April 20, 2024
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is hiring a Fulton County prosecutor to lead the state's new gang prosecution unit.
Carr announced Wednesday that Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Cara Convery will run the unit when it starts operating July 1. She'll lead 11 attorneys and paralegals.
Under the new law signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, the attorney general’s office will have concurrent authority with local prosecutors to bring gang cases. The state plans to spend $1.6 million on the unit in the budget beginning July 1
Carr said the law will help his office work with law enforcement, district attorneys and federal agencies.
Carr, a Republican, faces Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan and Libertarian Martin Cowen in November as he seeks reelection.
Supporters of the law say local prosecutors sometimes have trouble pursuing gangs that commit crimes across multiple of Georgia's 50 judicial circuits. The attorney general’s office will also target gang activity in prisons.
“Cara Convery has established herself as a force in the field of criminal gang prosecution and is a proven leader in Georgia’s legal community,” Carr said in a statement.
Convery has prosecuted a number of high-profile murder cases and has prosecuted gang members using the state's racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations law.
