Home / Crime and Justice / Jury Decides Life Sentence in Alligator Murder Case
Jury Decides Life Sentence in Alligator Murder Case
1 Feb
Summary
- A jury chose life in prison over death for a 1998 child murder.
- The child was kidnapped and killed by alligators in the Everglades.
- The defendant was resentenced due to a change in sentencing laws.
A Miami-Dade jury has delivered a life sentence for Harrel Braddy, 76, who was convicted in the 1998 kidnapping and murder of five-year-old Quatisha Maycock. The child was tragically killed by alligators after Braddy abandoned her in the Everglades. This decision concludes a case that has spanned nearly three decades.
Braddy's initial death sentence in 2007 was overturned in 2017 due to legal requirements for a unanimous jury verdict. A subsequent resentencing trial, influenced by a 2023 Florida law that allows for the death penalty with an 8-4 vote, concluded with the jury opting for life imprisonment.
The crime occurred when Braddy attacked Quatisha's mother, Shandelle Maycock, after she asked him to leave her apartment. He then placed Shandelle in his car trunk, abandoning her before abducting Quatisha. Fearing identification, Braddy left the girl on Alligator Alley, where she was found days later, deceased.
During the trial, prosecutors highlighted Braddy's violent history, including previous convictions for robbery and kidnapping. His defense argued for leniency, citing his family ties, his health issues, and his portrayal as a generous man by neighbors and church members.
