Atlanta's Glenda Hatchett Representing Philando Castile's Family

Atlanta, GA — Glenda Hatchett, a former Fulton County, Georgia, judge and TV personality, has been hired to represent the family of Philando Castile.

Castile was one of two black men who were fatally shot by white police officers last week, setting off several consecutive days of protests not only nationwide but also here in Atlanta.

Hatchett, who has a 30-year legal career as a corporate lawyer, judge and author, now heads up her own firm based in Atlanta, the Hatchett Group.

After being pulled over for a broken taillight in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, Castile, 32, was reaching into his pocket in response to an officer's request for his license, according to his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, who was in the car with him.

Castile mentioned to the officer that he had a permit for a concealed weapon. His girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter was sitting in the backseat. The officer then opened fire, Reynolds said.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the officer as Jeronimo Yanez, who fired multiple times. Yanez and Joseph Kauser, another officer at the traffic stop, were placed on paid administrative leave.

Yanez and Kauser have both been with the St. Anthony Police Department for four years. The BCA is investigating the shooting.

The video shows Yanez screaming that he told Castile not to move, while the girlfriend replies, "Please officer, don’t tell me that you just did this to him. You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir."

Reynolds' realization that her boyfriend is dying next to her is agonizing. Yanez, meanwhile, is clearly distressed and shouts, "I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hand off it."

According to its website, the Hatchett Group specializes in catastrophic accidents, wrongful deaths and medical malpractice, among other areas.

"Judge Hatchett" ran for almost eight years in syndication until it was canceled in 2008. It has been airing in reruns since its cancellation.

Hatchett herself has a new program in production entitled "The Verdict With Judge Hatchett," on the Justice Central cable channel.

Atlanta has seen five straight days of protests over recent police shootings, the most recent in the city's upscale Buckhead community on Monday, which led to several arrests.

See also:

• Arrests Made During Police Shootings Protest in Buckhead
• Thousands in Atlanta Protest Police Shootings
• Ten Arrested in Atlanta Protests
• FULL STORY: Video Shows Aftermath of Fatal Minnesota Police Shooting
• Philando Castile Shooting: 5 Things You Need to Know

Photo: William Bornhoft/Patch.com