Defendant Disappears During Deliberations, Gets 30 Years Without Parole

A man on trial for a violent assault disappeared from a Coweta County courthouse as jurors deliberated his fate—but was still convicted, sentenced, and captured within hours.

Jeffrey Spencer Causey, 36, of Stone Mountain, was found guilty April 28 of three counts of aggravated assault, one count of terroristic threats, and two firearm-related charges following a jury trial in Coweta County Superior Court.

When the jury returned its verdict, Causey could not be located. Judge Emory Palmer accepted the guilty verdict in his absence and sentenced him to 30 years in prison followed by 15 years of probation.

Because of prior felony convictions, Causey will not be eligible for parole, according to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Violent assault detailed at trial

Evidence presented at trial described a prolonged and escalating assault that began shortly after midnight on September 3, 2022.

Prosecutors said Causey went to his ex-boyfriend’s residence, where he produced both a firearm and a taser and threatened the victim, asking whether he should “taze [him] in the eye or shoot [him] in the kneecap.”

Causey then repeatedly used the taser on the victim and struck him with the firearm. During the assault, the gun discharged into a couch cushion.

The victim was also forced to hit his head on a kitchen counter multiple times.

Prosecutors said Causey forced the victim to shower and lie down in the victim’s mother’s bed, where the victim spent hours pleading not to be killed because he did not want his mother to find him there.

Causey then transported the victim to multiple locations while continuing to threaten his life and warning him not to escape or contact anyone.

After returning to the residence, Causey forced the victim to gather and bag evidence related to the assault and place it in his vehicle. The victim was later forced out of the vehicle and was able to return home, where he called 911.

Arrested hours after sentencing

Authorities located Causey in Carroll County hours after the verdict and sentencing were issued and took him into custody, according to the district attorney’s office.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Brett Adams, with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office leading the investigation.

The district attorney’s office said it was grateful the defendant was quickly apprehended.

“Our community will be safer for the next 30 years with Causey in prison,” the office stated. “We are thankful that this violent felon was arrested before he could harm this victim or anyone else.”