The arduous and long process of finding 12 jurors to hear the death penalty case against a 20-year-old accused of murdering Bobby Tillman began Monday with Douglas County Judge William McLain explaining the process and warning them against speaking to anyone about the trial.
"Does anybody not understand what anybody means?" McLain asked.
He also told them they cannot "get any information from anywhere" other than the trial. He said that meant no searches on the Internet, social networking sites or conversations with friends or relatives.
It is expected to take about two weeks to seat a jury to hear the death penalty case that received national attention when the 18-year-old Tillman was randomly chosen and beaten to death in a street in front of a house where there had been a party to celebrate two high school girls getting good grades.
Four men - then 18- and 19-years-old — were charged in the days after Tillman was killed on Nov. 6, 2010, but only Tracen Franklin is facing a possible death sentence.
District Attorney David McDade gave the four men 90 days to decide if they would plead guilty to avoid a capital trial. Only Franklin chose to go to trial and could face the death penalty if convicted.
Emanual Boykins, who admitted to initiating the attack on Tillman, pleaded guilty in Arpil to murder and was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole; he will be eligible for consideration in 30 years. The cases against the other two, Quantez Devonta Mallory and Horace Damon Coleman, who are not facing the death are pending. No court date has been set.
According to testimony that came out during Boykins' sentencing, the four had crashed the party. The parents of the girls who hosted the gathering were expecting about 10 teenagers. But word spread and soon about 60 showed up so they shut down the party.
That was about the time Tillman, a freshman at Georgia Perimeter College, arrived. Several girls were fighting on the lawn and, according to police and prosecutors, Franklin and the other three got caught up in the "mob mentality" and attacked Tillman, who was leaning against a car and talking with friends.
Tillman was beaten and stomped. The randomness and viciousness of his death drew, at the time, shock and outrage from across the country. That may make it hard to find jurors who have not formed an opinion in the case.
Bruce Harvey, Franklin's defense attorney, began the morning complaining about publicity around the case.
"We're still pretty much bombarded with publicity, with negative publicly in regards to Mr. Franklin.
About 300 prospective jurors were called, but only the first 12 were questioned on Monday. They were asked basic demographic information: education, occupation, time living in Douglas County, attendance at worship services. Almost all had children. Only a few said they were church-goers.
They will be brought into the courtroom one at a time to answer more specific questions, which will include any relationships with about 160 witnesses expected to be called and their feelings about the death penalty.
The proceedings continue Tuesday.
About the Author
