Joyette Holmes will serve as the district attorney for the case involving the brutal murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
On Monday, May 11, 2020, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr named Holmes, the Cobb County district attorney, to serve as special prosecutor in the high-profile case.
Here are the five things to know about Holmes.
A Native of South Georgia:
Born and raised in Valdosta, Georgia, Holmes graduated from Valdosta High School before attending the University of Georgia in Athens, where she majored in criminal justice and psychology. She would obtain a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland.
Law Career:
After graduating from law school, Holmes moved to Cobb County, Georgia, where she opened the Law Office of Joyette Holmes. After losing an election to serve in Cobb County Traffic Court in 2012, she eventually served as a prosecutor for District Attorney D. Victor Reynolds and Solicitor Barry Morgan.
Political Affiliation:
Holmes is a Republican who was appointed to the Cobb County Magistrate Court in 2015. She became the first Black woman in Cobb County’s history to serve in that position.
Appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp:
In June 2019, Holmes was appointed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to serve as Cobb County’s District Attorney. She made history again by being the first Black woman in Cobb County to serve in that position.
Honors:
In November 2019, Holmes was honored by the Cobb NAACP at the 38th annual Oscar Freeman Freedom Fund Gala at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest. Holmes was honored with the 2019 Thurgood Marshall Leadership award for her service to Cobb County. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
