Sandy Springs Shooting Results in Arrest for Murder

Sandy Springs Police

Sandy Springs, Ga. - According to recent reports out of Sandy Springs, a man has been arrested after he allegedly shot his girlfriend outside of a hotel in Sandy Springs.

The man has been accused of shooting his girlfriend and fleeing the scene. He then allegedly attempted to steal a car from its driver at the intersection of Peachtree-Dunwoody and Hammond. He shot the driver but then ran away before being able to take the car. He then carjacked another vehicle and crashed that car near Central Park Drive. He was then arrested on the following charges:

• Aggravated Assault in Georgia
• Hijacking a Motor Vehicle in Georgia
• Murder in Georgia

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the offense of murder in today's post. There are many different laws that pertain to homicide in the state of Georgia. Murder is one that requires many legal elements to be met. See below.

Murder in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines murder in Georgia in O.C.G.A. §16-5-1(a) as:

A person commits the offense of murder when he unlawfully and with malice aforethought, express or implied, causes the death of another human being.

There are a few very important terms that set murder apart from other homicide offenses in our state such as manslaughter.

Our courts define malice as a wicked or corrupt motive or an intention to do evil and which the result is fatal and an unlawful objective to kill without justification or mitigation.

Express malice is the deliberate intention to unlawfully take the life of another human being, which is manifested by external circumstances capable of proof. Malice shall be implied where no considerable provocation appears and where all the circumstances of the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart.

Murder is classified as a felony in the state of Georgia. The penalty if convicted of murder is either life in prison without the possibility of parole, a life sentence, or the death penalty.

Practice Note

Call our offices today if you or a loved one has been arrested in the state of Georgia.