Two men will spend the rest of their lives in prison for robbing and killing a teenager in Fulton County more than five years ago, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Jatavious Barnes and Jamarcus Parker, who each faced murder charges, were convicted Jan. 31 and sentenced to life in prison Monday in connection with the 2018 shooting death of 18-year-old Julius Thorne, according to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
The decision was long overdue for Thorne’s mother, who said it finally gave her partial closure and justice after several long years. The trial had been reportedly delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic and other factors.
“To have to wait this long, today is a good day,” Chenne Christopher told Channel 2 Action News. “It doesn’t take away from our loss, but it’s a huge weight that has been lifted.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
According to an indictment, Barnes and Parker were in a gang and intended to rob Thorne on June 30, 2018, at a Union City apartment complex. At some point during the exchange, Thorne was shot, the indictment said. He had $23 in his wallet at the time, the news station reported.