GUILTY GA - Daniel 'Mack' Smith, 23, murdered, Martinez, 18 Aug 2001

Ashley Smith pleaded with Brian Nichols to spare her life because her husband was killed four years ago in Columbia County. His death is still unsolved.“I feel for the families out there who lost their loved ones because I’ve been there. My heart goes out to you,” Smith said. Ashley Smith told alleged courthouse gunman Brian Nichols that if he killed her, her daughter would be without a mom and dad.Daniel Smith was the husband and dad, a 23-year-old carpenter.It all happened on August 18, 2001, a melee at the Applecross Apartment complex in Martinez. This is what witnesses told News 12 four years ago.“One guy ran back and got a bat. I saw that and I was like there’s fixing to be some mess out here,” said Amber Barron, witness. “He swung at someone and the crowd of people dispersed. He ran back around this way. I seen him come back in the breezeway with a grill and hit somebody over the head with it,” said Aundre Browner, witness. When the first deputy got to the scene, several people ran away from the area. That same deputy later found Daniel Smith in the bed of his pickup truck with several cuts to his chest.



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ATLANTA — Former hostage Ashley Smith got a hero's welcome Thursday at the state Capitol. And she walked away $70,000 richer.

We're here today to recognize the heroism of a young woman who faced a dangerous situation with calmness, courage, decency and faith," Perdue said. He credited Smith with ending "a tragic situation without further loss of life."


Perdue presented Smith with $10,000 from the state. She also received $20,000 from the FBI, $25,000 from the U.S. Marshals Service, $5,000 from the Georgia Sheriff's Association, $5,000 from the City of Atlanta and $5,000 from the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police. Previously, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police had presented Smith a $2,500 reward.

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Web posted Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Police Blotter

From Staff Reports

Man found guilty in 2001 stabbing

A Columbia County jury found Corey Blaine Cog-gins, 23, guilty Thursday of felony and malice murder in the 2001 stabbing death of Daniel McFarland "Mack" Smith.

Superior Court Judge Carl C. Brown Jr. immediately sentenced him to the mandatory sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Smith died during a brawl outside Applecross Apartments in Martinez in August 2001. Smith's widow, Ashley, brought renewed attention to the case after she assisted police last year in the capture of Brian Nichols, the Fulton County courthouse shooting suspect.