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Name:
Griffith, Terrence Lamar
Date of Booking:
03/08/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
Criminal Trespass-Damage to property (Private)
Terroristic Threats and Acts (Fel)
Aggravated Assault
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On March 8, 2026 at 1511 hours, I was dispatched to [500 BLOCK] Cassville Rd, Cartersville, GA 30120 in reference to a domestic in progress. While being dispatched, an additional call was received from Piedmont Cartersville Hospital in reference to an assault that had occurred at the same address.
Upon my arrival, I spoke with [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated he had come to the residence to help clean up after Bartow County Deputies had responded to the residence the previous day and told Terrence Griffith to leave. [VICTIM #1] stated Griffith had left at that time but returned this morning while [VICTIM #1] was asleep and began verbally arguing with his girlfriend, [WITNESS #1].
[VICTIM #1] stated [VICTIM #2] woke him up and informed him Griffith was back. [VICTIM #1] stated he then walked outside and told Griffith he needed to leave before they called the police. [VICTIM #1] stated Griffith then began walking toward him and [VICTIM #2] while yelling and telling them to mind their business.
[VICTIM #1] stated he told Griffith he needed to back off and leave the property. [VICTIM #1] stated Griffith then grabbed a chair and threw it toward him and [VICTIM #2]. The chair struck [VICTIM #1] in the right hand and then deflected into a window on the left side of the residence behind [VICTIM #1]. This action caused a laceration to [VICTIM #1]’s index finger. [VICTIM #1] was treated by Metro EMS on scene.
[VICTIM #1] and [VICTIM #2] both stated that after the chair was thrown, [VICTIM #2] stepped into the entrance of the residence and sprayed Griffith with pepper spray in self-defense. Griffith then ran to his vehicle (unknown make/model) where he and [WITNESS #1] entered the vehicle and began to drive away.
[VICTIM #1] and [VICTIM #2] stated Griffith then stopped the vehicle before leaving and told [VICTIM #2] out of the window to “keep that energy, I’m going to come back and shoot you.” This statement was witnessed by [VICTIM #1].
While documenting the scene, I observed the chair that had been thrown at [VICTIM #1] and the damaged window. I also observed tire marks in the grass that appeared to indicate a vehicle had come to a rapid stop and then accelerated quickly.
After photographing the scene, I responded to Piedmont Cartersville Hospital to speak with [WITNESS #1] and Terrence Griffith.
Griffith stated there had been no verbal argument with [WITNESS #1] and that he had returned to retrieve his property. Griffith stated he asked [VICTIM #1] for an extension cord but [VICTIM #1] ignored him. Griffith stated [VICTIM #1] knew he was an aggressive person and did this on purpose. It should be noted Griffith made this comment numerous times while waiting at the hospital.
Griffith stated when he attempted to retrieve his extension cord, someone cut it in half with a machete, but Griffith could not tell me who did it. Griffith stated [VICTIM #2] then sprayed him with pepper spray, so he grabbed a chair and threw it in a random direction.
Griffith’s statement was contradictory, as if he had grabbed the chair while being sprayed with pepper spray, I would have expected to observe pepper spray residue on the chair. No residue was observed on the chair.
Griffith stated he then ran to the car and drove away with his eyes burning and barely being able to see, but believed someone was chasing the vehicle with a machete. No machete was observed on scene.
I then asked [WITNESS #1] to step outside. [WITNESS #1] stated she and Griffith had been arguing earlier that morning but did not observe any other actions other than Griffith running back to the camper with pepper spray on his face.
Due to the conflicting statements, along with the facts and circumstances observed on scene, I found probable cause to charge Terrence Griffith with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon for throwing the chair at [VICTIM #1], Criminal Trespass — Damage to Property for breaking the window, and Terroristic Threats and Acts for threatening to shoot [VICTIM #2].
Arrest warrants were taken for these charges. It should be noted Griffith was hesitant and inconsistent with his recollection of the events that occurred.
After explaining this to Griffith, I informed him he was under arrest. After being medically cleared by hospital staff, Griffith was placed in handcuffs to the rear, double locked, and checked for fit and safety. Griffith was then transported to the Bartow County Jail and turned over to jail staff.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
3/8/26
TERRENCE LAMAR GRIFFITH ARRESTED AND BOOKED IN BARTOW COUNTY
What this means: Terrence Lamar Griffith was booked into the Bartow County jail on this date. He is charged with Criminal Trespass (damage to property), Terroristic Threats and Acts (a felony), and Aggravated Assault in connection with Case No. SUW2026000582 in Bartow County Superior Court. At this stage, these are accusations only — Terrence Lamar Griffith is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
3/17/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION TO SET BOND
What this means: Terrence Lamar Griffith’s attorney, Jasmyne Gleaton of the Cherokee Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s office, filed a formal request asking the Bartow County Superior Court to set a bond in this case. The motion noted that Griffith had been in custody since his booking and that no bond had been set. The defense argued that Griffith poses no significant risk of intimidating witnesses or obstructing justice, and asked the court to schedule a hearing and set a reasonable bond amount.
3/18/26
COURT ISSUES ORDER AND RULE NISI ON BOND MOTION
What this means: After receiving the defense’s motion to set bond, the Bartow County Superior Court issued an Order and Rule Nisi — a formal court order scheduling a hearing and directing all parties to appear and show cause why the bond motion should not be granted. The hearing was set for March 23, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom C at the Bartow County Courthouse.
3/31/26
COURT SETS BOND FOR TERRENCE LAMAR GRIFFITH
What this means: Following the bond hearing, the Bartow County Superior Court issued an order setting bond for Terrence Lamar Griffith at $25,000, returnable to the sheriff with surety. As conditions of the bond, Griffith is required to: not violate the criminal laws of any governmental unit; not leave the State of Georgia without permission of the court; appear in court as directed by the court; and have no contact with the victim. This order supersedes all prior bond conditions.
6/12/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION FOR BOND REDUCTION
What this means: Attorney Jasmyne Gleaton filed a motion on behalf of Terrence Lamar Griffith asking the Bartow County Superior Court to reduce the existing bond amount in Case No. SUW2026000582. The court issued an Order and Rule Nisi the same day, scheduling a hearing for June 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom D at the Bartow County Courthouse, and directing all parties to appear and show cause why the bond reduction should not be granted.
6/16/26
COURT ORDERS BOND REDUCED BY CONSENT
What this means: Following the June 16 hearing, the Bartow County Superior Court — with the consent of both parties — issued an order reducing Terrence Lamar Griffith’s bond to $15,000, returnable to the sheriff with surety at the next hearing. The bond conditions are: not violate the criminal laws of any governmental unit; not leave the State of Georgia without permission of the court; appear in court as directed by the court; have no contact with the victim; and may not possess any firearms or offensive weapons.