Sunday, March 24, 2024
HomeNewsAugusta D.A. Defends Dismissal of Earlier Murder Charges for Gang Member Linked...

Augusta D.A. Defends Dismissal of Earlier Murder Charges for Gang Member Linked to Girl’s Death

-

STATEMENT FROM JARED WILLIAMS ON THE ANTOINE REDFIELD DISMISSAL FROM LAST YEAR:

“After two years of investigation by two separate District Attorney administrations, the realities of the Redfield/Lawson case forced the State to dismiss the charges. This was not a judgment call. This was not a choice. This was a requirement by law.

Antoine Redfield Jr.,

When I took office in 2021, we immediately began reviewing the file and preparing it for trial. Multiple memos from 2020 noted this case was likely unprovable from the beginning, as Georgia is a “Stand Your Ground” state, which requires prosecutors to disprove claims of self-defense and defense of others. After a year of diligent work by the previous administration, my office worked an additional year to strengthen the case and overcome its problems.

This was a chaotic gunfight at a nightclub between four gang members, two of whom died. The lead investigator testified that he could not determine who shot first. Neither witness testimony nor physical and ballistic evidence could prove who shot whom. No firearms were recovered from the scene. Video of the incident did not show who shot first, preventing the State from proving that this was not self defense or defense of others.

It became clear that despite our best efforts, the State could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Redfield shot for any reason other than to save his own life or his friend’s life. The probable cause standard required for arrest warrants is much lower than the standard the State is held to at trial. While no prosecutor wishes to let violent gang members back on the street, no ethical prosecutor can try a man for murder without the evidence to prove it.

The circumstances that bring this case back to the forefront today are gut-wrenching, sad, and heart-breaking.

Arbrie Anthony, 8

Our prayers and condolences are with the family of Arbrie Leigh Anthony, a young child who deserved so much better than to lose her life. We pray for our community that so desperately needs healing after too much senseless violence. The District Attorney’s Office stands ready to prosecute violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law.”

Greg Rickabaugh
Greg Rickabaugh
Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle, The Augusta Press and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel.
Share to...