MACON, Ga. — A Macon woman was found not guilty in the 2017 shooting death of her husband, with the jury buying the defense's argument that the shooting was in self-defense.
Tenita Shoats was on trial in the death of her husband, Vernon Shoats. He was shot and killed at the apartment they shared at the Hidden Lake Apartments.
But during the course of the trial, the couple's struggle with domestic abuse — exacerbated by Vernon's PTSD from his military service — came to the forefront. That night, he hadn't taken his PTSD medicine, the report says.
The report says that he had started approaching her with a gun. She grabbed the gun from him, urged him to stay away and that's when she pulled the trigger.
Testimony, previewed in court records, found that "Tenita B. Shoats was in fear for her life" in the moments before she shot her husband.
After a week-long trial, the jury issued their ruling on Friday, finding Shoats not guilty in the death of her husband.
Shoats' attorney, Debra Gomez, says the jury deliberated for under an hour before acquitting her client. While she thinks the jurors got the decision right, she said that it doesn't negate the tragic circumstances that led up to the shooting.
"There was a man — an honorable veteran — who died," Gomez said. "It's not a victory; it's a conclusion to a very sad and tragic event."
While the Macon District Attorney's Office said their position was that the evidence fell short of Georgia's self-defense standards, they say Vernon Shoats' death reflects "the complex intersection of domestic violence and our criminal justice system."
"Throughout this case, we acknowledged the history of domestic abuse Mrs. Shoats endured," the DA's Office says. "As prosecutors, however, we had a duty to carefully examine the specific circumstances surrounding Mr. Shoats' death."
They added: "While we respect the jury's decision, this case underscores a broader conversation about domestic violence in our community."
Gomez criticized the handling of the investigation by the Bibb County Sheriff's Office. She says the crime scene investigator spent roughly 33 minutes on the scene.
Gomez also says the investigator didn't take photos of the broader scene, which she says would help illustrate the larger context: that this was a case of domestic abuse.
"A murder case is the Super Bowl of crimes. Someone is dead and someone can lose their freedom," Gomez said. "I think it deserves more than 33 minutes at the crime scene."
We reached out to the sheriff's office but they did not immediately respond.
The District Attorney's Office emphasized that resources are available for people suffering from domestic abuse, referring people to organizations like Central Georgia's Crisis Line and Safe House at 478-745-9292 and the Georgia Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-334-2836.
"Our office remains committed to protecting victims of domestic violence and ensuring justice is served according to the law," the DA's Office said. "We encourage anyone in an abusive situation to seek help before a tragedy occurs."