Stone Mountain man convicted in absentia after running from court
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - A Stone Mountain man who ran from a Coweta County courthouse during jury deliberations was sentenced to 30 years in prison without parole.
What we know:
Jeffrey Spencer Causey, 36, was found guilty yesterday of three counts of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and firearm charges. When the jury reached the verdict, Causey could not be found.
Coweta County Superior Court Judge Emory Palmer accepted the verdict and sentenced Causey to 30 years in prison followed by 15 years of probation while the man was missing. Because Causey is a repeat offender with three prior felony convictions, he is not eligible for parole.
Hours after the sentencing, the Coweta County Sheriff's Office found and arrested Causey in Carroll County.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear how Causey managed to leave the courthouse unnoticed during the deliberations. Officials have also not released details regarding whether anyone helped him hide in Carroll County before his arrest.
The backstory:
The case stems from an incident on Sept. 3, 2022, when Causey went to his ex-boyfriend's home shortly after midnight. Once inside, he had both a gun and a taser.
According to evidence, Causey threatened the victim, asking if he should tase him in the eye or shoot him in the kneecap. During the assault, Causey repeatedly tased the victim and hit him with the gun, which went off into a couch cushion.
Causey also forced the victim to hit his head on a kitchen counter and later made him shower and lie in a bed. The victim begged for his life for hours because he did not want his mother to find him dead in the home.
What they're saying:
District Attorney John H. Cranford Jr. expressed relief following the arrest. "Our community will be safer for the next 30 years with Causey in prison," the DA's office said in a statement.
Before the arrest, Causey had forced the victim to bag up evidence of the assault and put it in a vehicle. The victim eventually escaped and called 911.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, which provided the trial evidence and sentencing details, and the Coweta County Sheriff's Office, which led the investigation and capture of the defendant.