Young Man Arrested in Jonesboro Mobile Home Park Shootout

Clayton County Courthouse

Jonesboro, Ga. – A young man has recently been taken into custody on murder charges according to the Clayton County Sheriff's Office.

Officers stated that the man was arrested in connection with a shootout that occurred in November of last year at a local mobile home park that left one dead at the scene as well as another dead later at the hospital. Two others were injured by the gunfire.

The 20-year-old man is facing aggravated assault charges as well as felony murder charges. As a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney, I will focus today's post on the offense of aggravated assault.

Aggravated Assault in Georgia

Assault is the base level version of aggravated assault. The Georgia Code defines assault in O.C.G.A. §16-5-20 as:

A person commits the offense of simple assault when he or she either (1) attempts to commit a violent injury to the person of another; or (2) commits an act which places another in reasonable apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury.

A conviction for assault in Georgia will be treated as a misdemeanor. The penalty can include a period of confinement of up to one year and up to $1,000 in fines.

Aggravated assault in Georgia is defined in the next statute by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21 as:

A person commits the offense of aggravated assault when he or she assaults:

• with intent to murder, to rape, or to rob;
• with a deadly weapon or with any object, device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person, is likely to or actually does result in serious bodily injury;
• with any object, device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person, is likely to or actually does result in strangulation; or
• without legal justification by discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle toward a person or persons.

To be found guilty of aggravated assault, the prosecution must show that the suspect is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This means that there must be a demonstration of violence coupled with an apparent present ability to inflict an injury that causes a person to fear that they will receive an immediate violent injury.

Unlike assault, aggravated assault is classified as a felony offense in Georgia. The penalty for an aggravated assault conviction is a prison term between one to twenty years.

Practice Note

Aggravated assault is a serious violent felony according to Georgia law. If you have been arrested for a felony or even a misdemeanor charge in the state of Georgia call our offices today. We can help you with your case now.