NEWTON COUNTY – Last week the Georgia Supreme Court upheld a murder conviction and subsequent life sentence against Darnell Depriest.

Depriest was charged with the murder of his cousin and friend Ivan Lovejoy Williams in Oct. 2019. He was found guilty by a Newton County jury on charges including murder in Sept. 2021 and was sentenced to life in prison.

During his appeal, Depriest argued that the evidence brought against him “was inefficient to support the conviction,” according to a news release from the Newton County District Attorney’s Office, and that his trial attorney provided “ineffective assistance.” He also claimed the trial court failed “to properly instruct the jury on the law.”

The Supreme Court disagreed, stating the evidence was sufficient for Depriest’s conviction. 

The case and subsequent appeals were handled by chief assistant district attorney Amber Dally, assistant district attorney Briana Harges, investigator Colin Cunningham, victim advocate Gabby Arredondo and senior legal assistant Cindi Hendrix.