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Name:
Simpson, Deja Aniki
Aliases:
Deja Coleman
Date of Booking:
07/29/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE – FELONY
CRUELTY TO A CHILD IN THE 2ND DEGREE FELONY
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
7/31/26
FIRST APPEARANCE HEARING HELD — DEJA COLEMAN DENIED BOND
What this means: Deja Coleman appeared before the Magistrate Court of Gwinnett County for her first appearance hearing — the initial court proceeding after an arrest where a judge reviews the charges and decides whether to set bond. The court ordered that no bond be granted, meaning Coleman was ordered to remain in custody. Attorney Tom Ford entered his appearance as defense counsel of record on this same date, formally notifying the court that he represents Coleman.
7/31/26
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ENTERS APPEARANCE — TOM FORD
What this means: Attorney Tom Ford filed a formal Entry of Appearance in the Magistrate Court of Gwinnett County, placing himself on record as Deja Coleman’s defense counsel. This means all future court communications and filings related to Coleman’s case will go through Ford.
8/11/26
PRELIMINARY HEARING WAIVED — CASE BOUND OVER TO GWINNETT COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
What this means: Deja Coleman, through her attorney Tom Ford, formally waived her right to a preliminary hearing — also called a commitment hearing — in the Magistrate Court of Gwinnett County. A preliminary hearing is a proceeding where a judge would determine whether there is enough evidence, known as probable cause, to hold a defendant for trial. By waiving it, Coleman agreed to skip that step and have her case sent directly to the Superior Court of Gwinnett County for consideration by a grand jury.
The waiver document, filed August 11, 2026, makes clear that this is not an admission of guilt. Coleman explicitly reserved her right to challenge the charges, file pretrial motions, and contest evidence — including potential challenges to scientific or expert witness testimony — in Superior Court. The Committal Hearing/Bond Order signed by the magistrate on the same date reflects that the commitment hearing was waived by the defendant’s attorney in open court, and that both charges — Murder in the Second Degree and Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree — are bound over to the Superior Court. Bond was denied on both charges, with the bond denial on the second charge noted as being due to risk of flight and Superior Court jurisdiction. Coleman remains in the custody of the Gwinnett County Sheriff pending further proceedings in Superior Court.