Randal Ratledge, who fired off two rounds of a gun, hitting no one, walked out of the Duval County Courthouse on Friday morning a free citizen.
Originally, Ratledge was charged with six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after firing two shots just outside of his home while others were present. Represented by Bill Sheppard and Bryan DeMaggio, jurors acquitted Ratledge of two of the charges and reduced the other four charges to misdemeanors.
According to The Florida Times Union, “Ratledge was previously convicted of the six counts of aggravated assault, but that conviction was thrown out before sentencing when Circuit Judge James Daniel ruled that his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination was violated during the trial.”
Prior to the decision of the jury, Ratledge faced a startling 120 years in prison based on the law and appellate court precedents in place at the time.
To read the full article written by The Florida Times Union, click here.