SCOGA to hear appeal by convicted Hall Co. 'Valentine's Day' murderer

ATLANTA - The Supreme Court of Georgia (SCOGA) Monday is scheduled to hear an appeal of the conviction and life sentence given one of Hall County's "Valentine's Day" murderers. It is also to hear an appeal in a Lumpkin County murder case.<br /> <br /> Lynitra McKale Ross was convicted two years ago for her part in arranging the murder of Richard Schoeck, a metro Atlanta man, who was gunned down in a murder-for-hire on Valentine's Day 2010 at Belton Bridge Park. The killing was orchestrated by Schoek's wife, Stacey Morgan Schoeck, who had become convinced her husband was molesting her two minor sons.<br /> <br /> Ross was convicted of putting Stacey Schoeck in touch with the eventual hit man, Reginald Coleman. Schoeck and Coleman pleaded guilty and like, Ross, are serving life sentences.<br /> <br /> Ross is appealing her murder conviction and sentence on the grounds that the trial court erred in refusing to suppress cell phone records that were a part of the state's case.<br /> <br /> Prosecutors say, however, the trial court was correct in denying the motion because the court order for the phone records complied with Georgia law.<br /> <br /> <b>LUMPKIN COUNTY CASE</b><br /> <br /> In the Lumpkin County case, Steven Frederick Spears is appealing the conviction and death sentence he received seven years ago for strangling to death his former girlfriend, Sherri Holland.<br /> <br /> Holland's body was found at her house by police who had been called when some of her family members became concerned because they could not locate her. Authorities began looking for Spears and found him within a matter of days and he confessed to killing Holland because he thought she had been unfaithful to him while they had been dating. <br /> <br /> The document from the state's high court said that Spears told officers he had devised four ways of killing Holland; he ultimately strangled her after breaking into her home.<br /> <br /> In his appeal, Spears contends the trial court made 11 errors, with the first four being jury-related. But, the prosecution contend the trial court acted appropriately, even in qualifying four jurors who expressed support for the death penalty because they also said they would consider all three sentencing options. Nor did the judge err, the state says, in excusing from jury duty two prospective jurors who expressed doubt that they could sentence someone to death. <br />

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