It took a second trial, but the three men responsible for the shooting death of a former Gwinnett County football coach at a gas station in 2022 have been convicted on all charges.

David Booker, Miles Collins and Josiah Hughley all faced multiple counts of murder, car hijacking, aggravated assault and gang charges in the death of 30-year-old Bradley Coleman. They were found guilty by a Gwinnett County jury after just a couple of hours of deliberations Tuesday afternoon, concluding the three-week trial.

All three were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Tamela Adkins.

Bradley Coleman with his daughter

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

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Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Coleman, a Norcross High School graduate who lived in Louisiana at the time, was visiting his young daughter in metro Atlanta, according to friends and family. He played college football at Southern University and then coached at Peachtree Ridge High School.

Coleman was putting air in his tires at a QuikTrip gas station in Peachtree Corners on July 10, 2022, when a group of men tried to steal his Dodge Charger and he was killed trying to fight them off, according to Gwinnett police.

Prosecutors said Hughley shot Coleman in the head, but all three were involved in the murder since Booker and Collins were involved with Collins driving the getaway car. Prosecutors alleged the trio was part of a gang and planned to take Coleman’s vehicle by force in order to help the gang and to maintain or increase their status.

Investigators were able to track the three men through their cell phones.

Coleman’s mother, Venetia Coleman, said going through the “senseless act of gun violence” was the hardest thing the family has had to do in their lives. She described her son as “a gift to the world” and “a gentle giant with a heart of gold.”

“As proud parents, your honor, Bradley was absolutely everything to us. He was the son that you would want. He was an awesome father, son, activist, coach, community leader, counselor, entrepreneur, humanitarian, a motivator and an educator,” Venetia Coleman told the judge before sentencing.

She said her son was loved and respected by many, including his friends, students and family. She said Coleman’s daughter cries often and tells her how much she misses him.

“We will forever miss him and we love him for all the things that he did in this life and for the things that he will never, ever get a chance to do because his life was snatched away,” she said.

The original trial took place in October 2023, but a mistrial was declared on the third day of testimony after Adkins ruled the prosecution had made improper comments in front of the jury.

The judge told the Coleman family Tuesday that she hopes they find some peace now that the trial is over.

“You should never have to bury a child ... nothing we’ve done here over the last three weeks in this room can bring Bradley back, but it is my hope that you will begin healing after this is done,” Adkins said.