A jury is recommending life without parole for an Alabama woman convicted of capital murder in her granddaughter's running death.

Jurors rejected prosecutors' pleas for a death sentence for Joyce Hardin Garrard in the February 2012 death of 9-year-old Savannah Hardin. The decision came on a split vote: seven for life, five for death. It came Thursday on Garrard's 50th birthday.

Under Alabama law, a vote of at least 10 of 12 jurors was required for the panel to recommend death. A simple majority could recommend life.

Life: Joyce Hardin Garrard was found guilty of capital murder last week by a jury that today voted 7 to 5 to imprison the 50-year-old for life rather than put her to death for running to death her granddaughter Savannah Hardin in February 2012

Horrific: Savannah collapsed and had a seizure after carrying wood as Garrard refused to let her stop running. She died three days later in hospital

The verdict is only a suggestion under Alabama law. Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree will make the final sentencing decision at a hearing May 11.

The same jury convicted Garrard of capital murder last week.

The jury began deliberating late in the morning after prosecution and defense attorneys presented closing arguments in the sentencing phase of Garrard's trial.

Assistant District Attorney Marcus Reid asked jurors to recommend the death penalty, adding that he's never prosecuted a case like this one.

'This case is the only case I know of where the perpetrator forced the victim to participate in her own death,' he said. 'Joyce Garrard forced Savannah Hardin to help kill herself.'

Prosecutors contend Garrard made the girl run as punishment for telling a lie about candy, and refused to let Savannah stop running even after the girl was vomiting and begging for an end to the exercise. In court, they cited a school bus surveillance video that captured Garrard saying she would run the girl and teach her a lesson.

Reid told jurors that Garrard had cried in the courtroom at the mention of her birthday, but didn't cry when jurors were shown the soiled blue pants Savannah was wearing the night of her collapse.

'Savannah is dead. Joyce Garrard is pitiless. She doesn't believe she did anything wrong,' he said.

Over some candy: Garrard forced Savannah to run around the house and carry wood as punishment for a lie about eating candy in February 2012

IN COURT NEXT: SAVANNAH'S STEPMOM FACES MURDER CHARGE While grandmother Joyce Hardin Garrard was in the yard verbally prodding 9-year-old Savannah Hardin to run and pick up sticks, witnesses and attorneys said, stepmother Jessica Mae Hardin watched idly from a distance, seemingly immersed in her laptop computer. And with Savannah struggling to keep going and near the point of collapse, Hardin went inside so she wouldn't have to keep watching the girl's torment, a prosecutor suggested. Later, it was Hardin who called 911 and told authorities the girl had collapsed and was having a seizure, but only at Garrard's direction. Savannah died within days in a hospital after being taken off life support. Garrard (left) and Jessica Mae Hardin (right), Savannah's stepmother, were arrested in February 2012. Harden has also been charged with her murder, for allegedly sitting by as Garrard ran the girl to death, which carries a life sentence Prosecutors portrayed Garrard as a domineering grandmother who controlled Savannah's punishment despite the advice of a counselor, but they say Hardin shares blame, too. Authorities contend Hardin, who was married to Garrard's son Robert, should go to prison for failing to help her stepdaughter during the child's ordeal on Feb. 17, 2012. Her refusal to come to the girl's aid is tantamount to murder, the state has argued. Hardin, 30, has pleaded not guilty. She is free on $150,000 bond awaiting trial while prosecutors concentrate first on Garrard, charged with the more serious offense of capital murder. No trial date is set for Hardin, who was pregnant when Savannah died and gave birth while in police custody following her arrest. Advertisement

Defense attorney Dani Bone stood beside the jury box holding a small, dark rock and reminded jurors that in old times, the jury would participate in the execution by throwing rocks at the condemned.

He said they have a right to say, 'I ain't throwing that stone.'

'If you can't throw that stone, be the first one, then don't,' he added.

Garrard's family and friends had pleaded Wednesday for jurors to spare her life after, calling her a loving grandmother who endured an abusive childhood that included being beaten by her own grandmother.

Garrard, of Boaz, testified last week she had no intention of harming the girl and denied she had forced her to run. Garrard said during cross examination that Savannah wanted Garrard to help her get faster for races at school, and they both ran 'a bunch' before Savannah collapsed.

Savannah Hardin mother , Heather Walker (right), told the court that she believes her ex-mother-in-law deserves the death penalty

Heather had not seen daughter Savannah in the year before her death, as she moved out of state to live with her father and stepmother. Jessica says she repeatedly sent things, which would be returned to sender to her

Bone argued that Savannah wouldn't want her own grandmother put to death.

'Joyce loved Savannah, that's been proven. Savannah loved Joyce, that's been proven,' he said.

He said circumstances made it especially hard to condemn her to death. 'There is no comparison for this one because it is the first one of its kind ever. You people will be setting the bar.'

Because Thursday was Garrard's birthday, deputies allowed her to hug relatives across the short wall that separates the front of the courtroom from the spectators before court opened in the morning.

Joyce embraced her husband Johnny Garrard for several minutes, rubbing his back and the back of his head as she and her relatives wept.