Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission (PAQC)

The Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission (PAQC) is the independent oversight commission for district attorneys and solicitors-general in the State of Georgia.

Website: https://paqcga.gov/

As discussed by attorney Thomas Davenport, listeners who wish to learn more about the Commission or its complaint process can visit the official PAQC website. 

The pursuit of Justice for Hailey reaches a critical turning point.

In this special episode, Woody Overton sits down with attorney, law professor, and constitutional law expert Thomas Davenport to address one question that has frustrated Hailey's family and supporters for years:

Can Brooks Cleary still be prosecuted for homicide?

Davenport says yes.

After Woody approached him about the Cobb County District Attorney's assertion that prosecuting Cleary would violate double jeopardy protections, Davenport immersed himself in Georgia law, federal constitutional law, homicide statutes, and decades of court decisions. The result is a comprehensive legal memorandum concluding that double jeopardy does not prevent a homicide prosecution in Hailey's case.

Wanting to ensure his conclusions were sound, Davenport submitted the memorandum for confidential peer review by prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and law professors from across the United States. According to Davenport, not one reviewer disagreed with his legal analysis.

Throughout the episode, Woody and Thomas explain:

• Why Brooks Cleary's previous convictions are legally separate from homicide.

• What double jeopardy actually means under the United States Constitution.

• Why prosecutors generally do not raise constitutional defenses on behalf of criminal defendants before charges are filed.

• The purpose of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission (PAQC) and why listeners should know about it.

• Why Hailey's family deserves the opportunity to have a jury hear the evidence.

Woody also announces that this episode is the beginning of a multi-part series. The next installment will feature Thomas Davenport's complete legal memorandum followed by a nationwide call to action encouraging listeners to advocate for Justice for Hailey.

Justice for Hailey, Hailey Johnson, Brooks Cleary, Woody Overton, Thomas Davenport, double jeopardy, constitutional law, homicide, Georgia, Cobb County, prosecutor, district attorney, PAQC, prosecuting attorneys qualifications commission, criminal law, peer reviewed legal memorandum, Real Life Real Crime

• Justice for Hailey update
• Thomas Davenport joins the podcast
• Double jeopardy explained
• Georgia homicide law
• Brooks Cleary
• Peer-reviewed legal memorandum
• Prosecutorial ethics
• Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission
• Constitutional criminal procedure
• Upcoming call to action

Guest

Thomas Davenport

Attorney at Law • Law Professor • Constitutional Criminal Procedure Instructor

• Who is Thomas Davenport?
• What happened to Hailey Johnson?
• Why does Thomas Davenport believe double jeopardy does not apply?
• Can Brooks Cleary still be prosecuted for homicide?
• What is the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission?
• Why was the legal memorandum peer reviewed?
• What is the latest update in Justice for Hailey?
• How can listeners support Justice for Hailey?
• Thomas Davenport concludes that prosecuting Brooks Cleary for homicide would not violate double jeopardy.
• His legal memorandum was