Walker County (Georgia) Sheriff Steve Wilson fired court officer Patrick Ray Wooten last week after a grand jury indicted him in the death of his son.
Wooten was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in May 2017 after he shot 30-year-old Patrick Lance Wooten in the chest. The case has been pending since then, but the district attorney’s office presented the evidence to a grand jury last month. The grand jury indicted Patrick Ray Wooten on a charge of malice murder on Jan. 28.
A court officer and detention officer since January 2010, Patrick Ray Wooten has been on administrative leave without pay since the shooting. The department’s policy requires Wilson to fire employees if a grand jury indicts them.
The suspect’s attorney, public defender David Dunn, declined to comment on his legal strategy Wednesday. But on Feb. 7, he filed a motion for immunity. Dunn argued that Patrick Ray Wooten cannot be convicted because he was defending his home and his family when he shot his son.
The defendant’s wife, Judy Wooten, testified during a May 2017 bond hearing that her husband felt threatened. She said Patrick Lance Wooten “abused and frightened” his 7-year-old daughter the morning of the shooting. He also allegedly shoved Judy Wooten to the ground.