Thornton v. State

Sears, Justice.

Ronnie Thornton was convicted of the malice murder of Artealia Lavant; three counts of the felony murder of Artealia Lavant, the underlying felonies being two counts of cruelty to children and one count of aggravated battery; and one count of cruelty to children as to Cynthia Lavant. The jury recommended the death penalty for each of the four counts of murder, finding that each murder had been committed during the course of an aggravated battery, OCGA § 17-10-30 (b) (2), and that each murder was wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman in that it involved torture to the victim and…