TWO DEFENDANTS CONVICTED IN 2003 DRIVE-BY SHOOTING

Mother of Four Mistakenly Killed in Convoluted Child Support Dispute

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announces the conviction of defendants John Philpot and Ernest Glass, Jr. of Atlanta in Fulton County Superior Court Tuesday, December 12th. Each defendant was convicted on one count of malice murder, 2 counts of felony murder, 5 counts of aggravated assault and 3 counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Defendant Lizzie Philpot was acquitted.

On July 10, 2003, 27-year-old Philpot, his sister Lizzie, and 30-year-old Glass drove to the home of Troy Mitchell—at 328 Sawtell Avenue, Atlanta—to confront him about support payments for a child Mitchell fathered with Lizzie. The 28-year-old Lizzie was angry that Mitchell had presented her with a stuffed gorilla and $100 instead of the $500 she asked for. Mitchell, his wife and three friends were outside on the lawn and porch of his home when the defendants drove by. They fired into the group standing outside attempting to hit Mitchell. Instead a bullet pierced the heart of Lisa Mosby, an innocent bystander. She was the mother of four children.

This case was tried by Senior Assistant District Attorney Fani Willis. She was assisted in the investigation and prosecution of the case by Fulton County DA Investigator Steve Barresi and APD lead Detective Steve Balkom, now retired.

The mandatory sentence for these convictions is life in prison. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane is expected to impose at sentence at a hearing January 9, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn, 404.730-6860 (office); 770.597.6963 (cell); lyn.vaughn@co.fulton.ga.us