He was a veteran police officer, serving on the streets of Atlanta for nearly 30 years. But it was his work coaching children that made Stanley Lawrence a pillar of the department, his former chief said.
But on Feb. 19, 2020, Lawrence’s wife killed him with a single shot to the chest in the living room of their Riverdale home, according to investigators. When authorities arrived at the home, Tammare Elaine Lawrence admitted a gun nearby was hers, prosecutors said. And she also told a relative what she had done.
This week, Tammare Lawrence began serving a life sentence in Arrandale State Prison following her recent conviction. A jury deliberated for just 34 minutes before convicting her of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to the Clayton County district attorney. Lawrence was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
“We hope the conviction of these crimes brings some form of peace to the family of Mr. Lawrence,” DA Tasha Mosley said in a news release. “We will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of all Clayton County citizens.”
Investigators did not release details about a motive.
News of Lawrence Stanley’s death shocked his colleagues and friends. Hundreds, including those he previously coached, attended his funeral, which was held on what would have been his 59th birthday.
A Jesup native, the 6-foot-8 Lawrence played basketball for Wayne County High School and then the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. At UTC, his defensive skills helped lead the team to its first NCAA Division I tournament.
After a brief stint playing semi-professional basketball in Argentina, Lawrence became an Atlanta police officer.
After retiring from the department, he returned to the Police Athletic League, which combined two of his loves: basketball and coaching children. Lawrence’s coaching extended beyond the court, according to his colleagues. He was known to buy gifts and holiday meals for children and families in need, a colleague said during his funeral.
“What he did for us as a police department is nothing compared to what he did for those children,” former APD Chief Erika Shields told the packed church.
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