STATESBORO, Ga. — There are new developments in the case of a man convicted of shooting a 17-year-old girl on a Georgia bypass.
Marc Wilson was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Wednesday for killing Haley Hutcheson in Statesboro in 2020.
On Thursday, Wilson’s attorneys stood by their claim that the shooting was in self-defense.
Channel 2 Action News was the only news station there as defense attorneys held a news conference in downtown Atlanta.
They said they plan to file an appeal because they believe Wilson was defending himself against a group of teenagers yelling racial slurs. However, prosecutors disagree.
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There wasn’t a dry eye in the Statesboro courtroom when a jury found 23-year-old Wilson guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 17-year-old Hutcheson.
Wilson was found not guilty on the more serious felony murder and aggravated assault charges.
“Yesterday’s verdict spoke part of the truth and that’s very clear,” said attorney Mawuli Davis.
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Wilson told police he went to pick up food with his white girlfriend from a Taco Bell in June 2020.
He said a group of teenagers then drove up, tried to run his car off the road and started yelling racial slurs.
“He warned them, they kept coming. They were the aggressors in this situation,” attorney Nefertara Clark said.
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The situation took a deadly turn when Wilson fired a gun at the car, striking Hutcheson in the head. She later died.
Prosecutors said Wilson was not justified and could have escaped if he was being harassed by another driver.
“A young man had no duty to retreat after being attacked, chased — an attempt on his life. We want the world to know that this battle continues. This legal battle, this community battle...this political battle,” Davis said.
Prosecutors argued in closing remarks that Wilson “introduced the firearm, and introduced the bullets, which makes it a felony murder.” The jury didn’t accept that argument.
Wilson will be sentenced on the involuntary manslaughter charge on Sept. 20.
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