year-old Jayden Myrek fired the shot that killed Broder. The case sparked outrage toward Fulton County Judge Doris Downs. Myrek had been in jail on a robbery charge. Earlier this year, despite objections from the district attorney's office, Judge Downs released Myrek early.

While Chief Judge Robert McBurney wouldn't talk about specific cases, he did encourage people to look at all the facts.

"I invite folks to get closer to the facts before they decide this judge makes the wrong decision every time or this judge made a decision one time that didn't go the way people thought it might go," said McBurney.

Myrek had been in a diversion program that is now under scrutiny.

"I think one thing that will come out of the tragedy is renewed focus by the courts on the credentials of these programs when presented to us. It's not our role to certify or vet them, but we ought to be sure that if there is a certification program, it is certified," said Judge McBurney.