A former Walker County, Georgia, sheriff’s officer who shot and killed his son in 2017 will appear in court in December to argue that he was acting in self-defense when the shooting happened.
Authorities say Patrick Ray Wooten, 59, shot and killed his son, 30-year-old Patrick Lance Wooten, in May 2017 after a string of domestic disputes.
In the months leading up to the shooting, police arrested Lance Wooten for shoving his wife to the ground, hitting and pushing his father and choking his mother.
Patrick Ray Wooten’s attorney, public defender David Dunn, filed a motion for immunity on Feb. 7 and the case has been tied up since. The hearing is now scheduled for Dec. 12 in Lookout Mountain Judicial Court. Dunn is arguing that his client cannot be convicted because he was defending his home and his family when he shot his son.
An immunity hearing is not the same as a trial. In an immunity hearing, a judge will make the ultimate decision whether Wooten acted in self-defense, not a jury. The burden of proof also lies on the defense, whereas in most criminal cases, the prosecution has to prove their case against the defendant.