Judge denies new trial for man who killed Atlanta mayor’s nephew, adds more time to sentence

ATLANTA — The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said one of the men convicted of murdering Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ nephew has failed in a bid to get a new trial.

The DA’s office confirmed to Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne that not only did a judge rule against Rashad Barber’s motion for a new trial on Tuesday, the judge also added another 5 years to his sentence after the DA’s office showed Barber was incorrectly sentenced at the end of his trial in 2017.

Barber is one of at least two gunmen who fired toward Darius Bottoms’ car.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said Bottoms was an innocent victim of gang violence when he was shot in 2014 in a case of mistaken identity.

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“The victim is an absolute innocent,” Willis said in an earlier interview with Channel 2 Action News. “He was a college student. He worked a job at Home Depot.”

Investigators said the shooting was the culmination of an escalating and violent gang war because his car resembled someone else’s.

“Innocent lives get lost as long as this gang violence is going on,” Willis said.

Willis said the original judge in the case got bad advice, and Barber was improperly sentenced when it came to the gang and gun charges.

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Man convicted of killing Atlanta mayor's nephew is seeking a new trial Fulton DA Fani Willis said Darius Bottoms was an innocent victim of gang violence.

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