A South Florida man is once again facing the possibility of the death sentence decades after a crime that still shocks the state. Harrel Braddy, now 76, has been convicted again for the 1998 murder of 5 year old Quantisha Maycock, a case that involved kidnapping, violence, and a horrifying death involving alligators.
According to NBC, Braddy was found guilty of kidnapping and first degree murder. This was not his first conviction. After an earlier trial, he was sentenced to death in 2007. That sentence was overturned in 2017, sending the case back into the legal system and reopening painful memories for the victim’s family.
During the original trial, Quantisha’s mother, Shandelle Maycock, testified that Braddy came to her home and became angry when she asked him to leave. Prosecutors said Braddy later drove her to a remote field and choked her until she lost consciousness, leaving her there to die. Maycock told the court she regained consciousness and managed to flag down help.
Prosecutors said Braddy then took Quantisha to Alligator Alley and dropped her into the water. A medical examiner confirmed the child was alive when alligators attacked her head and stomach. Authorities recovered her body two days later. Prosecutors said her skull was crushed and her left arm was missing.
WTVJ reported that jury selection began Monday for Braddy’s resentencing trial. This means he could once again face the death penalty under Florida’s 2023 law. That law allows capital punishment to be imposed with an 8 to 4 jury vote, removing the previous requirement for unanimity.
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Braddy is already serving three consecutive life sentences for kidnapping and burglary with assault. He also received 30 years for attempted murder, 15 years for child neglect causing great bodily harm, and five years for attempting to escape.