High security as man accused of murdering judge returns to court

SHACKLED and surrounded by 19 officers in a cinder-block jail room, the suspect in a rampage that left a judge and three others dead appeared before a magistrate yesterday and was informed that authorities plan to charge him with murder.

Brian Nichols appeared before Cobb County Magistrate Frank Cox on the same rape charge that he was on trial for on Friday when he escaped from another courthouse.

Nichols spoke only once at the hearing, when Mr Cox asked him if he had any questions. “Not at this time,” he said.