Across Georgia

Life sentence for woman in killing 11-year-old

MCDONOUGH, Ga. - A Henry County judge has sentenced a Stockbridge woman to life in prison after convicting her of murdering her 11-year-old stepdaughter.

The woman, 43-year-old Charlott Reaves, was convicted Monday in a bench trial in the death of Joella Reaves in 2003. She had agreed to let Judge Wade Crumbley decide her case in return for the prosecution not seeking the death penalty.

Her husband, Rodney Reaves, was convicted earlier of felony murder, aggravated battery and cruelty to children and was sentenced to life in prison.

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Joella's body testified that she had more than 100 wounds over her head, face, back and buttocks.

The parents claimed most of Joella's injuries were self-inflicted or came from accidents.

Consent order signed over discarded voter records

ATLANTA - Fulton County elections officials have signed a consent order with the state admitting they unlawfully disposed of 30 boxes of voter documents in 2007.

The consent order signed Monday requires the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections to conduct semiannual audits. The county must also pay a $20,000 civil penalty and another $100,000 into a fund to pay for independent audits.

The boxes were found in a trash bin at Atlanta Technical College. They contained about 75,000 voter registration application cards and 24,000 precinct cards. Many of the documents contained personal information on active voters, such as full names and Social Security numbers.

Secretary of State Karen Handel called the behavior of Fulton County officials "reckless."