About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2023)
Appeals court again affirms decision in nudist resort lawsuit. INSIDE, 5A Tigers allow one run to Gilmer in sweep of three-game series. SPORTS, IB WEDNESDAY I MARCH 22, 2023 DaWSOflNeWS >COnri DAWSONVULE, GEORGIA $2.00 New trial undecided for murder convict By Julia Hansen jhansen@dawsonnews.com Following an hour-long hearing Tuesday, it remained uncertain whether a new trial would be set for the man convicted and sentenced for the murder of Lumpkin County 21-year-old Hannah Bender in 2019. During a March 14 Zoom hearing, Superior Court Chief Judge Kathlene Gosselin mostly denied 26-year-old Austin Todd Stryker’s request for a new trial, opting to reserve her ruling on part of the motion. At the end of his November 2021 trial, Stryker was convicted by a Dawson County jury on all 24 charg es tied to Bender’s murder. In December 2021, he received a sen tence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Dawson County belongs to the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, which also includes Hall County. Gosselin denied the motion parts about the prosecution’s potentially harmful arguments against the defense’s theories during closing. She also nixed motion reasoning linked to in-life, burial and autopsy photographs of Bender and the lack of a grave suspicion jury charge, which the prosecution pointed to as “not justified with the evidence.” The only point Gosselin wanted to reserve ruling on dealt with defense’s concerns about not being able to fully address defendants Isaac Huff and Dylan Reid’s plea deals during closing arguments. One of Stryker’s attorneys, public defender Kyle Denslow, argued that Huff and Reid were also facing mur der charges before their plea deals in 2021. “That was before the jury already [during the trial]...so why couldn’t we get into it at closing?” Denslow said during the March 14 hearing. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Conley Greer recounted the litany of physical evidence, such as blood and clothing, that authorities See Trial |3A Julia Hansen Dawson County News Austin Stryker, center right, is escorted into cus tody after being sentenced at a December 2021 hearing to life without parole for the 2019 mur der of Hannah Bender. Big top Dawson Photos by Erica Jones Dawson County News Cast members of the Venardos Circus perform their acts for a crowd of onlookers during their March 18 show in Dawson County. Circus opens run at North Georgia Premium Outlet Mall By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com Despite the rain and cold over the weekend, the parking lot at the North Georgia Premium Outlet Mall was alive with people of all ages, lights, colors, music and the smell of freshly popped pop corn, all contained in the red- and-white big-top tent set up in the mall’s parking lot. Last weekend marked the opening weekend of the Venardos Circus, which will be in Dawson County for a total of 14 shows over the course of about two weeks. The circus officially See Circus 16A Ex-teacher keeps bond but with new restrictions By Nick Watson DCN Regional Staff A former Gainesville High School teacher charged with child molestation was allowed to keep his bond but now with stricter condi tions than before, according to court officials. Cameron David Millholland, 27, of Dawsonville, was accused in August of child molestation after allegations of inappropriate conduct over Snapchat with a student. Millholland was granted a bond in October by Superior Court Judge Kathlene Gosselin, which included conditions of no contact with children under the age of 18. A Superior Court arrest warrant was filed Feb. 8 accusing Millholland of visiting See Teacher13A Outback asks for exception on its signage By Julia Hansen jhansen@dawsonnews.com An incoming Australian-themed eatery’s variance application is set to come before the Dawson County Planning Commission next Tuesday, according to agenda documents. Planning commissioners are scheduled to hear Outback Steakhouse’s application for a signage variance at their March 21 meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. in the Dawson County Government Center’s second-floor assembly room. Planning commission meetings are held every third Tuesday of the month. The Dawson County Government Center, also known as the new courthouse, is located at 25 Justice Way in downtown Dawsonville. See Outback 13A 0 9 0 9 9 4 Inside Volume 9, Number 12 © 2023, Dawson County News Dawsonville, Georgia Events 2B Classifieds 6B Dear Abby 5B Deaths 2A Legals 6B Opinion 7A Sports 1B 4A Blacks Mill names Teacher of the Year. 8A Woman convicted of killing fiance, living with body for months. We Are a Digital Impression Practice. Proud Owners of an iTero Element " Scanner. element "We all try and go above and beyond and give that five start treatment, so it's rewarding to know that what we do matters." ■jJj- invisalign ip Cf torn LQJL jim Q)amonville (^Distinctive ^Dentistry B. MANZUR, D.M.D. 754 HWY. 53 WEST, DAWSONVILLE, GA 706-265-2505
