Bond denied for woman accused of fatally shooting Black man after car crash
Georgia woman Hannah Payne decided to follow Kenneth Herring after he hit a truck and left the scene, which led to her shooting him, prosecutors say
A woman accused in the shooting death of a Black man left the scene of an automobile crash scene will remain in jail until her trial after being denied bond by a Clayton County, Ga., judge.
Hannah Payne, 22, broke down in tears in court on Friday as she listened to the tape that outlined the aftermath of a crash in May involving Kenneth Herring, 62, who hit a truck and fled the scene, according to Atlanta station WSB.
She was initially released on $100,000 bond, but was rearrested when a grand jury brought additional charges. After listening to the recording, the judge decided she will remain in jail until her trial.
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Payne who witnessed the crash, insisted in a 911 call that Herring was under the influence of alcohol when he hit a truck and caused minor damage. According to police, Herring was disoriented and had a medical emergency which is why he left the scene. A toxicology report reportedly revealed there were no drugs or alcohol in his system.
Payne however followed Herring in her vehicle, blocked him in, confronted him and then shot him dead, prosecutors say.
Payne cringed and cried when the 911 tape played out in court.
“OK ma’am, we ask you not to chase him,” the dispatcher says. “We want you to be safe.
“He is drunk. I’m not. I’m sorry, but I’m here to tell you I’m not not going to follow him because he is going to cause an accident,” Payne said to the dispatcher.
“Get out of the car! I said, get out of the car!” Payne can be heard screaming on the tape.
A scuffle can be heard before shots rang out.
“He just pulled the trigger on the gun in my hand!” Payne yells. A claim his family doesn’t believe.
“Ma’am, you were not supposed to follow him,” the dispatcher said in response.
Clayton County interim district attorney, John Fowler, called it a clear case of murder.
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“Instead of complying with law enforcement, this defendant directly disobeyed law enforcement, resulting in (Herring’s) death.”
Fowler confirmed that Herring wasn’t drunk and instead had a “medical emergency.”
“It was confirmed by our toxicology that he had nothing, no drugs or alcohol in his system.”
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