Courthouse Shooting Suspect's Daughter Reaches Out to Dad

March 15, 2005 — -- As Brian Nichols, the suspect in the Atlanta-area shooting spree that left four people -- including a judge -- dead, prepares to face murder charges, his 13-year-old daughter has a message for him.

"I want to let him know that even after all he's been through, I want him to know that I still do love him, because he is my father," Jasmine Jay said on "Good Morning America" today. "And I just want to ask him why hasn't he been in contact all these years? … I want to know, do I have any half-brothers or sisters by him?"

Nichols, 33, appeared in court today for a status hearing in his pending murder case stemming from his alleged shooting rampage at the Fulton County Courthouse last Friday. He was being retried on a rape charge when he allegedly overpowered a guard, took her gun and killed Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, his court reporter and his deputy.

Nichols is also accused of wounding another deputy who tried to stop him outside the courthouse and is suspected of killing a federal agent during his flight from authorities. He surrendered to authorities Saturday after more than 24 hours on the run. Law enforcement officials say prosecutors will seek murder charges and decide whether to seek the death penalty against Nichols at a later date.

No one was more surprised by the events than Jasmine and her mother, Stephanie Jay.

"I was in a state of shock," Jasmine said. "But I was glad that she told me instead of me going home to just see it on the news for myself."

Jay said Nichols does not seem to resemble the man she first met when they were students at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, and he was a football standout. Though their relationship ended when Jasmine was a year old, Jay said she had fond memories of Nichols and that he wanted to achieve great things in his life. She said she saw no signs that he could be a suspect in a rape and fatal shooting spree.