Defendant Willie Cory Godbolt, center, reacts after he is sentenced to death for each of four counts of capital murder at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Pictured with Godbolt are defense attorneys Alison Steiner, left, and Katherine Poor, right. On Tuesday, Godbolt was convicted of killing eight people in May 2017, in Brookhaven. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
MAGNOLIA, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi man was given four death sentences by a jury on Thursday, hours after he spoke in court and blamed the devil for his actions the night eight people were shot to death.
Willie Cory Godbolt, 37, was convicted Tuesday of the May 2017 slayings of eight people. Four of the convictions were for murder, which carry a sentence of life in prison. Four other convictions were for capital murder - a killing committed along with another felony.
Capital murder is punishable by the death penalty, but jurors must agree unanimously to set that as the punishment. Without unanimous agreement, the judge would set sentences of life in prison.
The unanimous decisions for the death penalty were handed down after the same jurors who convicted Godbolt heard testimony from several people Wednesday and Thursday during the penalty phase of the trial, the Daily Leader reported.
Godbolt gave a rambling speech full of religious references in court Thursday, and at one point a spectator seated among the victims' families yelled at him to shut up, the Enterprise-Journal reported.
Godbolt said he had prayed to be a better man, 'œbut the devil came to kill and destroy. He wasn't going to let that be.'ť
On Wednesday, jurors heard from victims' relatives, including the widow of a deputy sheriff who was shot to death while responding to a domestic disturbance call and the mother of a teenager who was slain at another home.
Investigators said that on May 27, 2017, Godbolt went to his in-laws' home and argued with his estranged wife about their children. The deputy, Godbolt's mother-in-law and two other people were killed there. In the early hours of the next day, two young people were killed in a second house, and a married couple was killed in a third house.
"My life came to a screeching halt,'ť Godbolt said earlier Thursday, describing that night. 'œI couldn't fight the battle that was raging inside me.'ť
He quoted words spoken by Jesus on the cross: 'œ'My Lord, My Lord, why hast thou forsaken me?''ť
He said he thought his daughter was in in danger from other relatives, and a woman in the audience screamed; 'œCory, just shut up! Just stop!'ť
Circuit Judge David Strong halted proceedings and family members were led out of the courtroom.
Dr. Matt Mendel, a clinical psychologist from Raleigh, North Carolina, had testified Thursday that he interviewed Godbolt and several of his relatives on behalf of the defense. When Godbolt was 17, his stepmother shot and killed his father, which 'œled to enormous anger and resentment, especially toward women,'ť Mendel said.
Cora Edwards and her husband, Rev. Eugene Edwards, react after Willie Cory Godbolt is sentenced to death for each of four counts of capital murder at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Their grandsons Austin Edwards and Jordan Blackwell were killed during Godbolt's rampage that left eight people dead in May 2017, in Brookhaven. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Tressie Hall Durr, the widow of Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy William Durr, speaks to the media, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss., following the sentencing of Willie Cory Godbolt, who murdered the deputy as well as seven other people in 2017. Godbolt was sentenced to death on four capital murder charges and life for the remaining four murder charges. He was also sentenced for attempted murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Christianna May Kelly, left, is comforted by her aunt Shonda May as she speaks to the media, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss., following the sentencing of Willie Cory Godbolt, who murdered her mother and stepfather, Sheila and Ferral Burage, as well as six other people in 2017. Godbolt was sentenced to death on four capital murder charges and life for the remaining four murder charges. He was also sentenced for attempted murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Shayla Edwards, mother of Austin Edwards, speaks to the media, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss., following the sentencing of Willie Cory Godbolt, who murdered her son and nephew as well as six other people in 2017. Godbolt was sentenced to death on four capital murder charges and life for the remaining four murder charges. He was also sentenced for attempted murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Defense attorneys Alison Steiner, left, Katherine Poor, center, and their client, defendant Willie Cory Godbolt, foreground, react to an outburst in the Pike County courtroom gallery by his ex-wife, while Godbolt addressed the jury during the penalty phase of his capital murder trial, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in Magnolia, Miss. Godbolt, who gave a rambling speech full of religious references in court, was convicted Tuesday of killing eight people in May 2017, in Brookhaven. On Thursday, he was given four death sentences. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Lawmen, left, step up as defendant Willie Cory Godbolt, 37, right, reacts to a gallery outburst by his ex-wife in the Pike County courtroom, while addressing the jury during the penalty phase of his capital murder trial, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in Magnolia, Miss. Godbolt, who gave a rambling speech full of religious references in court, was convicted Tuesday of killing eight people in May 2017, in Brookhaven. On Thursday, he was given four death sentences. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Defendant Willie Cory Godbolt, 37, addresses the jury during the penalty phase of his capital murder trial, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss. Godbolt, who gave a rambling speech full of religious references in court, was convicted Tuesday of killing eight people in May 2017, in Brookhaven. He was given four death sentences Thursday, hours after he spoke in court and blamed the devil for his actions the night eight people were shot to death.(Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Lincoln County Circuit Deputy Clerk Jackie Bates reads the jury's verdict of guilty on all 12 counts Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, on Day 10 of the capital murder trial of Willie Cory Godbolt at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss. Godbolt, 37, is on trial, for the May 2017 shooting deaths of eight people in Brookhaven. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Prosecuting attorney Brendan Adams shows photos of some of the victims during closing statements to the sentencing phase of Willie Cory Godbolt's capital murder trial, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in Magnolia, Miss. Godbolt was convicted Tuesday of killing eight people in May 2017, in Brookhaven. On Thursday, he was given four death sentences by the jury, in addition to other sentencing given by the judge. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press
Tressie Durr, the widow of Lincoln County deputy sheriff William Durr, right, delivers her victim impact testimony, before jurors, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, on Day 11 during the penalty phase of Willie Cory Godbolt's capital murder trial at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Miss. Godbolt, 37, is on trial, for the May 2017 shooting deaths of eight people in Brookhaven. (Donna Campbell/The Daily Leader via AP, Pool)
The Associated Press