A Georgia politician from Atlanta recently ran afoul of the criminal justice system. Cleta Winslow has served on the City Council for about 20 years. Nevertheless, she was stopped by authorities on a local street on a Saturday night in May and formally charged with DUI.
Police assert that the Councilwoman was headed the wrong way of an Atlanta street and also ignored a red traffic light. After she was pulled over, she was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Nevertheless, there was no indication that she was administered field sobriety tests or that she submitted to a Breathalyzer or other test to determine her blood alcohol level. She was transported to jail for processing and was released on bond the following morning.
As the case heads to a Georgia criminal courtroom, the politician’s attorney has indicated that she will contest the DUI charge, though she apparently does admit she was drinking prior to the incident. In Georgia, .08 percent is the threshold level for a drunk driving accusation. Like many public figures in similar circumstances, the Councilwoman is fighting the accusations legally as well as in the proverbial court of public opinion. She has expressed appreciation for the support she has been shown, and she has also indicated she fully intends to keep working and even run for reelection once her current term expires.
It remains to be seen how the DUI charges will unfold. It also remains to be seen how the public will react to the criminal proceedings. Even though the woman is in the public eye, Ms. Winslow has the same right to fair and impartial proceedings to which all accused individuals in Georgia are entitled. The burden of proof is squarely upon the government to prove the accusations leveled against her, and she remains innocent in the eyes of the law until — and only if — that occurs in court.
Source: claimsjournal.com, “Georgia Councilwoman Not Quitting After DUI Arrest,” May 14, 2013