Disturbing Conviction Provides Example of the Law of Necrophilia in Georgia

Wallace Muhammed was found guilty and convicted of the following offenses:

• Murder in Georgia
• Aggravated Assault in Georgia
• Burglary in Georgia
• Necrophilia in Georgia

Muhammed pleaded not guilty, but according to the Atlanta Police Department, he made a full confession after the crime was committed in 2013 in Fulton County.

The jury found that he was guilty of breaking in a motel room in Southwest Atlanta and strangling a 60-year-old woman, Linda Jarrard. They then determined that he broke a bone in her neck causing a brain hemorrhage.

All of this is disturbing, but the story does get worse. The jury then found that he had sex with her corpse before burning her body in the motel room's bathtub with a cigarette lighter. 

His DNA was recovered from a sexual assault kit used by the GBI. Muhammed has been sentenced to life without parole plus 40 years.

Necrophilia in Georgia

Georgia law defines necrophilia as:

A person commits the offense of necrophilia when he performs any sexual act with a dead human body involving the sex organs of the one and the mouth, anus, penis, or vagina of the other. O.C.G.A. § 16-6-7.

A conviction of necrophilia is a felony conviction. It will be punished by a prison term between one and ten years. 

Practice Note

Most people automatically assume guilt when it comes to Sex Crimes in Georgia - especially crimes such as necrophilia or bestiality in Georgia. These sex crimes are not as common as others and the idea of them alone are highly troubling.

The reality is that sex crimes - even abnormal ones - are not unlike other crimes. Just like less offensive crimes, some people are wrongfully accused and charged. People tend to judge people accused of these crimes as if they are guilty from the moment of the accusation. 

No one should be assumed guilty just because they have been accused of crime. Presumption of innocence is a legal right.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Georgia, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer today. If you believe that you or a loved one has been wrongly accused or that if there was a misunderstanding, you need representation. It is so important to understand that a charge is not the same as a conviction. Don't wait. Contact us today so that we can begin working on your best defense.