Dalton Drug Dealer Gets Life

A Whitfield County, Georgia jury convicts Ryan Darville and sends him to jail for life.

Late Friday night Ryan Darville was found guilty of murder, felony murder, attempted robbery, and conspiracy to effect the sale and distribution of marijuana.

Police say Darville shot 19-year-old Tommy Canavan, who was sitting in a car with his Georgia College and State University roommate, Allen Norris, and two friends in the parking lot of an apartment complex on July 7, 2006.

Canavan's father, Steve Canavan, declined comment.

Darville's father, Weston Darville, said the sentencing is the result of prejudice.

Darville and two people who were with him the night of the shooting are black, while Canavan, Norris and their friends are white. The jury of nine women and three men were all white.

"It was rotten from the start," Darville said about the trial.

On Monday before the trial started, Tyler Brackett, Allen Norris and his brother, Andrew, who were all in the car with Canavan, pleaded guilty to making false statements. The Norris brothers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to effect the sale and distribution of marijuana.

Jermaine Spivey, who owned the car Darville in when the shooting happened, and Rita Miller, who was also with Darville the night of the shooting, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to effect the sale and distribution of marijuana. Marco Bautista, who admitted to setting up the deal, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to effect the sale and distribution of marijuana.

All six are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16.