Greenville – District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson announced this week that Kerwanda Mitchell was convicted of the killing of Greenville man, Sam Hurt, III. With trial set to begin on August 21, 2023, before Judge Carol White-Richard in the Circuit Court of Washington County, Mitchell chose instead to plead guilty to the charge brought against her.
Mitchell pled guilty to Manslaughter for her role in the shooting death of Sam Hurt III, and was sentenced to the statutory maximum penalty of (20) years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Mitchell was charged following a 2021 shooting on Ridge Avenue in Greenville, which left Sam Hurt, III deceased. The District Attorney’s Office expected to present trial testimony that the shooting occurred over personal issues between Mitchell and Hurt.
The case against Mitchell was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney M. Austin Frye, who expressed his gratitude towards the Greenville Police Department for their initiative and thoroughness in the investigation of Hurt’s death. Frye stated that “[O]fficers with GPD had apprehended Mitchell, located the gun used in Sam’s death, and other key evidence within minutes following the shooting. Additional witnesses from the area of the shooting also came forward to tell officers what they had seen.
The surge in community involvement, awareness and policing is exactly what’s needed to curb the violence in our streets, and citizens are becoming more and more vocal when it comes to solving crimes- for that, we as prosecutors are always thankful.”