FROM: Office of District Attorney General Jody Pickens, 26th Judicial District –
Violent Offender Sentenced to 40 years in Prison
On March 7, 2022, Patrick D. Merriweather, twenty-eight years old of Jackson, Tennessee, pled guilty to an indictment that stemmed from an incident that occurred on August 22, 2020, in the 100 block of Preston Street.
The Defendant was indicted by a Madison County Grand Jury on July 6, 2021, for the crimes of Attempted First Degree Murder With Serious Bodily Injury, Especially Aggravated Robbery, Theft, Retaliation for Past Action, Criminal Trespass, Employing a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony While Having a Prior Conviction for a Violent Felony, and Possession of a Firearm After Having Been Convicted of a Felony Involving Violence. Prior to this incident the Defendant had been convicted of the felonies of Robbery, Aggravated Burglary, and two instances of Vandalism over $500 for which he had previously been sent to the Tennessee Department of Correction to serve a prison sentence.
The proof that would have been presented, had this matter proceeded to trial, was that the victim went to a family property located at the corner of Preston and North Royal to check on the condition of the property. Upon arrival, the victim found the Defendant inside the property. He was cited for Criminal Trespass and released. The Defendant later returned to the property where he found the victim sitting in her truck. The Defendant took the victim’s gun away from her, shot her in the head, and thereafter took property belonging to her. The Defendant was located approximately thirty minutes later on Airways Boulevard in possession of the victim’s property.
Upon his plea of guilty to the indictment, the Defendant received a total effective sentence of forty years with no parole in the Tennessee Department of Correction.
General Pickens stated, “We are very fortunate that the victim in this case survived this horrific crime. The Jackson Police Department did a tremendous job of quickly identifying the Defendant, locating him, arresting him, and putting together a well investigated case that allowed my office to obtain such a lengthy sentence. Violent crimes such as this must be dealt with in such a manner so as to protect the community from those who would seek to prey upon them. To that end, for the next four decades this Defendant will be in a place where he cannot hurt any other law-abiding citizens. My hope going forward is for the victim to be able to return to some degree of normalcy in her life.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney General Nina Seiler. The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit, Financial Crimes Unit, Street Crimes Unit, as well as the Patrol Division.
(PHOTO: Patrick Merriweather – WNWS.COM file)
