Man sentenced in brutal beating of ex-girlfriend

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, December 13, 2016

By Melanie Ruberti

 

melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

 

 

Man sentenced in brutal beating of ex-girlfriend

 

Defendant to spend at least 30 years behind bars

 

LaGRANGE – A man convicted of beating his ex-girlfriend with a shotgun, hammer and his feet was sentenced in a Troup County Superior Court on Monday morning.

Eddie James Huguley, 42, will spend three decades behind bars for the incident.

Troup County Superior Court Dennis Blackmon sentenced Huguley to 30 years in prison.

A Troup County jury found the defendant guilty of three counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in November.

After the verdict was read, Blackmon informed the jury Huguley was also a convicted felon.

In 1997, the defendant was convicted of statutory rape, according to Troup County Assistant District Attorney Brett Adams told the court during the trial in November.

When he beat his ex-girlfriend with a gun almost 19 years later, Huguley violated the terms of his release from prison as a convicted felon.

The jury was sent back to deliberate on a seventh charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon – and found Huguley guilty.

According to Adams, Huguley severely beat his then girlfriend, Nikel Walker, inside a home in the 100 block of McGee Street on Feb. 19.

Huguley hit the victim with such force, the shotgun broke apart during the incident, Adams told the court.

The defendant allegedly kicked Walker as well before ordering her to strip naked and get into bed, said Adams.

Pieces of the shotgun were found inside the home on McGee Street, Adams stated. LaGrange Police also discovered the hammer underneath a bed.

Huguley’s defense attorney, Jeff Shattuck, recommended Judge Blackmon sentence his client to 10 years to serve 24 months.

Blackmon decided to sentence the defendant to significantly more time.

Huguley and his attorney have already planned to file an appeal, according to the court.

 

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter with LaGrange Daily News. She can be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.