The man charged in the fatal shooting of an 8-year-old girl at a makeshift roadblock in Atlanta last summer will remain behind bars after being denied bond Friday morning.
Julian Conley was arrested on murder and several other charges last July, days after Secoriea Turner was gunned down while riding in the backseat of an SUV on Independence Day. Conley was previously denied bond immediately following his arrest.
The rising third grader who attended KIPP WAYS Primary School was shot near the now-demolished Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks had been killed by an Atlanta police officer the prior month, leading to weeks of protests outside the University Avenue restaurant.
The girl was struck when the car she was in encountered the roadblock, which was manned by an armed group attempting to control who was allowed to pass the restaurant where protesters had camped out.
Though Atlanta police said several suspects were involved, only Conley has been charged. Conley, now 20, admitted he was at the scene that night, but denied firing a weapon.
The Atlanta man turned himself in after police circulated his photo and announced he was wanted for questioning in the child’s death. He is charged with murder and three counts of aggravated assault.
A judge denied Conley’s motion for bond during a virtual hearing Friday morning, a spokesman for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office confirmed. Georgia remains under a statewide judicial emergency order amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s unclear when his trial could get underway.
Meanwhile, Turner’s family is urging anyone with information about the remaining suspects to come forward. A $50,000 reward has been offered for tips leading to arrests and convictions in the case.
“We just hope there’s someone out there who will find it in their heart to come forward with information regarding my baby’s case,” said Secoriea’s mother, Charmaine Turner. “They would want the same thing for their child.”
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