DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — Two mothers -- scarred behind of the loss of their children -- stood before a courtroom Friday to give passionate statements as some of the suspects accused in a 2023 Douglasville shooting appeared in court for a plea hearing.
Two of the defendants -- Noah Bradley and Michael Williams -- who faced charges behind the shooting that took place at a Sweet 16 party last year were sentenced in court Friday.
Two teens -- 14-year-old Ajanaye Hill and 15-year-old Samuel Moon -- were killed in the incident. Beverly La Fleur, Moon's mother, got emotional as soon as she introduced herself to the court.
"What does a mother say to somebody who was party to a crime that killed her 15-year-old baby," she said passionately.
"I have no words for you -- none," Le Fleur said as Bradley, who pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, stood just a few feet away from her.
"Because it is just utter disgust when I think of your name now that I am seeing you. May God have mercy on your soul."
Moon's aunt, Marissa Fonda, also spoke in court, saying the teen was more than a nephew to her.
"While y'all were running away, we had to plan a funeral instead of his 16th birthday," she said.
"You know his blood is still in that spot where he lay in the driveway for hours -- for hours! And y'all didn't even hit your target. That's the worst part."
She said they will never understand the hurt her family has endured.
The shooting happened on Sitka Drive and Talkeetna Road on March 4, 2023. More than 100 teenagers were attending the party. Authorities said the homeowners shut down the party as it grew out of control. The shooting then occurred about 50 yards away in the street of the cul-de-sac. Police said Hill and Moon were not the intended targets.
The mother of Hill, Chanell White, addressed Bradley directly in the courtroom.
"Noah, you knew what you was doing, you knew what you was getting yourself into, moving forward, I pray that you choose your friends wisely."
White said she has a hole in her heart behind the loss.
"I can't sleep, I don't eat, I'm not working, you knew what you was doing, and you was gonna run for a whole year. You saw the news. She have a twin brother. She have a 12-year-old (sibling). I think about your actions next time."
Ajanaye's twin brother also spoke about his loss as the court addressed Williams' charges. He started off by saying losing is sister has been hard.
"Going through the school year without her was really not the same. Us being twins, going to school everyday, it wasn't the same last year. "It really took a big effect on my family," he said.
He said this could have been prevented. When his mother returned to the front of the courtroom to speak, she tearfully opened up about the loss once again.
"You knew what you were doing," she said. "I'm holding you accountable."
Moon's loved ones, including his sisters, also spoke to Williams.
His sister Catherine turned to the other defendants in court at one point and said to them collectively: "What is wrong with you? My brother is dead, and you bragged... you took something that meant everything to me."
Moon's mother said she has a wave of emotions.
"It's from anger, sadness, feeling sorry for the defendants as spiritual beings," she said. "But as a human mother of Samuel Micah Moon, may the devil have no mercy on your souls."
There were at least seven people arrested in connection with the crime.
Bradley pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault - party to the crime. As part of a plea agreement, he will spend five years in prison with another 15 years after that on probation. He was sentenced under first offender provisions and may have no contact with living victims of the shooting or victims' families or any co-defendants in the case.
Bradley also agreed to testify in any future trial on this case.
Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of felony murder, nine counts of aggravated assault and one count of violating Georgia's Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. His negotiated plea was for a life sentence with the possibility of parole, plus five years. He could have faced multiple life sentences without parole at a trial. The plea did not require him to testify at any future trials.
Two other defendants who were in court -- Tahkel Beverly-Smart and Kingston Cottman --rejected the state's offer during the plea hearing and will stand trial next month. They both face multiple charges, including counts of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.
Prosecutors outlined some of the history of the case in court Friday.
They said the suspects who pleaded guilty, as well as others in the case, were members or associates of the Doubleback Gang, or DBG. Prosecutors said a DBG member had recently died, and the members who went to the party on March 4, 2023, were intending to fight anyone who had something negative to say about the dead gang member.
Prosecutors further said they made contact with a teen at the party, who told them about a 17-year-old who had posted negative comments about the dead gang member. They approached to fight him in masks and began pistol-whipping him.
A 15-year-old girl tried to break up the fight, at which point multiple suspects in the case began firing into the crowd.
The trials for Beverly-Smart and Cottman are set to begin on Sept. 30.