Georgia’s Mandatory Minimums

The recent outcry over Chris Brown’s probated sentence got me thinking about Georgia’s mandatory minimums.

Examples:
If you hit someone and cause a bloody nose, swollen lip and contusions, you could be charged with either Battery, a misdemeanor, or Aggravated Battery, a felony, but which requires disfigurement and / or rendering a body part useless. Either way, the minimum is one year of probation.

If you shoot someone (Aggravated Assault), the minimum is one year of probation.

If you possess 28 grams (1oz) of cocaine (Trafficking in Cocaine), the minimum is 10 years in prison.

The War on Drugs is awesome y’all. And while I realize that some people would argue that drugs is the cause of a lot of violence in this country, my personal experience is that alcohol is the problem in domestic violence cases.

Posted

July 12, 2009

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Jen B.

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2 responses to “Georgia’s Mandatory Minimums”

Jen B.

July 12, 2009

“Why wouldn’t shooting someone be Aggravated Battery?”

The shooting itself is Agg Assault; however, you can also be charged with Agg Battery IF the injury is severe enough. Getting shot doesn’t always result in loss of a body part or disfigurement.

“Someone asked me yesterday what the minimum sentence is for possession of marijuana, and I didn’t know. I presume you do…and that it’s probably also higher than the minimum for beating your wife.”

Beating your wife and possession of under an ounce of marijuana are misdemeanors (provided the injuries aren’t too severe) and carry the same; however, you’ll get your license suspended for the marijuana charge.
Sara

July 12, 2009

Why wouldn’t shooting someone be Aggravated Battery?

Someone asked me yesterday what the minimum sentence is for possession of marijuana, and I didn’t know. I presume you do…and that it’s probably also higher than the minimum for beating your wife.

Georgia’s Mandatory Minimums

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2 responses to “Georgia’s Mandatory Minimums”

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