Jazzy Huff requests new trial
Business owner sentenced for killing employee fights to have conviction overturned
ALBANY, GA – After months of preparation, Jazzy Huff’s legal counsel finally went before Dougherty County Judge Denise Marshall asking for a new trial.
“I’m arguing that the state didn’t prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and I am asking you to sit as the 13th juror,” said Randall Sharp, Huff’s legal counsel.
Back in August of 2019, Huff shot and killed his employee Zenas Lee Davis after the two got into a dispute over a $20 paycheck at a Downtown Albany office building. Huff says he acted in self-defense.
“Mr. Davis continues to come towards my client Mr. Huff in what we would consider an aggressive manner. That leads us to the third stage in which my client pulls the trigger and shoots Mr. Davis,” said Sharp.
Thursday, the defense raised legal concerns about former members of the jury interacting with the victim’s family during the trial.
“The jurors are instructed that they can’t speak to anyone in and around the courthouse, and what occurs is during jury deliberations the bailiffs go outside and see Mr. Davis’ family congregating with the jurors during deliberations,” said Sharp.
According to Sharp, there were also prosecutorial missteps along the way in convicting Huff.
“They had their lead investigator, Sgt. Hutchins testify that the way that Mr. Huff would be holding the firearm is the same way that people who commit armed robberies. Again, something that has nothing to do with this case,” says Sharp.
Cell phone video which captured the killing is cited by Huff’s attorney as proof of his self-defense claim. South Georgia Television is choosing not to show the video due to its graphic nature.
“What the truth is, Mr. Huff was a business owner who was employing people who were down on their luck such as Mr. Davis who knew that these people may have had felony convictions but we are still going to bring them on. But Mr. Edwards did everything he could to bring in bad character evidence into this trial,” said Sharp.
Thursday, Huff’s lawyer Randall Sharp questioned Jazzy’s previous counsel Phil Cannon, who admits he made a mistake by not objecting to the character assassinations made against Huff by Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards.
“Any derivative of the word gang is an awful connotation and it’s something that should be left out of any trial that is not a gang related trial. And if I missed it, I was wrong,” said Phil Cannon, Huff’s previous attorney.
The state cross examined Cannon Thursday,
Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards says his office will be filing a response as soon as they get court transcripts from Thursday’s hearing. South Georgia Television News will be sure to provide you with updates.
