The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday upheld the convictions and verdict of a LaGrange man convicted of murder following shootings in Granger Park and Newnan Street in 2016. This comes from a press release from District Attorney John Cranford.
Hurston was originally convicted of murder, two violations of the Georgia State Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, two charges of aggravated assault, and two charges of possession of a firearm while committing a crime on April 23, 2018 in the Troup County Supreme Court ruling the Supreme Court on Monday was unanimous.
In June, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously upheld the convictions and verdict of Dextreion Shealey, 23, of West Point for his involvement in the shooting.
Shealey had been found guilty of the crime of murder, a number of violations of the Georgia State Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, and a number of serious assaults in 2018, according to the press release.
Daven Tucker, 20, was killed in the shooting on December 17, 2016.
Coweta Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Emory Palmer, who presided over the trial, sentenced Hurston to life in prison with probation followed by 70 years in prison, and Shealey to life in prison with probation.
Assistant Assistant District Attorney Jack Winne tried the case before the jury and handled both appeals.
“Confirmation of these beliefs by the Georgia Supreme Court should be viewed by the people of LaGrange as confirmation of the commitment of the LaGrange police and prosecutors to stop gang violence in our community,” Cranford said in the press release. “As I told the press after these court convictions, this case involved 911 calls from law abiding citizens lying on the floor of their homes and avoiding bullets flying through their neighborhood. No member of our community should have to experience this. The Georgia State Street Gang Act is designed to hold violent gang members accountable, and that’s exactly how it was applied in this case. I am grateful that LaGrange PD Detective Brian Brown and Deputy Chief ADA Jack Winne were able to use this conviction to achieve justice for the victim’s family and all of LaGrange. “
Evidence in court showed that Hurston, Shealey and several other defendants were all linked to the 4way Street Gang, also known as the Lot Boys Gang, according to Cranford.
According to the release, shortly after 10 a.m., the defendants participated in a drive-by shooting in the parking lot of LaGrange High School in Granger Park
At the time of the shooting, there were more than a dozen innocent onlookers in attendance.
After plotting to take revenge for one of their cars being hit by backfire in the first scene, the defendants drove two cars to Newnan Street to shoot a house that they believed were the same targets the Granger Park.
At around 10:50 p.m., four of the defendants, including Hurston, fired multiple shots at the residence, one of which killed Tucker.
The evidence showed that the shootings were motivated by a gang rivalry, according to the press release.
All seven other adult defendants – – Shawndarious Sands, Charles Lovelace, Natori Lee, Coty Green, Zachary Holloway, Dantavious Rutledge and Andre Gilliam have pleaded guilty to Street Gang Act violations and grievous bodily harm in Troup County Supreme Court, according to Cranford.
These defendants were sentenced to terms ranging from 20 years to 8 years in prison and 50 years to 33 years in prison, depending on their relative negligence and relative cooperation in the investigation and prosecution.
