Court permits defendant's violent past to be used as evidence in trial over Secoriea Turner's murder

ATLANTA - A Georgia Appeals Court will allow Fulton County prosecutors to present previous crimes as evidence against the defendant charged in connection to the death of Secoreia Turner. 

The 8-year-old died in July 2020, one month after the police shooting of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta. Prosecutors said Jerrion McKinney and Julian Conley were among a group of alleged gang members blocking an intersection near where Brooks died. 

Prosecutors plan to use McKinney's prior criminal acts against him during his trial. Previously, a Fulton County judge denied prosecutors' request to show elements of the violent past including an incident when he took a stolen gun to school and pointed it at a classmate's head. The state appealed that decision, and the appeals court sided with prosecutors.

The GBI said agents arrested Jerrion Amari McKinney and charged him with multiple charges, including murder and gang charges for Secoriea Turner’s murder.

"Fighting gang violence is a top priority for me, especially in a tragic case of the murder of an innocent child," said Fani Willis. "We appealed in this matter to fight for the principle that the jury should hear the evidence of the defendant’s history of gang violence. I am grateful to the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations and Georgia Gang Investigators Association for providing their amicus brief and supporting our office as we work to get justice for all crimes associated with Secoreia Turner’s murder."

The defendants allegedly pointed guns at drivers and Conley fired shots at the car with Secoriea inside, killing her. Conley is charged with her murder. 

Julian Conley (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Julian Jamal Conley, 20, and 24-year-old Jerrion Amari McKinney pleaded not guilty to their charges.