Georgia Criminal Law News December 2017

December is filled with happy families and holiday cheer, but some people did not see that side this year. There were many arrests in December including:

On December 2nd, 2017, two people were charged with stealing $400 of handmade jewelry from a craft show at Lassiter high school. Hanna Lucile Anderson and Alan Avalos allegedly went into the school between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on November 4th with the intent to commit a felony or theft.

On December 6th, 2017, a man's car crashed into a Decatur home during a shooting. The incident started when 22-year-old Cedric Williams turned down Memorial Drive and cut off the shooter. The suspect vehicle then pulled next to William's car and began shooting. Williams died immediately, and his car crashed into a house with two passengers who were not injured. The car went through the garage and into the living room. The owner of the home called the police and helped get the woman out of the vehicle.

A homeless woman, De'asia Ra'meke Page was charged with murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of 58-year-old Toni Abad. Abad's body was found in the trunk of a car in Fulton County.

Buying Christmas presents can sometimes turn people crazy, and that appears to be the case here. Walter Campbell Jr. stole an ambulance to go Christmas shopping after having a couple of beers. Campbell was charged with theft by taking, crossing the guard line, and marijuana possession. He also received citations for DUI and violating the open container law.

In what seems to be a Cain and Abel situation, 18-year-old Dashonn Hayes was arrested for murder after he shot and killed his 17-year-old brother December 20, 2017. The police said that the boys were having an argument when the younger brother was shot.

Six of the Ghost Face Gangsters were indicted on December 12th, 2017 on charges related to the beating and stabbing of a man in Canton, Georgia. The gang members beat the man as they broke into his car on March 8th, 2017. The six gang members have been charged with assault and battery and violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.

Multiple men were injured, and one man was killed during an argument inside Wats Crackin Garlic Crabs in DeKalb County. Robert Campbell was killed in the shooting but was also believed to have instigated the fight according to officers. The offender, Travis Allen, has been charged with malice murder.

On Friday, December 15th, 2017, a 26-year-old man was arrested outside Sahara Hookah Lounge in Buckhead. Gionni Matthews got into an argument with parking lot attendants after a boot was placed on his vehicle. Shots were fired, but no injuries were reported. Matthews was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless conduct, and felony theft by taking.

On December 14th, 2017, an Uber driver was arrested and charged with raping a 16 year-old-girl. Abdoulie Jagne had been an Uber driver for a couple of months when he picked up the girl and allegedly raped her. He dropped her off at an apartment complex where she appeared intoxicated.

A mother of a 4-year-old son was charged with burglary, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, possession of drug-related objects, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on December 14th, 2017. The mother left her son in the car near methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia while she broke into an empty home.

Two teens have been indicted on conspiracy to commit murder and others related to building an incendiary device on December 13th, 2017. The teens allegedly had planned to ignite a bomb at their high school, Etowah High School. Officers found maps of the school and a list of six names that they wanted to target using fire and explosives.

After an investigation into an incident that occurred in July 2017, Georgia defensive back Latavious Brini was arrested on felony forgery charges. Brini attempted to use a fake $100 bill to purchase $8 worth of items and to get $92 in cash.

Tex McIver, the man accused of murdering his wife, was released on bond after spending eight months in the Fulton County jail. The McIver case has become very popular and was the subject of a podcast called Breakdown. It took McIver two months to come up with 10% of the full bond money and was released on December 11, 2017. He is subject to bond conditions that will severely limit his freedom and travel.

A mother and daughter were arrested on December 11th, 2017 after being accused of beating a student at a bus stop in November. They are being charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, cruelty to children, and disruption public school.

Another University of Georgia student was almost murdered as he tried to deliver pizzas to two men on February 4th, 2016. 19-year-old Trey Collins survived after being shot four times. The two men stole the pizzas, Collins' cellphone and $80 in cash and then put Collins in the trunk. They drove around, stopped, and then proceeded to shoot in the back of the car with ten bullets hitting the back seat and four hitting Collins. One of the accused, Faust, was sentenced to 25 years in prison plus five years of probation while the other, Burnett, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 13 years of probation.

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