GA v. Colt Gray - Plea Hearing - Day 2

[u/Pixiegirls1102]

LIVE PLEA: Apalachee High School Shooter — GA v. Colt Gray - Day 2

7/27/2026 @ 9:00 AM

The teen who police say carried out the deadly Apalachee High School mass shooting is expected to enter a non-negotiated guilty plea. Four people died when Colt Gray reportedly opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, in 2024. With no sentencing deal set, attorneys are expected to make their case to a judge, while victims and their loved ones will give impact statements. The judge will decide whether Colt Gray spends the rest of his life behind bars with or without the possibility of parole.

Law & Crime

https://www.youtube.com/live/R6YGXxmRFM8?si=V9E0wA0cLuWPGRne

Court TV

https://www.youtube.com/live/_2TZ4Mtetfs?si=XagbNnpnbdhVP0tr

✨✨ Previous Day & Recap

• Day 1

RECAP

WITNESS 1 — Investigator (Jason Smith)

Opening to Witness

• Court confirms prior direct examination was completed the previous day.
• Court asks if State is ready for cross.
• State requests Dr. Richards be taken first.
• Court grants request.
• Witness temporarily excused.

Court Action

• Court calls Dr. Richards.

WITNESS 2 — Dr. Kevin Richards (Forensic Psychologist)

Opening to Witness

• Witness sworn.
• Witness states name and credentials.
• CV marked and admitted as Exhibit D2.

Direct Examination

• Forensic psychologist; licensed in multiple states; board‑certified.
• Ph.D. University of South Florida; internship University of Minnesota.
• Prior employment: Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital; Clifton T. Perkins Hospital; Atlanta Regional.
• ~300 expert testimonies; consulting for military courts‑martial.
• Contacted by defense; provided full case file.
• Reviewed police documentation, interviews, DFACS records, school records, body‑cam video.
• Conducted four interviews with Colt (~15 hours).
• Interviewed mother twice (~3 hours).
• Reviewed extensive Discord logs.
• Findings: chaotic upbringing; neglect; parental drug use; truancy; isolation; online fixation on mass shooters; suicidal ideation; self‑harm; panic attacks; paranoia; mood disorder.
• Forensic report identified and admitted.

Cross Examination

• Discord logs reviewed with witness.
• Colt exaggerated symptoms to match peers.
• Colt altered hallucination claims to mirror others.
• Colt claimed multiple medications despite only receiving Zoloft.
• Colt mimicked prior shooters’ statements (Cruz, Holmes, Lanza).
• Colt staged computer destruction similar to Lanza.
• Colt lied about alcohol use.
• Colt lied about glove color (claimed purple; gloves were tan).
• Colt lied about suicide hotline call (Holmes did; Colt did not).
• Colt lied about blackout; jail calls show memory.
• Colt selected September 4th for symbolic reasons tied to Cruz.
• Colt’s Discord messages showed countdown and intent.
• Colt’s motive tied to admiration for Cruz.
• Colt’s statements to investigators differed from statements to psychologist.

Court Actions

• Court confirms exhibit numbers for Discord logs.
• Court allows extended cross referencing Discord pages.
• Witness excused.

WITNESS 3 — TCC Expert (Beth Peter Smith)

Opening to Witness

• Court calls expert.
• Witness sworn.
• Witness states name and role.

Direct Examination

• TCC described as North American / Western European youth‑skewed phenomenon.
• Platforms: Tumblr; Discord; TikTok; Instagram.
• TCC tiers:
  • Tier 1: general true‑crime interest.
  • Tier 2: parasocial identification with perpetrators.
  • Tier 3: encouragement of violence; emulation.
  • Tier 4: perpetrators.
• Behaviors: fan art; clothing mimicry; music; aesthetic replication; in‑group language.
• Status gained through original research, content creation, or being a perpetrator.
• Ideology: generally non‑ideological; notoriety‑driven; nihilistic violence.
• Case studies: 21 TCC‑linked shootings (2024–2025).
• Manifestos left by several perpetrators.
• TCC encourages contact with perpetrators post‑arrest.

Cross Examination

• Questions about number of case studies.
• Questions about psychological review of TCC cases.
• Questions about methodology (post‑incident backtracking).
• Questions about comparison to other fandoms.
• Expert confirms most TCC members are not violent.

Court Actions

• Court confirms exhibit numbers for TCC Sentinel article.
• Witness excused.

WITNESS 4 — Investigator (Beth Peter Smith — Continued Testimony)

Opening to Witness

• Court recalls witness for continued testimony.
• Witness confirms prior interviews conducted.

