College Park Man Arrested for Serious Domestic Violence

Clayton County Courthouse

College Park, Ga. – Clayton County deputies arrested a man earlier today who has been accused of assaulting a woman with a gun. He allegedly pistol-whipped her in both the head and the body. He also threatened to the kill any police officers who responded to the scene.

The man is facing an onslaught of charges including:

• Cruelty to Children in Georgia
• Battery in Georgia
• Terroristic Threats in Georgia
• And Aggravated Assault in Georgia

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will focus on the crime of terroristic threats and the law as it stands in Georgia in today's post.

Terroristic Threats in Georgia

Terroristic Threats in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §16-11-37(b) 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 threat must 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.

A person convicted of terroristic threat will be punished as a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors carry the consequences of up to one year in jail or up to $1,000 in fines, or both. However, if the threat suggested the death of the threatened individual, the person convicted will be guilty of a felony and will be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000, a prison term between one and five years, or both.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested in the state of Georgia, it is of the utmost importance that you retain legal counsel immediately. Call our offices today – we can help you with your case now.