Appeal Filed in Carly Gregg Case Before Mississippi Supreme Court

Appeal Filed in Carly Gregg Case Before Mississippi Supreme Court

JACKSON, Miss. — Attorneys for Carly Gregg, the Rankin County teenager sentenced to life without parole for killing her mother, have filed a 75-page appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court, arguing her conviction and sentence violated state law and constitutional protections.

Gregg, who was 14 when the March 2024 crime occurred, was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and evidence tampering after a week-long trial. Prosecutors said she fatally shot her mother, Ashley Smylie, and tried to cover up the crime.

Her defense team now contends the trial was rushed—Gregg was indicted within two months and tried less than six months later—leaving little time to conduct medical evaluations, review mental health records, or prepare an adequate defense.

The appeal argues that state law does not permit a life-without-parole sentence for juveniles convicted of first-degree murder, only for capital murder under limited circumstances. Attorneys also say the court failed to hold a required Miller hearing, which evaluates parole eligibility for juvenile offenders, and improperly applied life without parole to an attempted murder conviction.

Further claims include alleged bias from prosecutors and the presiding judge, Dewey Arthur, whose comments about fearing negative publicity were cited as undermining fairness. The defense also pointed to intense media coverage and noted that jury questions during deliberations revealed confusion about parole eligibility.

The Mississippi Supreme Court will now decide whether to uphold Gregg’s sentence, order a new sentencing hearing, or send the case back for retrial.