A man Fulton County prosecutors describe as "dangerous" has been convicted of rape in Atlanta but is now on the run after slipping out of the courthouse before the end of his own trial, authorities say. The defendant, identified as Gary Diggs, vanished as the prosecution was wrapping its case, and local officials are urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
Convicted in absentia after skipping trial
According to WSB-TV, Diggs was indicted in 2017 in Fairburn on charges including rape, false imprisonment, aggravated battery and a state sexual-offender-registry violation. He had been released on a $100,000 bond while the case moved toward trial.
WSB-TV reports that Diggs chose to represent himself in Fulton County Superior Court. As the prosecution’s case neared its conclusion, he failed to return for the next day of proceedings. Jurors went on to convict him in his absence, and Senior Judge David Emerson cited Diggs’ prior record while imposing a sentence of life without parole plus 60 years; Emerson also ordered 20 days for contempt to be served after the trial.
Prior convictions and registry
Public sex-offender listings show a Gary Diggs with a 1995 rape conviction in Los Angeles County and registration entries in Georgia, matching the recidivist description prosecutors used at trial. Those records list a 1995 conviction for "rape with force or fear," according to Offender Records.
DA: 'He's dangerous' and search underway
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told WSB-TV, "Facing sentence and he is in the wind," and said she has asked the sheriff to make finding Diggs a priority. Prosecutors said the victim was 19 when the alleged attack occurred and that investigators are treating Diggs’ disappearance as a serious public-safety threat.
What happens next
With Diggs still at large, Fulton County officials say the search remains active and that tips can be submitted to the sheriff’s office. If he is located, authorities say he will be taken into custody and transported back to Fulton County to begin serving the life term and additional years ordered by the court; the contempt sentence also remains in place. Prosecutors say the case is a high priority and urge anyone with information to contact law enforcement immediately.
