Hannah Payne appeals life sentence

The high-stakes legal battle over the 2019 shooting death of Kenneth Herring moved to the Georgia Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Hannah Payne, now 25, is seeking to overturn her conviction and life sentence, arguing that her original trial team failed to properly frame her actions as a lawful attempt at a citizen’s arrest. The case has reignited a fierce debate over the limits of vigilante justice and the legal protections afforded to bystanders who intervene in suspected crimes.