Joseph Drolet - The Pursuit of the Atlanta Child Killer at Inman Park Church
Thursday, Sep 22, 2022 7:00 PM
Location:
Inman Park Church Sanctuary
1015 Edgewood Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
In his riveting new book, Atlanta attorney, community activist, and author Joseph Drolet recounts his experience as a prosecutor on one of the most notorious and controversial murder cases of all time.
A Cappella Books welcomes Joseph Drolet to the Inman Park United Methodist Church on Thursday, September 22, at 7 PM. The author will discuss his new book, “The Pursuit of the Atlanta Child Killer: Facts, Fibers, and Forensics.”
This event is free and open to the public. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the venue.
About the Book
Beginning in 1979, Atlanta was terrorized by a series of baffling disappearances and murders of black children and young men. Victims were found along roadsides and dumped into rivers. Communities were gripped with fear and frustration over the safety of their children. Even with more than one hundred police officers and FBI agents working on the case, the murders continued for two years. That was until a twenty-three-year-old man named Wayne Bertram Williams was stopped near a bridge over the Chattahoochee River.
This is the true story of one of Georgia's most infamous serial killers, and how his life became intertwined with the life of author, Joseph Drolet. As a prosecutor in Williams' trial, Drolet not only played a key role in seeking justice, but also gained a uniquely in-depth understanding of the case and Williams himself. For “The Pursuit of the Atlanta Child Killer,” he has combined his firsthand knowledge with trial transcripts, police reports, court records, and newspaper articles, recreating in vivid detail a chilling period in Atlanta's history that changed his life forever.
About the Author
Joseph Drolet is a lawyer and activist. He grew up in Kankakee, Illinois, and received degrees in both Economics and Law from the University of Illinois. He began his legal career in his home state as an Assistant State’s Attorney. After moving to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1971, he joined the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, serving as head of the appellate division and as legislative liaison to the Georgia General Assembly from 1973 through 1991. It was during his years with that office that he became a participant in the prosecution of serial killer Wayne Williams.
In the legal field, Drolet served as Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, as a member of the Committee to Revise the Judicial Article of the Constitution of Georgia and as legislative chairman for a state-wide victim’s rights organization. In the Atlanta community, he chaired a coalition of neighborhood organizations, was the first chairman of the Virginia-Highland Civic Association, served as president of the Inman Park Neighborhood Association, and as president of the Mary Lin Elementary School PTA.
After leaving the District Attorney’s Office at the end of 1991, Drolet practiced law for seven years and then served as Solicitor of the City Court of Atlanta. In 2006, he was appointed Senior Assistant Attorney General and head of the Public Safety Section at the Georgia Attorney General’s Office. Drolet also served twice as Special Counsel to the Ethics Committee of the Georgia House of Representatives.
Today, he is one of the foremost authorities on the Williams case and trial. He has been featured recently in documentaries on CNN, Investigation Discovery, and HBO. He has three grown daughters, Elizabeth, Amy, and Anne Marie and he and his partner, Rebecca, live in Atlanta with their dog, Zuzu.
