The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The man who threw the first punch in a random fatal attack on slightly-built Bobby Tillman has agreed to plead guilty to murdering the 18-year-old, according to Douglas County District Attorney David McDade and a defense lawyer in the case.
The other three men also charged with Tillman?s beating death have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to decide if they, too, will plead guilty. If they don't, McDade said he will move ahead with death penalty cases against them.
The lawyer for Emanuel Boykins, 18, told McDade Tuesday there was agreement: guilty to felony murder.
?After reviewing all the evidence and conducting my investigation and meeting with Mr. Boykins ... we decided he did not need to go to trial and risk a death sentence,? defense attorney Jason Swindle said. ?He wants to take responsibility for the terrible thing that happened. And he?s contrite.?
When Boykins pleads guilty to felony murder June 29, the malice murder charge will be dropped, Swindle said.
A Nov. 6 party in Douglasville was supposed to have been a small gathering of about 10 teenagers, but it grew to 60 to 80 after word spread, according to the Douglas County sheriff's office. The parents of the girl holding the party asked the partygoers to leave when it became so large; that is when two girls got into a fight outside.
One of them allegedly hit Boykins, according to witnesses. Boykins announced he wouldn't hit a girl but he would hit the next male he saw.
Then Tillman walked by.
McDade said Boykins threw the first punch and the others descended on the 125-pound Tillman, punching and stomping him. The medical examiner said a broken bone punctured Tillman?s heart and he died of blunt force trauma.
?I just want justice for Bobby. I just want justice for my son,? Monique Rivarde said. ?If he?s pleading guilty, that he did it, I?ll accept that.?
Initially Boykins and the other three -- Quantez Devonta Mallory, 18, and Tracen Lamar Franklin and Horace Damon Coleman,� both 19 -- said they were innocent and someone else killed Tillman. During a television interview, Boykins, Franklin and Coleman sent condolences to Tillman?s family.
?They didn?t even know him,? Revarde said. If they want to apologize, they should have apologized to Bobby. All I concentrate on is where is he now and he?s with God.?
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