The sisters of Kenneth Herring were overwhelmed with emotion in the Clayton County, Georgia, courtroom when Hannah Payne, the woman accused of killing their sibling, was found guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 12, after they waited years for justice.
“When I heard the first verdict, I knew we weren’t supposed to show signs, but tears just started rolling down my face because at that moment I felt a relief that came over,” Jacqueline Herring told Fox 5 Atlanta.
A jury determined that Payne was guilty of malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, and three weapon possession charges for Herring’s death in 2019. Her sentencing is set for Friday, Dec. 15, and she potentially faces life in prison.
“The state did its job, and the jury did its job,” Herring’s other sister, Vicky, added.
Prosecutors argued Payne fatally shot Herring after he fled the scene of a car collision in which he was involved in metropolitan Atlanta. Witnesses, describing her approach as aggressive, said she followed the man through traffic and sparked a confrontation.
“I saw her at the driver’s side door of the vehicle, yelling obscenities for the man to get out of the car. It looks like she was trying to fight him through the window,” Ashley Jackson said in court, adding, “After she pulled the gun, she shot him and said,’ Now you need an ambulance.’ “
Prosecutors also claimed a 911 dispatcher ordered Payne not to trail him, but she failed to comply after getting his tag number. At one point, she suggested that he was intoxicated, but officials said he was experiencing a medical episode.
“You don’t get the death penalty for committing a traffic infraction,” Clayton County assistant district attorney Nigel Hunter told the media outlet. “Sixty-two-year-old Kenneth Herring, who was unarmed and minding his own business, was chased down, detained, shot, and murdered by this defendant.”
Payne’s attorney said she acted in self-defense and wanted to assist. In a statement to Atlanta News First, Matt Tucker said he is not pleased with the outcome and will file a motion for a new trial.
Leaders from the state NAACP, who have been supporting Herring’s family, agree with the verdict. They are keeping an eye out for her sentencing.
“I’m trying to understand how somebody felt they had the right to box somebody in and ultimately execute them on the side of the road,” Georgia NAACP president Gerald Griggs told the outlet, later adding, “Based on what Miss Payne was found guilty of, the lowest she can get is life with the possibility of parole. The highest she can get is life without the possibility of parole plus several decades more.”
