Jefferson County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the eight people charged in the horrific kidnapping, torture and killing of Mahogany Jackson.

Assistant District Attorney Charissa Henrich filed a motion Friday to formally notify the court of the district attorney’s office’s decision to seek death if the suspects are convicted of capital murder.

The defendants are Brandon Pope (25), Francis “Ace” Harris (25) and Jeremiah “Kodak” McDowell (19), Blair Green (26), Si’Niya McCall (24), Teja Lewis (26), Giovonnie Clapp ( 24) and Airana Lashay Robinson.

Green, McCall, Lewis, Clapp and Robinson were initially arrested on aggravated murder charges, but in September a grand jury upgraded the charges against them to murder.

Henrich said in her motion that the execution was justified because “the capital crime was particularly heinous, cruel or cruel compared to other capital crimes.”

Attorney D. Hunter Carmichael of the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office responded to the prosecutor’s request Sunday with another request to bar the judge from imposing the death penalty without a unanimous jury verdict.

All eight suspects appeared in court Monday for their charges and all pleaded not guilty.

Harris is also charged with murder during a rape/sodomy.

The witness statement indicates that Harris is the suspect believed to have fired the fatal shot.

Jackson’s captors recorded much of the ordeal.

Jackson, 20, left behind a three-year-old daughter.

Read full coverage of the case here

The investigation began on Sunday, February 25, when Jackson’s family received messages from her informing her that she was being held against her will and asking her to call the police. She also sent her location, her boyfriend’s apartment – Lewis.

The messages were sent around 4am but were not seen by the family until just before 8am

Family and police then went to Lewis’ apartment, who initially denied Jackson was there but later said she was there but left around 2 a.m

Police and family continued the search and investigation throughout Sunday until Jackson’s body was found early Monday on a road in southwest Birmingham known as Dead Man’s Road, an illegal dumping site.

Birmingham Homicide Detective Mark Green previously testified that early in the investigation, a witness came forward with videos, evidence and the location of Jackson’s body.

That witness, Det. Green, said he came forward to clear his name after he felt he had been accused on Facebook of being involved in Jackson’s disappearance.

Det. Green said Jackson may have stolen a gun from someone and then someone stole it from her again and she was upset. That, he said, may have led to her violent death.

While Jackson was being held against her will, Det. Green has previously testified that she was forced at gunpoint to perform oral sex on suspect Green. She was also stripped, beaten, spat on, kicked and dragged to a vehicle by her hair.

The attacks occurred at two locations – one on McMillon Avenue at Pope’s home and the second at Lewis’ home at the Serenity Apartments.

The detective also said one of the suspects discovered by looking at Jackson’s phone that she had messaged family members saying she was being held hostage and telling them her whereabouts.

Shortly after it was discovered that Harris, Pope and McDowell had left the Serenity Apartments with Jackson.

Pope told police he was driving Harris’ Chevrolet Malibu, and Jackson was told they were going to Dead Man’s Road to clear trash from Harris’ car before taking her home.

Both Pope and McDowell said they – including Jackson – were clearing trash from Harris’ vehicle when Harris walked up behind Jackson and shot her in the back of the head.

All suspects remain held in the Jefferson County Jail without bail.