Georgia Today: Colin Gray trial wraps up; Laken Riley's family sues; Sen. Warnock in Social Circle

Transcript: 

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, attorneys make closing arguments in the trial of Colin Gray. Laken Riley's father sues the University System of Georgia over her death. And Sen. Raphael Warnock says people in Social Circle aren't prepared for a detention center in their city. 

Raphael Warnock: I'll tell you something else they didn't vote for. They didn't for potential boil water advisories or sewer overflows. 

Peter Biello: Today is Monday, March 2. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today. 

Story 1

Peter Biello: Congress is set to vote on a war powers resolution today that would restrain President Donald Trump's attack on Iran without congressional approval. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff says Trump shouldn't have acted without the consent of Congress. 

Senator Jon Ossoff: The president has launched this regime change war without an explanation to the American people, without clearly stated objectives, without evidence of imminent threat. 

Peter Biello: Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who is challenging Ossoff for his Senate seat, says Trump acted within the law. 

Rep. Buddy Carter: The world is safer today than it was two days ago, no question about it. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. 

Peter Biello: The president can authorize some military action without congressional approval, but Congress is the only branch that can declare war. 

Caption

Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, takes the stand during his trial on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Atlanta.

Credit: AP Photo/Pool

Story 2

Peter Biello: Attorneys made their closing arguments in an unprecedented court case this afternoon in the Barrow County trial of Colin Gray, the father of suspected Appalachian high school shooter Colt Gray. GPB's Chase McGee has more. 

Chase McGee: Attorneys on both sides made their cases one final time to a jury from neighboring Hall County. Now, jurors are left to decide whether Gray is guilty or not guilty of more than two dozen charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. They could also find Gray guilty of lesser charges. Prosecutor Patricia Brooks outlined why Gray is facing these specific charges and why the jury should find him guilty. 

Patricia Brooks: That man was the one person who could have prevented this mass shooting. He was the man who ensured that Colt Gray had the tools he needed to commit mass murder. 

Chase McGee: It's unclear when the jury may return their verdict or when Gray would be sentenced if he's found guilty. For GPB News, I'm Chase McGee. 

Story 3

Peter Biello: Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock met with city leaders in Social Circle today to hear their concerns about the planned ICE detention center there. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more. 

Grant Blankenship: Warnock's tour began at Social Circle's over-half-a-century-old water treatment plant, where city leaders explained neither the law nor their infrastructure will permit them to meet the water needs of the ICE detention center when it effectively triples the city population. Later at a press conference at the detention center site watched over by armed guards and unmarked cars, Warnok said he'd heard residents who voted for President Trump say they didn't vote for a detention center in their backyard. 

Sen. Raphael Warnock: I'll tell you something else they didn't vote for. They didn't for potential bore water advisories or sewer overflows. 

Grant Blankenship: Now, Warnock says he's proposed an amendment to stop the detention center, which will come up this week when the Senate resumes debate on Department of Homeland Security funding. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Social Circle. 

Caption

Jason Riley, father of Laken, spoke to Georgia state senators March 20 about his daughter’s killing as she went for a run at the University of Georgia.

Credit: Ross Williams / Georgia Recorder

Story 4

Peter Biello: Laken Riley's father has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Jason Riley is accusing the state university system of negligence that led to his daughter's death more than two years ago. Jose Ibarra was convicted of murder and other charges in her death. The lawsuit alleges officials failed to warn people on campus after Ibarre tried to enter a student's on-campus apartment shortly before her killing. It also alleges the board failed to monitor criminal activity on campus. A Board of Regents spokesperson said the board does not comment on pending litigation. 

Story 5

Peter Biello: An Albany-based organization that provides services to seniors in 14 counties plans to close its only building this week. GPB's Orlando Montoya reports the move completes a gradual shift for the Southwest Georgia Council on Aging. 

Orlando Montoya: Like 11 other such councils across the state, the Southwest Georgia Council has been moving away from providing direct services. Instead, it's partnering with local nonprofits to handle caregiving, case management, and other needs for seniors. Executive Director Izzie Sadler says they're now selling their building in Albany to nearby Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.

Izzie Sadler: The programming in that building is mostly exercise classes, education classes. And that's a very small part of what we do. The core of our programming really is home-delivered meals, nutrition programs, making sure that we have services in our seniors' homes. 

Orlando Montoya: She says the council will be able to fund more services without the building's costly overhead. The hospital plans to renovate it for medical residency programs, helping to address the region's doctor shortage. For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya. 

Story 6

Peter Biello: A community meeting is planned for this evening in Gwinnett County on a proposed housing development near an animal sanctuary. A developer is looking to build 280 homes near the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary. Middleburg Communities has asked the county to rezone nearly 30 acres for a mixed residential development. The property would be a few hundred feet from the sanctuary, which houses about 150 rescued animals. Opponents worry about the impact of the development on the operations of the sanctuary.

Caption

Julia Melton hugs her grandaughter Janiah-Joy.

Credit: Contributed family photo

Story 7

Peter Biello: Grandparents raising their grandchildren due to absentee parents are eligible for a year of support and intervention through a program at Georgia State University's School of Public Health. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more. 

Ellen Eldridge: Patricia Lawrence leads Project Healthy Grandparents at Georgia State. She says access to four main community services is designed to help caretakers, as well.

Patricia Lawrence: The intervention, like I said, is comprised of home visits by social workers, monthly home visits — monthly home visits by nurses when it's appropriate because a lot of grandparents, when they do take over the grandchildren's care, often neglect their own health. 

Ellen Eldridge: All the grandchildren are screened for developmental, educational and behavioral challenges. Those with delays, especially under 5, collaborate with the Emory Neurodevelopmental Exposure Clinic. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge. 

Story 8

Peter Biello: Atlanta-based children's clothing maker Carter's reported fourth quarter profit of more than $64 million. For the year, the company reported a nearly $92 million profit. The company's leaders say part of last year was spent responding to significant tariffs, adding that the Supreme Court's striking down of many of the president's tariffs will be, quote, "net positive" for the company. 

And that is a wrap for Georgia Today. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit gpb.org/news. Remember to subscribe to this podcast. A lot of news coming your way this week and you won't want to miss a thing. Subscribing is a way to help you remember to check in with what's going on in Georgia. And if you've got feedback or a story suggestion, something we should be covering, let us know by email. The address is georgiatoday@gpb.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.