Georgia DA Who Charged Officers Faces Tough Primary Runoff

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard speaks at a news conference, in Atlanta. Howard has run unopposed for two decades. But he came in second in the June Democratic primary and faces a tough runoff election Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020.

Brynn Anderson / AP Photo

Against the backdrop of protests over racial injustice and police brutality and with allegations of misconduct emboldening challengers, the top prosecutor in Georgia’s most populous country is fighting to keep his job.

After two decades of running unopposed, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard placed second in the June Democratic primary and faces a tough runoff election Tuesday.

The extended primary contest has unfolded as Atlanta rocked with protests sparked by the killing of an African American, George Floyd, by a white police officer in Minneapolis. In Georgia, Howard has been both praised and criticized for quickly bringing charges against officers accused of using excessive force against Black people.