Macon crimnal lawyer wins trial for man charged with pointing gun at sheriff's deputy
A Twiggs County man stood trial earlier this week for allegedly holding a sheriff’s deputy at gunpoint in his home in 2007. A jury of his peers found him not guilty on all charges.
The Macon Telegraph has the story.
On the night of July 11, 2007, Twiggs County Sheriff’s Deputy Tony Watson went to the home of Harold Lee Hartel after a neighbor complained that Hartel had dumped watermelon rinds in a county ditch. In addition to Hartel, two women were also inside the home. When Watson arrived, prosecutors allege that Hartel pulled a handgun on Watson and forced him inside the home. Prosecutors believe that Hartel threatened to kill Watson, but that Watson was able to talk his way of the situation and eventually call for backup. The situation progressed into an hour long standoff after which time Hartel surrendered. As a result, Hartel was charged with aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and terroristic threats.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty after deliberating for two and a half hours Wednesday and Thursday. Watson is still currently employed as a deputy, and Sheriff Darren Mitchum says he still stands behind Watson’s story.
Hartel’s criminal defense lawyer, Laura Hogue, was the winning attorney. She is a well-known Macon attorney, and a good friend of our firm. We congratulate her and her client on their impressive victory in a difficult jurisdiction.
Pate & Brody is an accomplished Georgia law firm with offices in Atlanta, Macon and Madison. Our lawyers are dedicated to pursuing justice for people charged with serious crimes. We have successfully represented clients facing serious federal criminal charges and state criminal charges in courts across Georgia. Our lawyers have been recognized on the list of Georgia's "Super Lawyers", and included among Georgia's "Legal Elite" by Georgia Trend Magazine. Page Pate was recently the Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association.
