Jury continues to deliberate in child’s beating death

A Henry County jury is taking its time in deciding the fate of Rodney Reaves. The 12-member jury asked late Wednesday morning for a 20-minute break and additional instructions from Superior Court Judge Wade Crumbley before resuming deliberations on Reaves’ fate.

Reaves, a Stockbridge resident, is accused of killing his 11-year-old daughter, Joella Reaves, over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2003.

On Monday night, the jury announced it had reached unanimous verdicts on three of five counts against Reaves in the beating death of his daughter.

Reaves faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charge of malice murder.

The jury, which has now debated the issue for 8 hours, specifically requested more information about the lesser charges of cruelty to children, involuntary manslaughter and battery.

Reaves has maintained his innocence, claiming he was more than 400 miles away when his daughter died from a number of injuries to her head and feet. A defense forensic pathologist testified last week that Joella died from a single blow to the head while Rodney Reaves was en route to Virginia.

However, other medical experts contended the girl died slowly as a result of beatings that lasted several days.

Joella was found dead in her bed on Dec. 1, 2003.

Rodney Reaves had admitted tying the girl’s hands and ankles with speaker wire and keeping her locked in a garage for days.

Gary Bowman, the public defender representing Rodney Reaves, has said his client’s wife committed the murder. Charlott Reaves, who is also charged with capital murder, goes to trial in April.