An Alabama jury Friday evening convicted a woman of capital murder in the running death of her 9-year-old granddaughter.
Joyce Hardin Garrard faces a penalty of death or life without parole for the February 2012 death of Savannah Hardin.
Garrard is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday. Jurors will hear additional testimony and make a decision on whether to recommend life without parole or death. The final decision is up to the judge.
Authorities claimed the 49-year-old woman forced Savannah to run and carry wood for hours as punishment for a lie about candy. Savannah eventually had a seizure and died three days later in a hospital.
The defense denied the woman meant the girl any harm, but jurors rejected that claim.
Garrard had testified she only made the girl pick up sticks in her yard as punishment the day of her collapse. Garrard testified that the girl did run, but only as practice for races at school.
Prosecutors contended that Garrard refused to let Savannah stop running even after the girl was vomiting and begging for an end to the exercise. In court, they cited a school bus surveillance video that captured Garrard saying she would run the girl and teach her a lesson.
Assistant District Attorney Carol Griffith said Garrard killed the child intentionally by berating her and making her run around the yard picking up sticks
"She was tortured," Griffith said.
http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2015/03/alabama_grandma_found_guilty_f.html#incart_river
Joyce Hardin Garrard faces a penalty of death or life without parole for the February 2012 death of Savannah Hardin.
Garrard is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday. Jurors will hear additional testimony and make a decision on whether to recommend life without parole or death. The final decision is up to the judge.
Authorities claimed the 49-year-old woman forced Savannah to run and carry wood for hours as punishment for a lie about candy. Savannah eventually had a seizure and died three days later in a hospital.
The defense denied the woman meant the girl any harm, but jurors rejected that claim.
Garrard had testified she only made the girl pick up sticks in her yard as punishment the day of her collapse. Garrard testified that the girl did run, but only as practice for races at school.
Prosecutors contended that Garrard refused to let Savannah stop running even after the girl was vomiting and begging for an end to the exercise. In court, they cited a school bus surveillance video that captured Garrard saying she would run the girl and teach her a lesson.
Assistant District Attorney Carol Griffith said Garrard killed the child intentionally by berating her and making her run around the yard picking up sticks
"She was tortured," Griffith said.
http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2015/03/alabama_grandma_found_guilty_f.html#incart_river
Aime only needed help with carrying woods, the little girl didnt obey orders and created big mess.she ate all candies 
away from Miki
