Local News

Court upholds conviction in Cobb murder

By Bill Rankin
April 20, 2011

The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction against a Cobb County man who ended a tumultuous relationship with his wife by running over her with his station wagon.

William Brian Hughes was convicted during a 2008 trial for the killing of 42-year-old Jacqueline Kay Hughes in December 2006. In a recent opinion, the state Supreme Court unanimously upheld the conviction, rejecting claims that Mr. Hughes' lawyer was ineffective and that the trial judge should have granted the defense a continuance before the trial.

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.

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