The difference between accused murderers Holly Ann Harvey and Sandra Ketchum

might have been revealed when they left a packed courtroom separately Thursday

afternoon.

Ketchum's face was red from sobbing as she glanced into the crowd,

perhaps looking for a familiar face. Harvey, however, turned around for

a quick peek at Ketchum with nothing but a cold stare on her face.

Harvey's facial expression when she entered the courtroom was partially

hidden by a large amount of her dark brown hair that fell in front of her

face. Both girls were slight in stature, probably no more than 5 feet tall,

and there was a noticeable buzz in the courtroom when they were led to the

defense table wearing Kevlar bullet-proof jackets.

On the state side of the courtroom, Lt. Colonel Bruce Jordan, who has spent

the better part of three days with little sleep, surveyed the suspects as

they walked into the courtroom. Jordan said when the suspects were arrested

at Tybee island that Harvey merely laughed and appeared pleased that so many

police were looking for her.

Family members struggled to control their emotions during the hearing as

Fayette Chief Magistrate Charles R. Floyd read aloud the charges of malice

murder and felony murder that have been filed against the teenagers, who

have attended Fayette schools in the past.

Harvey and Ketchum are being tried as adults and could face a maximum of

life in prison. However, the death penalty cannot be sought because of the

girls' ages.

Floyd advised Harvey and Ketchum of their rights to remain silent and their

rights to be represented by an attorney.

The magistrate also told them if they could not afford an attorney they

could apply to have an indigent defense attorney appointed to represent them

at all phases of the criminal process.

because they are charged with murder. That decision will be up to a superior

court judge at a later date. The duo's next court appearance is Aug.

31 at 9 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.

Several family members of the suspects left the court in tears, sobbing

uncontrollably. Some were unable to see because of the tears as they fled

the courthouse interior, followed by TV news cameras in hot pursuit.

Members of the Ketchum family fled outside to the hot Georgia pavement and

refused to speak to the news media. One member of the family put her hand

in front of a television camera.

The case has already received a tremendous amount of attention in the national

news media and local attorney Lloyd Walker argued that TV and still cameras

should have been kept out of the courtroom.

Walker said the case has already drawn a "media circus" and that

his client, Sandy Ketchum, had the right to prevent further pre-trial publicity.

Walker said reporters should be allowed to observe the proceedings but the

cameras should be banned from the courtroom.

After a legal protest from several media attorneys and a representative

of The Fayette Citizen, Floyd denied Walker's motion, which was also

joined by Holly Harvey's attorney, Judy Chidester.

The cameras rolled, and the nation got their first view of what many are

calling a modern-day "Thelma and Louise" since they were captured.