An update from the family of Ashlyn Griffin, a domestic violence survivor in Georgia who was prosecuted for defending her life:
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022: Ashlyn’s trial began on February 14, 2022. During the trial, the prosecution repeatedly victim shamed Ashlyn for staying in an abusive relationship. It was truly disgusting to watch. After all the testimony was completed, the jury was confused about many of the charges and asked the judge for clarification on numerous occasions. However, they were mainly told to rely on their memories. As a result of the confusion, the jury found Ashlyn:
Not guilty of Felony Murder
Not guilty of Manslaughter
Not Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter
Guilty of Aggravated Assault
Guilty of Firearm Possession During Commission of a Felony
To clarify, Ashlyn exercised her 2nd Amendment right and LEGALLY purchased a gun for protection due to a string of burglaries and home invasions at her apartment complex. She had every right to defend her life just as any other American would.
Nevertheless, shortly after the verdict, an alternate juror contacted the judge about the troubling conversations that took place during jury deliberations. Still, he sentenced Ashlyn to 15 years in prison. She should have walked out of that courthouse as a free woman!
Ironically, the same District Attorney’s office that put Ashlyn in prison is the same district attorney’s office that prosecuted and sent her boyfriend to prison for 2 years for his violent attack on her while she was pregnant.
At this point, Ashlyn needs an appellate lawyer to read the trial transcript for any errors the judge might have made. She is currently in Bulloch County jail and her two daughters are with Ashlyn’s mother.
We really need your help, support, and prayers at this time. Anything you can do–whether offering expert services for Ashlyn’s future appeal, or financial donations, sharing this case with others, or increasing the visibility of this case with news articles or TV segments, is greatly appreciated.
To those of you who have already prayed, donated and/or shared this page, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your help. We appreciate it so much.
Please support Ashlyn Griffin’s legal defense fund to help her appeal this unjust case!
Ashlyn it is even sadder because there can be no justification for prosecution of a justifiable killing. It is an injustice that makes no distinction and happens all across this country to every race, creed and national origin. It is uniquely related to gender. My husband tried to kill me twice when I was 48 and a successful, well respected self made professional who had never dialed 911. The officers arrived and asked me how much I had been drinking (I don’t), questioned my girls about whether I cooked weird things on the stove (meth?). There were no apologies when I volunteered for a tox screen. My entire life counted for nothing and in a second I was reduced to just another hysterical woman claiming abuse. With the history of violence in your case, you should be entitled to raise self defense, shift the burden of proof and the prosecution should then have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you did NOT shoot the gun in fear for your life or bodily harm. Also felony murder should not be available in self defense cases. You should have been released on your own recognizance (you are a threat to no one).
We made a donation and hope your case brings to light this injustice. Politicians will try to use you and turn this into a divided cause for one group or another. Don’t allow them to do it. It’s about all of us.
Judge Peed was over my case in Effingham County Ga. I was in an abusive marriage for 20 years and when my drunk husband, a 6′ 200lb Marine who was thrown out of the Marine Corp for beating me, pulled a knife, I grabbed the knife off the counter, he pulled out a 12″ butcher’s knife and I shot him with his gun in the chest and the arm he had the knife, they locked me up. My ex-husband even admitted to being abusive since I had proof. They treated my ex-husband like the victim even gave him a victims advocate, the Sheriff’s Office tampered with evidence my attorney turned over and I never received a copy of my interrogation video that lasted almost 2 hours. They turned over a short video that was a few different clips with no audio. They cut off every means I had to defend myself with Judge Peeds rulings on motions. This Judge is crooked, I have proof since I kept original copies of everything and when I tried to appeal by several different means was blocked. Someone should look into this man’s financial situation, unless he’s truly evil I believe he’s making a fortune off the prison for profit system. I’m soo sorry she’s suffering again, I know how painful it is, Justice is needed especially if Peed was on the case. File a complaint with the Judicial Qualification Committee, they try to ignore them but if too many people come forward they’ll have to do something. Good Luck, my prayers are with you.