A LaGrange man entered a plea deal in Troup County Superior Court last week for his role in a January shooting that left the victim paraplegic.  

Jomo Lindsey was sentenced to 35 years to serve 18 in prison, and pleaded guilty to one count criminal attempt to commit murder, one count of aggravated battery, one count of aggravated assault, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and one count of possession of a firearm by convicted felon. 

Coweta Judicial Circuit Court Assistant District Attorney Jack Winne said Lindsey entered a negotiated plea right before jury selection. 

“Part of the negotiated plea was that he’d be sentenced as a repeat offender, or recidivist, which means that he will not be eligible for parole on those 18 years,” Winne said. “He won’t be released until February of 2036.”

Winne said Lindsey has been convicted four times since 2008 for charges of sale of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

According to the LaGrange Police Department, Lindsey shot Deontre Johnson during an argument at a party on Juniper Street on Jan. 29, 2018. Johnson was flown to an Atlanta-area hospital for his treatment. 

“[Johnson] survived, but as a result of the shooting, he was shot once in the chest, and the bullet lodged in his spine,” Winne said. “We were ready to try the case, and I think there was justice in this case by not having to put the victim and the witnesses through the trial and to be able to get him off the streets for 18 years. [It] is a really good resolution.”

Coweta Judicial Circuit Court District Attorney Herb Cranford said he was thankful for the LaGrange City Council’s support of the office. 

“This successful attempted murder prosecution is another example of the senseless violence being perpetrated in our community,” Cranford said in a statement. “Cases like this show that the district attorney’s office will work tirelessly to get justice for victims of these crimes and to protect the community from defendants like Lindsey, who have multiple prior felony convictions.”

A call to Lindsey’s attorney, Jennifer Curry, was not returned on Tuesday.