The incident occurred on May 7, 2019, when Hannah Payne witnessed Kenneth Herring causing a minor collision by running a red light.
Hannah Payne, a 25-year-old woman involved in a fatal altercation following a traffic incident, faced conviction on various charges, including felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and weapons possession in a Clayton County court
Hannah Payne, aiming to report his license plate number, pursued him but ended up in a physical confrontation. Witnesses presented conflicting testimonies, alleging that Hannah Payne aggressively engaged with Herring after the collision, ultimately leading to a fatal shooting. Despite Hannah Payne’s claims that she only intended to retrieve Herring’s plate number, witness accounts suggested a different sequence of events. According to reports, Hannah Payne brandished her gun, threatened Herring, and subsequently shot him, leading to his death.
During the trial, Hannah Payne contended that Herring exhibited signs of intoxication, and despite being advised by 911 operators against pursuit, she continued following him, believing she was assisting law enforcement. However, the situation escalated as she confronted Herring at an intersection, resulting in a physical struggle where she alleged Herring grabbed her and forced her to fire the weapon unintentionally.
The prosecution argued against Hannah Payne’s self-defense claim, stating that she initiated the confrontation and employed lethal force in a situation where it wasn’t warranted
The court deliberated for a brief period before delivering a guilty verdict, leaving Payne visibly distraught. Despite the defense portraying Hannah Payne as a well-intentioned individual caught in an unfortunate circumstance, the jury’s decision brought relief to Herring’s family, who expressed satisfaction with the outcome. The sentencing for Hannah Payne is scheduled for a later date, following a plea from her defense attorney to poll each juror after the verdict was announced.