Crime & Safety

No Deal for 3 of 4 Tillman Defendants

While Emanuel Boykins has agreed to plead guilty to murder, the possibility of the death penalty hangs over the others at the moment.

One of the four young men accused of killing Bobby Tillman in November agreed Tuesday to plead guilty to murder, but the other three charged in the attack have not made plea deals, Douglas County District Attorney David McDade said this morning.

Tillman was beaten and stomped to death at a party dozens of teenagers attended.

McDade said the evidence is "overwhelming" that Emanuel Boykins, 18, initiated the attack. Boykins therefore has agreed to plead guilty to murder June 29 to avoid the death penalty. A judge will sentence him at that time.

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"I believe he considered the evidence against him and doesn't want to take a chance," McDade said. "I think he has an excellent attorney. Jason Swindle did his job."

Boykins "will either get life without parole, which is what we have asked for, or life with paroleβ€”but that is up to the judge," McDade said.

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Under Georgia law, if Boykins gets life with parole, he will not be eligible for release for 30 years.

McDade gave Tillman's four accused attackers 90 days to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty. Read the Douglasville Patch story here.

Tracen Franklin and Horace Coleman, both 19, and Quantez Mallory, 18, let a reported Wednesday deadline pass without taking the deal, McDade said. "As of this moment, no one else has finalized an agreement."

Some believe today is technically the 90th day, he said.

"My goal is to find justice for the victim's family, especially Ms. (Monique) Rivarde," the victim's mother, McDade said. "She has been involved with this every step of the way. She has been completely invested in the process. I hope this will minimize the pain for her as much as possible.

"She's a strong woman. She just wants justice for her son."


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