Conyers teen sentenced for bow and arrow death

<p>A Conyers teen who shot and killed a friend with a bow and arrow has been committed to serve two years in detention.</p><p>Paul David Nathaniel Mitchell was 14 last October when he shot 17-year-old Ross Creel with an arrow. Mitchell was target shooting in the back yard when he fired an arrow that struck Creel's chest, piercing his heart and lung.</p><p>Rockdale County Juvenile Court Judge William Schneider said Friday that Mitchell committed the act of involuntary manslaughter based upon reckless conduct.</p><p>Mitchell was 14 at the time of the incident, and two years is the maximum amount of time for a juvenile sentence. Mitchell originally faced adult felony murder charges, but those were dropped.</p><p>Mitchell testified on his own behalf and they were "just messing around" when the accident happened.</p><p>In his closing, defense attorney David LaMalva, who represented Mitchell along with attorney Paul Oeland, urged the court to "not label this young man for the rest of his life as a murderer."</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x28659f0)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/11/157392