Douglas County DA to seek death penalty against three accused of murdering Bobby Tillman

A guilty plea would let them avoid a death penalty trial

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By Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There was only one taker to Douglas County District Attorney David McDade's offered to abandon plans to seek the death penalty in the stomping death of Bobby Tillman so the prosecutor will move ahead with his plans for a capital case against the three remaining defendants.

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Emanuel Benjamin Boykins, left, was denied bond Monday, Nov. 8, 2010, at the Douglas County Courthouse. On June 7, 2011 he pleaded guilty to murdering 18-year-old Bobby Tillman.

John Spink, jspink@ajc.com Emanuel Benjamin Boykins, left, was denied bond Monday, Nov. 8, 2010, at the Douglas County Courthouse. On June 7, 2011 he pleaded guilty to murdering 18-year-old Bobby Tillman.

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Family, FAMILY Bobby Tillman was beaten to death after a party in Douglasville on Nov. 6, 2010.

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McDade set a Wednesday 5 p.m. deadline to the four accused of attacking the 18-year-old last November to agree to plead guilty to murder to avoid a death penalty trial for the vicious assault on Tillman.

Only one of them took the offer. The attorney for Emanuel Boykins, 18, told McDade on Tuesday Boykins will plead guilty later this month to felony murder. McDade said Wednesday none of the other three said they would plea.

“After reviewing all the evidence and conducting my investigation and meeting with Mr. Boykins ... we decided he did not need to go to trial and risk a death sentence,” defense attorney Jason Swindle said. “He wants to take responsibility for the terrible thing that happened. And he’s contrite.”

When Boykins pleads guilty to felony murder June 29, the malice murder charge will be dropped, Swindle said.

A Nov. 6 party in Douglasville was supposed to have been a small gathering of about 10 teenagers, but it grew to 60 to 80 after word spread, according to the Douglas County sheriff's office. The parents of the girl holding the party asked the party-goers to leave when it became so large; that is when two girls got into a fight outside.

One of them hit Boykins, according to witnesses. Boykins' response was to announce he wouldn't hit a girl but he would hit the next male he saw.

Then Tillman walked by.

McDade said Boykins threw the first punch and the others descended on the 125-pound Tillman, punching and stomping him. The medical examiner said Tillman died of blunt force trauma.

“I just want justice for Bobby. I just want justice for my son,” Monique Rivarde said. “If he’s pleading guilty, that he did it, I’ll accept that.”

Initially Boykins and the other three -- Quantez Devonta Mallory, 18, and Tracen Lamar Franklin and Horace Damon Coleman, both 19 -- said they were innocent and someone else killed Tillman. During a television interview, Boykins, Franklin and Coleman sent condolences to Tillman’s family.

“They didn’t even know him,” Revarde said. If they want to apologize, they should have apologized to Bobby. All I concentrate on is where is he now and he’s with God.”