A 19-year-old accused of felony murder and aggravated assault in the shooting death of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner will remain in jail, a Fulton County Magistrate Court judge said Thursday.
During a hearing at noon, the judge indicated that the murder charge made Julian Conley ineligible for bond in a Magistrate Court, attorney Jackie Patterson told AJC.com.
Patterson, who is representing Conley, said he has filed a motion for his client to appear before a Superior Court judge for a bond hearing.
Secoriea, a rising third grader, was killed a little after 9:30 p.m. July 4 when as many as four armed civilians opened fire on her mother’s SUV in a parking lot off University Avenue, police said.
The fatal shooting occurred across the street from the Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks was killed by an Atlanta police officer last month.
Patterson said he received word that his client was formally charged in the fatal shooting about 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Credit: ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM
Credit: ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM
Conley surrendered at Atlanta police headquarters about 4:30 p.m., within hours of Secoriea’s funeral.
As he walked into the building, Conley was seen carrying a plastic bag, likely in anticipation of being booked into the Fulton County Jail following his meeting with detectives.
Conley and his attorney have both maintained the teen’s innocence in the shooting. On Monday, Conley admitted he was at the scene, but denied firing a weapon. He first came forward after Atlanta police circulated his photo on Sunday and said he was wanted for questioning in Secoriea’s death.
Atlanta police are still looking for another man identified as the first person of interest in the case.
Attorney Mawuli Davis, who represents the family, said on Monday the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Secoriea’s killers has been increased to $50,000.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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