Jurors in Fulton County sat through wrenching body-camera footage on Tuesday as the murder trial of an Atlanta man accused of killing a Buckhead valet moved forward. The video shows officers racing to save 25-year-old Harrison Olvey, who was shot while working a valet shift in September 2023. The defendant, Randy King, is charged with murder in connection with the killing.
Prosecutors played several body-worn camera clips in court and told jurors the footage shows officers performing life-saving measures on Olvey at the scene. They also introduced security-camera video that the state says shows a man smashing a truck window and rummaging through the vehicle, along with a photo of Olvey stepping in to intervene, according to WSB‑TV.
Olvey, a recent Kennesaw State University graduate, had been working valet in the Uptown/Buckhead area while he interviewed for full-time jobs, his family and classmates have said. His mother, joined by more than 50 friends and relatives, filled rows of the Fulton County courtroom for opening statements, as reported by The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution.
In court, defense attorney Antone Rowe acknowledged that King was present at the scene but insisted he was not the shooter. “We’re being transparent. He was there. But he did not shoot and kill this innocent victim. He didn’t do it,” Rowe told jurors. He also emphasized that police never recovered the gun, while prosecutors countered that investigators found a shell casing inside King’s car, according to WSB‑TV.
Opening Statements and What Comes Next
Opening statements kicked off Tuesday, and multiple witnesses, including Olvey’s mother and King’s father, were called to the stand. The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday morning, with more testimony expected as the state works through its witness list and evidence, according to Atlanta News First.
Community Response and Memorials
Classmates and fraternity brothers at Kennesaw State have organized memorial events and fundraisers to establish a scholarship in Olvey’s name, as previously highlighted in coverage of memorial events to fund a scholarship and by other local outlets. That community effort grew out of a GoFundMe campaign and campus activities aimed at keeping Olvey’s memory alive.
Legal Status
King has pleaded not guilty and remains charged with murder. He turned himself in last year after appearing on the Atlanta Police Department’s most-wanted list, FOX 5 Atlanta reports. Prosecutors say the video and other evidence connect him to both the attempted break-in and the shooting, while the defense maintains that another person pulled the trigger.
As testimony continues this week, jurors will be asked to weigh the bodycam and security footage against witness accounts and the clashing narratives from prosecutors and defense attorneys. Testimony is expected to resume on Wednesday as the court continues to move through the case.
