Savannah becomes testing ground for Georgia's growing gang prosecution

AI-assisted summary

Georgia is expanding its new gang prosecution unit into Savannah with new hires and over $268,000 in funding.

A local defense attorney argues that the state's gang laws do not reduce crime but instead add enhanced penalties.

(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline.)

As Georgia expands its new Gang Prosecution Unit in Savannah, questions are mounting about what “gang-affiliated” really means and how prosecutors decide who fits that label.

State and local leaders say the new unit run by Attorney General Chris Carr will help dismantle violent groups across Coastal Georgia. But Savannah criminal defense attorney Martin Hilliard argues the distinction between gang-related and gang-affiliated is often blurred, and the money pour