On May 10, 2024, a Coweta County jury found Derrious Bernard Daniel, 22, of Grantville, Georgia, guilty of felony murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, three counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The charges relate to the shooting death of Dustin Scott Parrott on February 17, 2023, in Newnan, Georgia.
Following the trial and sentencing hearing, Coweta Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Emory Palmer sentenced Daniel to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Assistant District Attorney Magen Bateman prosecuted the case which was investigated by Newnan Police Department Detective Kenneth Horace. Members of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene and provided immediate assistance.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on February 17, 2023, Parrott and two males drove into Newnan with the intention of selling marijuana. Under the pretense of purchasing marijuana from them, Daniel approached their car armed with a firearm intending to rob them. Evidence included text messages and witness testimony.
Upon reaching the car occupied by Parrott and his companions, Daniel brandished his firearm and attempted to take a firearm possessed by Parrott. When Parrott refused to let go of his weapon, he was shot and killed. Daniel was also charged with aggravated assault against the two surviving occupants of the vehicle and received an additional twenty years in prison for each count.
"This is yet another case of young men committing felonies that resulted in a homicide," said an official involved in the case. "There were no fully innocent parties in this case; everyone involved has experienced consequences."
The official added: "One man lost his life while attempting to deal drugs with a firearm and another will spend the rest of his life in prison. They both could have chosen not to involve themselves with felony crimes that day."