Griffin Secures Dismissal of Murder Case In “Stand Your Ground” Hearing

Perry, Georgia: In May 2022, attorney J. Travis Griffin obtained a dismissal of an indicted murder case pending in Houston County Superior Court.  Mr. Griffin convinced the Court to dismiss a pending murder indictment because the Defendant was acting in self-defense and justified in his actions.

The Defendant in this case had a romantic rendezvous with a woman he thought was single.  The Defendant did not know that not only was the woman not single, but also her boyfriend of over a decade lived in the home with her.

While the Defendant and the woman were engaged in intimate activity, the boyfriend showed up at the house, drove his truck across the yard, went inside, and angrily confronted the Defendant.

The boyfriend repeatedly struck the Defendant in the face with his closed fist. He then attempted to grab the Defendant’s legally carried firearm that was sitting with the Defendant’s clothes on the end of the bed.  The Defendant was able to retain the firearm while the boyfriend continued to beat him. He finally backed the Defendant into a small bathroom with no exit.

The Defendant, after being backed into the small room and suffering half a dozen closed-fist strikes to his face, was in fear for his life and used his firearm to halt the ongoing attack.  As the Defendant shot the boyfriend, the round went through the boyfriend and struck the woman as well.  The Defendant then fled the scene.

The Defendant was indicted for malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

In a “Stand Your Ground” hearing, Mr. Griffin convinced the Court that the Defendant was justified in his actions and was in reasonable fear of serious bodily injury or death when he had to pull the trigger.  The Court dismissed the indictment against the Defendant, ending the case prior to trial.