Secoriea Turner murder suspect to appear in court for hearing
ATLANTA - A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday for the man accused of the death of Secoriea Turner.
The 8-year-old girl was shot and killed in July of 2020 while riding in a car with her family in Atlanta.
The preliminary hearing was supposed to take place in June but that changed with the defense attorney for 20-year-old Julian Conley stepped down from the case due to a conflict of interest.
According to police, Turner was riding in a Jeep with her mother and an adult friend when they turned off the Downtown Connector onto University Avenue slightly on the night of July 4, 2020. Protestors had recently erected illegal barricades, according to authorities, encircling a nearby Wendy's that became a gathering point after Rayshard Brooks' death at the hands of an Atlanta police officer.
When the driver attempted to enter a liquor store parking lot on the 1200 block of Pryor Road, police say he was confronted by a group of armed individuals who had blocked the entrance. Authorities said at least two men fired multiple times at the vehicle, hitting Turner.
Justin Conley, 20, is facing charges in connection to Secoria Turner's death.
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Ever since the shooting, the family of the little girl has asked themselves why she had to die.
"We have to look him in his face and see him and get answers to possible why would you do this?" Secoriea's great aunt April Turner told the press, her voice shaking.
Atlanta police revealed in June that Conely was also charged with another gun crime at the same location on that same day.
Police say Conley, who was then 19 years old, and 19-year-old Jerrion McKinney pointed assault-style AR-15's at another person that day.
"Minutes before Secoria Turner was shot, there was another car that came through who were assaulted with weapons and they were victims as well," Turner family attorney Mawuli Davis said.
RELATED: Family of Secoriea Turner sues city of Atlanta, Wendy's for her death
The girl's family says they still have many questions about why this happened and why Secoriea was a victim. They hope to get some answers Tuesday.
The preliminary hearing is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.
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