A Mississippi man accused of killing family members and a sheriff's deputy could be facing the death penalty. MPB's Ashley Norwood reports from the Lincoln County courthouse.
Rows of family members are quietly crying while Assistant District Attorney Brendon Adams recalls the events of May 27th that took the lives of eight people in Lincoln County.
Willie Cory Godbolt appeared for an arraignment in Brookhaven yesterday. He stared at the ceiling, hands and feet shackled, as Adams read the twelve count indictment. The indictment includes four counts of capital murder and four counts of first-degree murder. He is also charged with two counts of kidnapping, attempted murder, and armed robbery.
Lincoln County Circuit Judge David Strong asked Godbolt to respond to the indictment. Godbolt's attorney Jason Tate replied.
"Mr. Godbolt to the charges in the indictment, how do you now wish to plead," Strong asked. "Your honor, he enters not-guilty to all charges," said Tate.
District Attorney Dee Bates says the state of Mississippi will be seeking the death penalty on all capital counts.
"We told the court what we were going to pursue, which would be the death penalty, and just going over discovery issues. The next court date will be set, which is in May, and we will determine what we actually have and what we don't have," said Bates.
Bates says authorities are waiting on the final results of four autopsies as well as gun ballistic data turned over to Godbolt's defense before the case can move forward. Family members of the eight victims declined to comment. The next hearing is scheduled for May 3rd.
Ashley Norwood, MPB News.
