Judge Issues Ruling In Lanier Shooting Death

A judge’s ruling says that a teen charged with murder in Stephens County is not guilty by reason of insanity.

Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Russell Smith issued the order on September 3 as a non-jury verdict.

The teen was charged in the death of 46-year-old Kim Lanier on September 29, 2014.

Authorities had alleged that the teen shot and killed Lanier, his mother, on that morning at their Prather Bridge Road residence.

An indictment from a Stephens County grand jury last Fall had charged the teen with Malice Murder, Felony Murder, and Aggravated Assault in connection with the death.

In his ruling, Judge Smith says that the Court is ordering the teen to be detained in a state mental health facility, to be selected by the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities for the purpose of evaluating his present mental condition.

Upon completion of the evaluation, the ruling calls for a report to be sent to Judge Smith, along with attorneys for both the prosecution and the defense.