Georgia Middle Schooler Charged with Terroristic Threats

Clarke County authorities charged a middle school student with three counts of terroristic threats this past week.

According to reports, the 13-year-old girl made threats on a social media website. Police determined that there was no immediate threat to the school. However, detectives still obtained a juvenile complaint against the student.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the charges faced by the juvenile.

Terroristic Threats in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines the crime of making terroristic threats in Georgia as:

When a person threatens to commit any crime of violence, to release any hazardous substance, or to burn or damage any property with the purpose of terrorizing another or of causing the evacuation of a building, place of assembly, or facility of public transportation or otherwise causing serious public inconvenience or in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience. O.C.G.A. §16-11-37.

The crime of terroristic threats can be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances and details of the offense. The diving line between the felony and misdemeanor version of terroristic threats is the suggestion of the death of the victim/victims.

If convicted of misdemeanor terroristic threats, the penalty can include up to 12 months in jail, fines up to $1,000, or both jail time and fines. And if convicted of felony terroristic threats, the penalty increases to the chance of up to five years in prison, fines, or both.

Practice Note

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