SHOOTER CONVICTED IN DEATH OF SPELMAN STUDENT JASMINE LYNN, SENTENCED TO LIFE

State vs. Devonni Benton

Atlanta- In a case that garnered national attention and became a focal point in Atlanta's 2009 Mayoral campaigns, a Fulton County Jury has convicted 21-year old Devonni Benton of Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony for the shooting death of Spelman College student Jasmine Lynn.

Jasmine Lynn was shot September 3, 2009 on the campus of Clark Atlanta University while walking home to her Spelman dormitory. On the night of the incident, a fight erupted between two groups of young men over "mean muggin'" or dirty looks. Devonni Benton, who was involved in the altercation, fired six shots into the crowd as he ran away. Lynn was struck in the chest as she attempted to dodge the gunfire and died a short time later at Grady Memorial Hospital. A second student from Clark Atlanta University suffered a gun shot wound to the arm and survived his injuries. Benton claimed he was not the shooter and pointed the finger at another man. The State not only refuted that theory but presented evidence and testimony contradicting several statements made by Devonni Benton during the investigation, including his whereabouts that night, the people he was with and the style of his hair. Several witnesses identified Benton as the shooter with the "red mohawk", which he cut just a few days after the shooting.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford, who presided over the case, sentenced Benton to life plus 25-years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Ross with assistance from ADA Pat Dutcher. DA Investigator Marshall English and Homicide Detective David Quinn of the Atlanta Police Department conducted the criminal investigation.

Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov