Clayton Jerrod Ellington – black, age 29
Sentenced in DeKalb County, Georgia
By: a jury
Date of crime: May 17, 2006
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Ellington bludgeoned to death his wife, Berna Ellington (age 31), and their twin sons, Christian and Cameron Ellington (ages 2), with a hammer. Ellington received three death sentences, one for each murder. Ellington called the police to the home claiming that he had found all three bodies. Later, he changed his story claiming his wife had killed the two boys and then he killed her.
Prosecutor(s): Tunde Akinyele
Defense lawyer(s): Darryl Queen
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 10/22/08 (2008 WLNR 20104403), 10/23/08 (2008 WLNR 20175319); AP Alert 10/22/08 – GA 17:00:15; www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/10/19/ellington.html?cxntlid=inform_sr; www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2008/10/14/ellington.html?cxntlid=inform_sr
By: a jury
Date of crime: May 17, 2006
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Ellington bludgeoned to death his wife, Berna Ellington (age 31), and their twin sons, Christian and Cameron Ellington (ages 2), with a hammer. Ellington received three death sentences, one for each murder. Ellington called the police to the home claiming that he had found all three bodies. Later, he changed his story claiming his wife had killed the two boys and then he killed her.
Prosecutor(s): Tunde Akinyele
Defense lawyer(s): Darryl Queen
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 10/22/08 (2008 WLNR 20104403), 10/23/08 (2008 WLNR 20175319); AP Alert 10/22/08 – GA 17:00:15; www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/10/19/ellington.html?cxntlid=inform_sr; www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2008/10/14/ellington.html?cxntlid=inform_sr
Jerry Jones, Jr. – white, age 31
Sentenced in Gordon County, Georgia
By: a jury
Date of crime: January 7, 2004
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Jones shot Melissa Peeler’s parents Tommy Blaylock (age 59) and Nola Blaylock (age 61), strangled Peeler’s sister Georgia Mae Bailey (age 34) and strangled his 10 month old daughter Jerri Georgia Jones. Peeler is Jones’ ex-girlfriend. Jones admitted that he went to Bailey’s home, bound her arms behind her back with duct and questioned her about Peeler leaving him. After questioning, he cut her clothes off, taped her face with duct tape, strangled her, put a plastic bag over her head and put her in a closet. Then, Jones waited for Tommy Blaylock, who lived next door, to exit his home. Jones shot him in the yard behind his trailer and covered the body with a tarp. Next, Jones entered the Blaylock’s trailer and shot Nola Blaylock three times in the bedroom. Jones also pleaded guilty to killing his 10-month-old daughter, Jerri Georgia Jones, by hanging her with an electrical cord. After the murders, Jones fled across stateliness into Tennessee with three children, including two of his own daughters. When police had cornered Jones, he shot himself in the jaw. The children were unharmed. Jones pleaded guilty to all four murders. The defense argued that Jones suffered from untreated mental illness and childhood exposure to violence.
Prosecutor(s): Joe Campbell
Defense lawyer(s): Jack Martin, Michelle Drake
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 4/22/08 (2008 WLNR 7455417), 5/2/08 (2008 WLNR 8170582), 5/3/08 (2008 WLNR 8253528); AP Alert 5/2/08 – GA 18:31:04; news.mywebpal.com/partners/680/public/news899199.html
By: a jury
Date of crime: January 7, 2004
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Jones shot Melissa Peeler’s parents Tommy Blaylock (age 59) and Nola Blaylock (age 61), strangled Peeler’s sister Georgia Mae Bailey (age 34) and strangled his 10 month old daughter Jerri Georgia Jones. Peeler is Jones’ ex-girlfriend. Jones admitted that he went to Bailey’s home, bound her arms behind her back with duct and questioned her about Peeler leaving him. After questioning, he cut her clothes off, taped her face with duct tape, strangled her, put a plastic bag over her head and put her in a closet. Then, Jones waited for Tommy Blaylock, who lived next door, to exit his home. Jones shot him in the yard behind his trailer and covered the body with a tarp. Next, Jones entered the Blaylock’s trailer and shot Nola Blaylock three times in the bedroom. Jones also pleaded guilty to killing his 10-month-old daughter, Jerri Georgia Jones, by hanging her with an electrical cord. After the murders, Jones fled across stateliness into Tennessee with three children, including two of his own daughters. When police had cornered Jones, he shot himself in the jaw. The children were unharmed. Jones pleaded guilty to all four murders. The defense argued that Jones suffered from untreated mental illness and childhood exposure to violence.
