Georgia judge reopens case in death of 8-year-old girl

<p>A Juvenile Court judge in Carrollton, Ga., has reopened a case involving the killing of an 8-year-old girl in 2004, saying a recent confession by an 18-year-old warrants a new hearing for a neighborhood boy punished for the crime.</p><p>Judge Daniel Camp, in his order Tuesday, granted permission for lawyers in the case to meet next week to decide how they want to proceed. The other youth, 12 at the time of the killing, will continue to serve his sentence of at least two years of mental health treatment at a youth detention center.</p><p>"We expected the judge to rule this way," said Gerald Word, attorney for the 14-year-old. "This is exactly what we were looking for."</p><p>Amy Yates disappeared on the evening of April 26, 2004, while riding her bike to a friend's home at her Carroll County trailer park. She was found strangled hours later in a gully.</p><p>The 14-year-old was a neighbor of the girl. Last year, he avoided trial by agreeing to be adjudicated for a delinquent act of murder.</p><p>The 18-year-old, who authorities say is mentally disabled, confessed to the crime on Feb. 6. But authorities discounted his confession saying DNA evidence didn't match, a certified psychiatrist declared him incompetent, and the boy made an inaccurate statement involving the cause of death.</p><p>In his ruling, Camp said there were many details in his statements that did match evidence unknown to the general public.</p><p>The confession prompted the girl's parents to join the parents of the boy currently imprisoned in the death in calling for the case to be reopened. Word filed a motion requesting the judge to throw out the plea after the 18-year-old confessed to the killing.</p><p>Thomas Yates, Amy's father, said the family was relieved after the judge's decision.</p><p>"We can move forward with our lives now," Thomas Yates said. "As soon as we get this person put away, it'll bring more peace to us."</p><p>During an all-day hearing last week, the 18-year-old said he didn't commit the murder. But since the young man was on medication, Camp believes he wasn't competent enough to answer questions.</p><p>The judge said he does not find the 14-year-old innocent or the 18-year-old is a delinquent.</p><p>"This is a most unusual case," Camp said.</p>