Three Strikes Law in Georgia
Georgia’s Three Strikes Law is provision about half of the states have adopted to keep habitual offenders of felony crimes off the street. The result of being charged with a 3 strikes law is 25 years to life without the ability for parole.
In Georgia these offenses count towards your 3 strikes limit:
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Rape
- Aggravated sexual battery
- Aggravated child molestation
- Aggravated sodomy
- Armed robbery
Per the Findlaw website, “The statute also specifically excludes certain felonies, such as unarmed robbery offenses or arsons which posed no threat to human life. However, in those cases, the burden is on the defendant to show that the crimes didn’t involve threats to use a dangerous weapon and that no threat of death or bodily injury was involved. In other words, these can count as strikes unless a defendant proves otherwise.”1
Most cases in Georgia never get to the third strike before a person receives a life sentence. So if you have two strikes currently, and are facing a third felony offense, it requires a good lawyer to defend you in order to not be charged under the three strikes law. There is also an issue with non-violent third strikes that can make your case complicated. Some nonviolent third strikes have been treated graciously by the court while others receive the full penalty which is life in prison without parole.
