DA asks for death penalty in 2009 murder in Lauderdale County
RIPLEY, TN - (WMC-TV) - A Lauderdale County circuit judge arraigned 27 people Tuesday morning in Ripley, Tennessee.
Of those 27, four will face the death penalty.
Authorities say those four - Mya Dewalt, Larico Farmer, Jamell Faulkner and Sammie Haley - are responsible for the 2009 murder of Jonathan Cannon of Gates, Tennessee.
"It definitely wasn't him. I'd put my life on it," said Farmer's grandmother, Katheryn Farmer.
Farmer said her grandson and the three others charged with Cannon's murder didn't commit the crime.
District Attorney Mike Dunavant says this is only the second time he's asked for the death penalty since taking office.
"We want to achieve justice for Jonathan Cannon and the Cannon family," Dunavant said. "We want to bring these offenders to justice who were identified as responsible for Cannon's murder."
Authorities didn't release many details about Cannon's murder, but court documents show Cannon's murder was heinous, atrocious and cruel. Documents also show the four arrested and charged hoped to avoid arrest.
Farmer and Haley also had a previous criminal history.
"Larico told me when all this stuff started three or four years ago," his grandmother said. "He said before he'd kill someone, he'd kill himself."
Sammie Haley was trailed by postal police back in November, after police thought he may be connected to the double murder at the Henning post office.
Now Haley and three others are facing death in a totally unrelated crime. They are set to face a judge again October 28th.
http://www.wmctv.com/story/15668931/...derdale-county
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