The Supreme Court of Georgia has upheld the murder conviction of an Augusta woman who confessed to shooting her estranged boyfriend.
Leslie McCord Harris pleaded guilty to murder and armed robbery in the Oct. 5, 2017, shooting death of Michael Anthony Davenport at a Gordon Highway motel. She was 42 at the time and Davenport was 50.
MORE: Columbia County Board of Education celebrates high school athletes
Harris entered the plea just ahead of an October 2019 court date in a plea deal to retain the possibility of parole in 30 years, rather than risk getting life without parole if a jury found her guilty. Richmond County Superior Court Judge Ashley Wright sentenced Harris to life plus five years.
A few weeks after pleading guilty, Harris attempted to withdraw her plea, saying her struggles with depression and bipolar disorder prevented her from entering a knowing and voluntary plea. Denied by the trial court, Harris appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court’s ruling.
Harris and Davenport had an on-and-off relationship fraught with conflict, according to court documents. He’d left their room at the Country Hearth motel after they had a fight and checked into the nearby Ramada Suites. A few days later, he had another woman over, according to court documents.
When the other woman left the room, Harris confronted her then went to Davenport’s room. Leaving after a half-hour in his truck with a duffle bag of items, Harris got her two daughters and the family’s belongings from the Country Hearth room, and left.
Ramada staff found Davenport’s body the next afternoon. It had three gunshot wounds. The motel safe, as well as Davenport’s personal safe, were open and empty.
Harris would later say she and Davenport shared ownership of the truck. Her mother, Juanita McCord, testified her daughter had been sick for 20 years with mental illness like she had. Harris “was all out of her mind,” McCord said.
The Supreme Court of Georgia looked at the manner in which Harris entered the pleas. In response to Wright’s questions about why she was pleading guilty, Harris said she “just wanted it over with” and avoid a jury trial.
Harris told the court she knew why she was there and understood what was going on. She said she was satisfied with her attorney and had discussed with him possible defenses they could raise at trial. Harris had said she was in court to “admit” to killing Davenport and understood it would result in a prison sentence.
In a unanimous decision, the state Supreme Court determined the trial court did not commit error in refusing to allow Harris to withdraw her plea and upheld the ruling.