Prosecutor(s): Joe Campbell
Defense lawyer(s): Jack Martin, Michelle Drake
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 4/22/08 (2008 WLNR 7455417), 5/2/08 (2008 WLNR 8170582), 5/3/08 (2008 WLNR 8253528); AP Alert 5/2/08 – GA 18:31:04; news.mywebpal.com/partners/680/public/news899199.html
Lawrence Rice – black, age 54
Sentenced in Cobb County, Georgia
By: a jury
Date of crime: April 17, 2003
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Rice beat to death Connie Mincher (age 47) and her son, Ethan Mincher (age 14), in their home. Rice was convicted of two counts each of murder and felony murder. Rice was also convicted of burglary. Rice worked for Trevor Mincher, Connie’s husband and Ethan’s father, in 1990, but left after four months due to salary disputes. He later asked for a recommendation from Trevor Mincher for a prospective employer. Rice found it difficult to get a new job and believed that Mincher had “blackballed” him. Supported by an excerpt from Rice’s own manifesto, the prosecution argued that the murders were a revenge killing for the job Rice lost.
Prosecutor(s): Henry Thompson
Defense lawyer(s): Angela Moore-Brown
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 7/15/08 (2008 WLNR 13212212), 7/17/08 (2008 WLNR 13338750); www.wsbtv.com/news/2414482/detail.html; www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/1/section/21/item/112505.html; www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/07/14/rice_murder_trial.html
By: a jury
Date of crime: April 17, 2003
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Rice beat to death Connie Mincher (age 47) and her son, Ethan Mincher (age 14), in their home. Rice was convicted of two counts each of murder and felony murder. Rice was also convicted of burglary. Rice worked for Trevor Mincher, Connie’s husband and Ethan’s father, in 1990, but left after four months due to salary disputes. He later asked for a recommendation from Trevor Mincher for a prospective employer. Rice found it difficult to get a new job and believed that Mincher had “blackballed” him. Supported by an excerpt from Rice’s own manifesto, the prosecution argued that the murders were a revenge killing for the job Rice lost.
Prosecutor(s): Henry Thompson
Defense lawyer(s): Angela Moore-Brown
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 7/15/08 (2008 WLNR 13212212), 7/17/08 (2008 WLNR 13338750); www.wsbtv.com/news/2414482/detail.html; www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/1/section/21/item/112505.html; www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/07/14/rice_murder_trial.html
Demetrius G. Willis – black, age 26
Sentence in Fulton County, Georgia
By: a jury
Date of crime: June 28, 2004
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Willis murdered his ex-girlfriend, Talisa Hankins (age 24), her boyfriend, Jerry Williams, Sr. (age 31), and their 3-year-old-son inside her home. Wilkins entered the home and began firing. Hankins was shot while trying to jump from a window and Williams was shot three times in the head while sleeping on a couch. The couple’s son Jerry William, Jr. (age 3) was also shot in the head. Two of Willis’ other children were injured during the shooting but survived.
Prosecutor(s): Paul Howard
Defense lawyer(s):
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 7/15/08 (2008 WLNR 13212206); www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/25456904.html
By: a jury
Date of crime: June 28, 2004
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Willis murdered his ex-girlfriend, Talisa Hankins (age 24), her boyfriend, Jerry Williams, Sr. (age 31), and their 3-year-old-son inside her home. Wilkins entered the home and began firing. Hankins was shot while trying to jump from a window and Williams was shot three times in the head while sleeping on a couch. The couple’s son Jerry William, Jr. (age 3) was also shot in the head. Two of Willis’ other children were injured during the shooting but survived.
Prosecutor(s): Paul Howard
Defense lawyer(s):
Sources: Atlanta Journal and Constitution 7/15/08 (2008 WLNR 13212206); www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/25456904.html