Court upholds Clayton murder conviction
The Georgia Supreme Court, in a 4-3 ruling Monday, upheld the murder conviction against a Clayton County man who argued his jury should have been instructed that the girl he was found guilty of killing could have died because of an accident.
On Sept. 30, 2007, Tory Sears took care of his girlfriend's children while she went to work. Later that day, 16-month-old Jakyila was taken to the hospital where she died. Doctors and the medical examiner testified at trial that Jakyila suffered a severe brain injury and showed signs of being hit on the head.
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
