Barnesville.com

Braley died lonely but well-funded

Posted by

in News

Friday, March 5. 2010

Comments (12)

When he hung himself on Georgia's death row early on New Year's Day, Leeland Mark Braley had not had a visitor who was not an attorney in two and a half years.

Braley was not forgotten, however. His inmate account was kept flush with cash in the years since his conviction on Aug. 9, 1999 for the brutal murder of Zebulon insurance agent Kelli Hammond. [Full Story »]

Pike killer's death row suicide confirmed

Posted by

Walter Geiger

in News

Friday, January 1. 2010

Comments (53)

UPDATE: Nearly 24 hours after The Herald-Gazette and The Pike County Journal-Reporter first broke this story, the Georgia Department of Corrections has finally confirmed that Leeland Mark Braley hung himself in his cell on death row. He was found dead at 5:12 a.m. New Years Day.

Our sister publication, The Journal-Reporter, learned Friday via anonymous sources at the Georgia Diagnostic Prison in Butts County that convicted killer Leeland Mark Braley committed suicide by hanging himself on death row overnight Dec. 31 - Jan. 1.
[Full Story »]

Man faces lethal injection for murder

Posted by

Staff Writer

in Crime

Thursday, August 27. 2009

Comments (45)

Leeland Braley is the only prisoner on Georgia’s death row for a Pike County crime.

Braley was convicted of killing Kelli Hammond during a robbery at her Zebulon insurance agency in September 1998. Braley, whose trial was held in Monroe County, was condemned to the ultimate punishment despite pleas from his lawyer to spare his life.

Defense attorney Tammy Jacobs told jurors, “Executing Lee Braley won’t bring Kelli Hammond back. The death penalty has not stopped senseless killings. Mercy can be yours. My client was never violent before this episode.”

Hammond was the daughter of former county commission chairman Jerry Hammond and well-loved local teacher Cheryl Hammond.
[Full Story »]