Atlanta Judge Says Man Is Guilty Before Correcting Himself

Alton Olive was actually found not guilty on all six charges by a jury.

An Atlanta judge mistakenly announced the wrong verdict, leaving the courtroom in shock as he corrected himself in the viral incident.

Judge Henry Newkirk was presiding over a high-profile trial of Alton Oliver, who was charged in the 2022 fatal shooting of a sheriff’s deputy in Fulton County. The judge initially said Oliver was guilty on all six counts surrounding the shooting, murder and aggravated assault.

Court reporter Meghann Cuniff shared the footage of the ordeal.

A jury in Atlanta today acquitted a man of all charges related to the fatal shooting of a sheriff's deputy, but the judge who read the verdict initially said they found him guilty.

"I apologize for my mispronunciation," Fulton County Superior Judge Melynee Leftridge said. pic.twitter.com/uhR7J96qYS
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) August 15, 2025

“We, the jury, find the defendant guilty as to all six counts of the indictment,” said Newkirk.

As the Atlanta judge revealed the wrong verdict, the court erupted into confused shouts of “what.” He immediately took back his words, as the jury actually acquitted Oliver of all the charges.

He apologized for what he deemed as a “mispronunciation.” The crowd started to clap, but bailiffs reminded the court attendees to remain silent.

The 26-year-old had testified that he shot James Thomas Jr. in self-defense. According to Fox 5, Oliver revealed that he shot at Thomas Jr. at their third encounter after the officer kept propositioning him for sex.

The jury deliberated for nine hours. Oliver had no prior criminal history before the incident. Oliver’s legal team became emotional after hearing of the acquittal, with the man thanking the women on his bench.

“We asked you to interact with other people that you don’t know and make some pretty tough calls. This case falls in that category—pretty tough call,” Newkirk said.