A Georgia teen who smirked while being arrested for murdering a 14-year-old boy outside a high school football game has now learned what accountability looks like. Kaomarion Kendrick was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus an additional 85 years, for killing Emmanuel Dorsey outside Griffin Memorial Stadium in September 2023.
Kendrick, who was 17 at the time, was convicted of felony murder and three RICO counts for the shooting that broke out after a heated rivalry game between Griffin and Spalding high schools. The chaos erupted when fans poured out of the stadium and a fight broke out between two rival cliques. In the middle of it, Kendrick pulled out a gun, sending terrified teens scrambling for their lives.
Both boys attended Griffin High School, and while neither was officially in a gang, police said the groups they were with were tied to rival gangs. Kendrick then ran for eight days before being tracked down sitting in his car in a driveway in neighboring Henry County.
When officers arrested him, he flashed a chilling grin as he was led away in handcuffs. Police also found him armed with a Glock modified with a full-auto switch, turning it into a rapid-fire weapon. Because apparently a schoolyard fight wasn’t dangerous enough without military-style firepower.
District Attorney David Studdard said the arrest and conviction were about justice and closure for the victim’s family, promising his office would relentlessly pursue violent criminals and hold them accountable.
At sentencing, Emmanuel Dorsey’s mother, Charlotte Williams, called the punishment fair and said she can finally rest knowing her son’s killer has faced justice. Despite her unimaginable loss, she even expressed sympathy for Kendrick, saying he ruined his own life by acting without thinking.
Still, she was clear about the bigger picture: people who carry weapons and use them recklessly do not belong on the streets.
Her grief remains heavy, but she holds on to the memories of her son and the knowledge that justice was served.
This case is a painful reminder of what happens when violence is allowed to take over young lives—but it also shows that the system can still work when it comes to protecting innocent families and keeping dangerous criminals off the streets. And that’s exactly the kind of justice every community deserves.
