A 21-year-old woman from Clayton County, Georgia, is playing the Good Samaritan card in court as she’s facing a possible murder charge after she shot and killed a 62-year-old man who had been involved in a hit and run.
Hannah Payne was driving her own car earlier this week, when she noticed another car hitting a parked vehicle and driving off. She engaged in a short pursuit and followed the car in a parking lot, where she pulled over in front of it, so as to block the driver from fleeing.
Inside the car was 62-year-old Kenneth Herring. Payne called the police but didn’t wait inside her vehicle for the cops to arrive. Instead, she took out her gun and went over to Herring, with whom she later got into some sort of argument. She then shot and killed the man on the spot.
In court the other day, Payne teared up hearing she would be held without bond, facing a possible murder without malice charge, WSB-TV2 informs. A video report is also available at the bottom of the page.
Meanwhile, Payne’s attorney is trying to make it sound as if she only acted this way out of the goodness of her heart. Payne is licensed to carry a gun, he insists.
“It just seems like an unfortunate situation of a good Samaritan trying to stop a person on a hit-and-run,” attorney Matt Tucker explains. Contrary to the police report, Tucker claims that Herring also hit Payne’s car before fleeing.
However, police and the victim’s family believe that Payne isn’t telling the whole truth. Eyewitnesses also heard her fighting with Herring right before she shot him, so her claim that her gun discharged accidentally doesn’t hold water.
Herring’s estranged wife says Payne deserves to go to jail for murder, arguing that she should have never left her car. She’s right about that: in all 911 calls, police urge people to stay put until officers arrive on the scene.
Inside the car was 62-year-old Kenneth Herring. Payne called the police but didn’t wait inside her vehicle for the cops to arrive. Instead, she took out her gun and went over to Herring, with whom she later got into some sort of argument. She then shot and killed the man on the spot.
In court the other day, Payne teared up hearing she would be held without bond, facing a possible murder without malice charge, WSB-TV2 informs. A video report is also available at the bottom of the page.
Meanwhile, Payne’s attorney is trying to make it sound as if she only acted this way out of the goodness of her heart. Payne is licensed to carry a gun, he insists.
“It just seems like an unfortunate situation of a good Samaritan trying to stop a person on a hit-and-run,” attorney Matt Tucker explains. Contrary to the police report, Tucker claims that Herring also hit Payne’s car before fleeing.
However, police and the victim’s family believe that Payne isn’t telling the whole truth. Eyewitnesses also heard her fighting with Herring right before she shot him, so her claim that her gun discharged accidentally doesn’t hold water.
Herring’s estranged wife says Payne deserves to go to jail for murder, arguing that she should have never left her car. She’s right about that: in all 911 calls, police urge people to stay put until officers arrive on the scene.