Atlanta Man Arrested for Family Violence and Terroristic Threats

Clemon Forts, a 33-year-old man, was arrested today for an incident that occurred in November of last year.

According to reports, Forts, was the instigator in an alleged domestic violence dispute. Forts beat his ex-girlfriend in the face, threatened to kill her, stole her vehicle, and then threatened to also kill her children.

Forts is facing charges of:

• Aggravated Assault in Georgia
• Battery in Georgia
• Terroristic Threats in Georgia
• Theft by Taking in Georgia

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the offense of terroristic threats in today's post. The offense of terroristic acts in Georgia is much more well-covered by the media, so I will cover the difference today.

Terroristic Threats in Georgia

Georgia Law defines the criminal offense of terroristic threats in Georgia in O.C.G.A. §16-11-37 as:

A person commits the offense of a terroristic threat when he or she threatens to:

• Commit any crime of violence;
• Release any hazardous substance; or
• Burn or damage property.

The terroristic threat shall be made:

• With the purpose of terrorizing another;
• With the purpose of causing the evacuation of a building, place of assembly, or facility of public transportation;
• With the purpose of otherwise causing serious public inconvenience; or
• In reckless disregard of the risk of causing the terror, evacuation, or inconvenience.

Terroristic threats is usually classified as a misdemeanor. Misdemeanor penalties can include up to one year in jail or up to $1,000 in fines, or both.

However, if the terroristic threats suggest the death of the threatened individual, the criminal offense will be classified as a felony. The felony penalties can include up to fines of $1,000, a prison term between one and five years, or both.

Furthermore, the penalty will be heightened to a fine not to exceed $50,000, prison term between five and twenty years, or both if the threat is made with the intent to retaliate against any person or threaten any person from:

• Attending a judicial or administrative proceeding as a witness, attorney, judge, clerk of court, deputy clerk of court, court reporter, community supervision officer, probation officer, or other party or producing any record, document, or another object in a judicial or official proceeding; or
• Providing to a law enforcement officer, community supervision officer, probation officer, prosecuting attorney, or judge any information relating to the commission or possible commission of an offense.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested for committing a crime in Georgia, contact our offices today. We know that no one should be assumed guilty just because he or she has been arrested. An arrest is not the same thing as a conviction. Contact us now - your defense starts here.

A Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney can help you with your case.