Nurses Aide To Serve Prison Sentence For Death Of Nursing Home Resident
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
A nurses aide is to serve a 30-year prison
sentence for the beating death of an 81-year-old nursing home
resident.
Eighteen-year-old Shermika Rainey of Fordyce pleaded guilty Tuesday
to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 2003 death of
Willie Mae Ryan, a patient at the Dallas County Nursing Home in
Fordyce.
Rainey agreed to testify against co-defendant Gayla Ann Wilson,
who is accused of beating the woman with brass knuckles July 30th,
2003, while Rainey held the women in her bed. Ryan was taken to a
hospital in Pine Bluff, where she died August 14th, 2003.
Circuit Judge Carol Anthony sentenced Rainey, giving her 361
days credit for the time she has been in jail since the beating.
The plea agreement also calls for Rainey to pay 400 dollars in
court costs and an amount in restitution to be determined.
Rainey originally was charged with capital murder and was
scheduled for trial next Monday. Prosecutors didn`t plan to seek
the death penalty against her but have said they will pursue
capital punishment for Wilson.
Wilson`s trial begins October Eleventh.