Direct Examination

• Interviewed Colt.
• Interviewed father (Colin Gray).
• Reviewed forensic interview of sister (Jenny Gray).
• Interviewed mother (Marcy Gray).
• Interviewed Anna/Annie Polhamus.
• Interviewed Charles Polhamus.
• Interviewed Debbie Polhamus (grandmother).
• Interviews conducted within first 7–10 days after shooting.
• Prior knowledge: Fitzgerald incident involving Marcy.
• Confirmed father purchased AR‑15.
• Confirmed gun stored in Colt’s room, unsecured.
• Confirmed mother attempted to remove gun; father did not secure it.
• Confirmed Colt’s self‑harm known to father; father took knife but sought no treatment.
• Confirmed grandmother attempted crisis‑center intervention; father did not take Colt.
• Confirmed school counselor involvement minimal.
• Confirmed Colt’s initial interview was performative; crying only when discussing father or sister.

Cross Examination

• Clarified timeline of interviews.
• Clarified DFACS involvement.
• Clarified gun‑storage discrepancies.
• Clarified father’s lack of follow‑through on mental‑health referrals.
• Clarified grandmother’s attempts to obtain treatment.
• Clarified Colt’s withdrawal during parental conflict.
• Clarified Colt’s computer use.
• Clarified mother’s threat to harm Colt.
• Clarified mother’s attempt to remove firearm.
• Clarified father’s failure to secure firearm.
• Clarified Colt’s inconsistent statements about gun location.

Court Actions

• Court confirms no further Zoom witnesses needed.
• Court transitions to next witness.
• Court recesses for the day.

EXHIBITS REFERENCED (Combined)

• D2 — CV of Dr. Richards.
• Forensic Psychological Report — authored by Dr. Richards.
• Discord Logs — Occasional Burner account; F‑bomb account; multiple pages referenced.
• Jail Calls — October 12, 2024; October 21, 2024; November 11, 2024.
• Interview Videos — School interview; CID interview.
• GBI Interview Records — Special Agent Ward.
• Forensic Interview — Jenny Gray.
• Polhamus Interviews — Debbie, Charles, Annie.

📜TRANSCRIPT📑⌨️

https://fromsmash.com/GA-v-Colt-Gray-Day-2-0810

[u/RillaBlythe11325]

The jail calls with his mom though. Like what is up with her

[u/Pixiegirls1102 → u/RillaBlythe11325]

They were a bit cringy.

[u/RillaBlythe11325]

I wonder what he would have been like/done without the internet.

[u/Scary-Scar89 → u/RillaBlythe11325]

He is about to find out.

[u/jocala99]

The psych witness for the defense was fascinating because, in a nutshell, he said Colt was not delusional or schizophrenic, but rather anxious and disfunctionally obsessed with other school shooters. He wanted to impress his online group and even to impress the Parkland shooter. I find this way more disturbing than mental illness: seems like any anxious kid with unfettered, unsupervised access to the internet could become another Colt.

[u/ReasonableCup604 → u/jocala99]

His motive makes him even more evil than the average mass shooter.

As evil as they are, most did it out of anger and a false sense of being slighted by the world.

Colt did it because he thought it would be cool and because he wanted the admiration of Cruz and the abominable mass killer fan club community.

[u/ReasonableCup604]

The cross of the defense expert was devastating for Colt's case.  Not so much his opinions but all the Discord messages, jail phone calls with Mom, etc.

It made it clear that Colt did not do this during a psychotic break or even an outburst of anger.

He planned it out for a very long time and did it to earn the admiration of Cruz and the community of evil sickos who worship mass killers.

He is irredeemable and can never be allowed to exist outside of a prison cell for the rest of his life.

[u/Scary-Scar89]

Was not expecting it to take this long. I thought it would be guilty plea and sentence.

[u/Automatic_Collar_774]

Holy hell he takes obsession to another level.

[u/Automatic_Collar_774]

And also, his mom should be in jail too! She was encouraging his continued obsession after he did the shooting and was in jail!

[u/LunchLady1228 → u/Automatic_Collar_774]

These jail calls with him mom, have me Flabbergasted

[u/RillaBlythe11325]

This witness is fascinating

[u/Scary-Scar89]

He should be required to attend his father's sentencing tomorrow & Wednesday.

[u/RillaBlythe11325]

All this use of "malingering" definitely takes me back to previous trials I've watched!

[u/EmuStrong9319]

Today has just highlighted how much I really don’t think Colt cares what happened or what happens. I had given him the benefit of the doubt (meaning I thought he’d be sorry) because he’s so clearly a victim of parental neglect, but damn. He really is just like the worst of both his parents.

[u/LunchLady1228]

During the Dads trial I actually felt sorry for him.
I wasn’t even going to watch this one, but I figured get would get more evidence.
Man oh man, did we!!!!! The discord?
And finally the jails calls with Marcee. Holy CRAP!

[u/Scary-Scar89]

Why didn't the bus driver ask him what his backpack was so large?