'SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT'
Secoriea Turner murder suspect denies charges but turns himself in just hours before the 8-year-old girl is laid to rest
A SUSPECT charged in the death of Secoriea Turner two weeks ago denies he had anything to do with her murder — but turned himself in on Wednesday.
Julian Conley, 19, has been charged with and aggravated assault in the shooting that left the eight-year-old girl dead in , on July 4.
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was where was fatally shot by a police officer on June 12.
Authorities said a friend of the girl’s mom of armed people opened fire on their car.
issued two warrants on Wednesday for Conley's arrest and he turned himself in around 4.30pm.
His attorney, Jackie Patterson, said Conley was peacefully protesting and witnessed the shooting — but didn’t open fire, although he said he was armed.
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“It is no doubt this comes as a shock,” Patterson said. “Why would you want to charge a man who saw a crime but did not participate in a criminal act?”
“Police would have a better chance at winning the lottery than getting a conviction on my client.”
“Because I had him on TV, and now they want to charge him,” Patterson .
Conley turned himself in hours before Secoriea was laid to rest.
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Patterson said Conley saw himself and believed he needed to “set the record straight.”
“At the end of the day, I had nothing to do with it,” Conley told the news outlet. “I feel terribly sorry about what happened to Secoriea Turner.”
Conley said that on July 4, the man driving the car the eight-year-old was in drove through a barricade and hit a man holding a rifle.
“When that person fell to the ground, the person got up and started firing at that vehicle,” Patterson said.
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“He was in disbelief that people were shooting at the vehicle.”
that Conley claims there were "between three and four people" who fired on Secoriea's car.
"It was so much chaos," Patterson said Conley described the scene.
Conley said he doesn’t know the man’s identity, but police have said the shooters were two men.
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The girl’s parents have pleaded for the public to help them find out who killed Secoriea.
A total of $50,000 in reward money was offered for the apprehension and conviction of those responsible.
At her funeral on Wednesday, Secoriea was described as bringing joy to everyone around her.
An 8-year-old girl was shot and killed Saturday night in Atlanta near the Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks died last month
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When she began first grade, she walked into class with a unicorn backpack and “she was cute and bright with a smile to adore,” her teacher recalled.
“She sprinkled her magic all over the class, bringing laughter and joy to all of our faces,” she said. “Really, she made my heart smile and her life can teach us all a valuable lesson.”
“So the lesson from Secoriea today is to be a unicorn — find your magic, use your power, speak your truth, spread your wings, and share your shine.”
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