DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Some family members cried as a jury found three defendants not guilty on murder charges after two teens were killed during a Sweet 16 party.
The verdict shook the courtroom and shook the Douglas County courthouse.
The three defendants decided not to take plea deals and gambled that a jury would see they were not guilty of murder. And that’s exactly what happened.
“We the jury find the defendant, Kingston Cottman, as to Count 1, malice murder not guilty,” Chief Judge William “Beau” McClain read from the verdict form.
The jury found defendant Kingston Cottman not guilty on all murder charges.
The judge read the verdict for defendant Timothy Coleman, Jr.
“As to Count 3, felony murder. Not guilty.”
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The jury found Coleman Jr. not guilty on all murder charges as well.
The jury not only found defendant Tahkel Beverly Smart not guilty on all murder charges but convicted him on only one of the 50 charges he faced -- violation of Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.”
All three faced life without parole for the murders of 15-year-old Samuel Moon and 14-year-old Aj’anaye Hill after a Sweet 16 party last year on Talkeetna Drive.
Several other teens were wounded in what prosecutors called a gang shooting.
The jury had trouble from the start. It sent out notes asking to be reminded about their duties and responsibilities.
The judge one note, saying: “Judge, can we get clarification to party to a crime.”
One Wednesday, the jury sent out a verdict form that had “G” and “NG” for guilty and not guilty.
McClain said he was confused on some verdicts as verdicts were crossed out and there was no final verdict on the form. He sent the jurors back to deliberate with a new verdict form.
McClain seemed exasperated.
“The form of your verdict is candidly something that I’ve never seen,” he told the jury.
The jury went back to deliberate and came out with the verdict forms legally required.
Coleman and Cottman were found guilty on aggravated assault and gang and gun charges.
All three defendants will be sentenced Nov. 14.
The victim’s family was too upset to comment on the jury’s verdict.
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