UPDATE: Terrel has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the neglect conviction.
A worker at an East Cobb assisted living facility is facing up to 20 years in prison after being convicted this week for elder abuse in the death of a 91-year-old resident there in 2017.
But Landon Terrel, 35, of Powder Springs, was found not guilty of murder and two counts of elder abuse in the death of Adam Bennett at the Sunrise at East Cobb facility, according to the Cobb District Attorney’s office.
A mistrial was declared in the murder case after a Cobb Superior Court jury failed on Wednesday to reach a unanimous verdict, after three days of deliberations.
“Too often we think of justice as a result, instead of a process,” Cobb senior assistant district attorney Jason Marbutt said in a statement. “This was a tough case, with tough facts. We respect the verdict delivered by the jury.”
Terrel was arrested and charged with elder abuse, neglect and murder after Bennett was found injured in his room at Sunrise at East Cobb (1551 Johnson Ferry Road), on Aug. 15, 2017.
Terrel had been an overnight caregiver at Sunrise on that date. Around 7:30 a.m., Bennett was found with facial bruising, fractured ribs and a punctured lung. He was rushed to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, but never regained consciousness and died three days later.
The Cobb Medical Examiner’s office ruled the death was caused by blunt force trauma due to an assault.
According to a release from the Cobb DA’s office, Bennett had apparently told another caregiver that Terrel had punched him. That claim was introduced during the trial last week. Terrel denied that, telling police he caught Bennett earlier that evening after he fell out of bed, and said that the elderly man’s chest struck the bed.
Terrel said he checked on Bennett the remainder of the night and admitted to having “poor judgment” by ignoring Bennett’s complaints about being in pain.
Terrel’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 19 before Cobb Superior Court Judge Lark Ingram.
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I am med tech/ cna. I am not taking sides on this case. I will however speak to my responsibility as a care giver. We cnas can only report what we see however mr. bennett was visually abused. In a memory unit it is difficult to determine what is an actual complaint. I don’t know if Mr. Bennett was in a memory unit. I have made it my goal to get out of nursing facilities and I have. The things I have seen I can’t speak of. The administration is where you need to start. They will present themselves all wonderful and caring but they will never tell the family member the truth about what happens to their loved one. Never. It’s about the almighty dollar and making themselves look great! I saw so much cover up I couldn’t take it anymore. Listen healthcare is an industry not about your precious loved one. It’s a business. Speaking about myself I had a resident once that kept telling me he was dying. The facility ran every test imaginable on him. All were negative. I didn’t believe him. He was silently asperating. He died. I will never forgive myself. However Mr. Bennet was abused left in a bed with no sheets no cover abused. That is horrible. But Mr. Terrel was employed 17 years. Wellllll lets look at the facility!!!! Go to the root of the problem. They have their way to cover everything up. Trust me this was ongoing. I had to get out of this. These facilities continually understaff!!! All the time. These residents deserve to be cared for. But they are not! Believe me you need to be your loved ones police. And remember only a nurse can order care for your family. A cna can only report what they see. Be the police.
RE: ADAM BENNETT CASE
1. What happened to Adam Bennett bed sheets as there were no bed sheets, bed spread on Adam Bennett’s bed when he was found in bed.
2. What happened to shirt that Adam Bennett was wearing earlier in day?
3. Why did the female African American caregiver state that she got Adam Bennett out of bed and into wheelchair for breakfast? Adam Bennett’s daughter rec’d call from care center that Adam Bennett was found in bed injured and unresponsive?
4. The female juror who spoke to Court TV commentator said that the reason Terrell was not convicted of murder with regard to elder neglect was because 2 other care givers were also responsible!!! Per Court TV commentator Terrell should have been considered for murder charge even if others were involved.
5. More legal info and explanations need to be given factually to jurors. Judge wanted to know the specifics of 11 to 1 split but did not pursue it.