COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – Over 60 residents of Muscogee County accomplished their civic duty this morning in court for jury duty. As a result, 14 now have been selected to serve on the trial for Anthony Gates.

26-year-old Gates faces decades in prison if convicted of the charges against him.

Gates was expected to go to trial in November of 2022 but was unable to after no one showed up for jury duty because the summons for those jurors were never mailed.

With the jury now selected, Gates is facing over five charges. One of them being aggravated assault with family violence.

The selected jurors will hear the evidence and determine if Gates is guilty or not guilty in a bizarre domestic dispute case with an unexpected turn of events.

On October 3, 2019, a gunshot rang out on Alpine Drive, leaving a 27-year-old mother of three in critical condition. According to prosecutors and police, Gates had one hand around the victim’s throat with a gun pointed at her head during an argument.

Police say he put the weapon down, and that’s when the woman’s 6-year-old son picked up the gun, aimed at Gates and accidentally shot his mother.

News Leader 9 spoke with the victim’s relatives back in 2019. Family members say this is not the first time Gates and Trilisha Williams was involved in a domestic violence situation.

“Trilisha was a single working mother that was taking care of her three kids, and she is a victim of domestic violence,” said Latrice Williams.

Police say one of Williams’ three kids reportedly told police they heard the defendant say, “I should kill you, but you have kids.”

With the trial set to start Wednesday morning, Gates’ defense attorney Roberta Robinson says juror selection went well, and they look forward to presenting their opening statements.

Roberta Robinson

“The prospective jurors were candid in their responses, and I think we were able to select a good and fair impartial jury in this case,” said the attorney.

Gates has been out on bond awaiting trial.

In this case, he has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with family violence, one for putting a gun to the mother’s head and the other for choking her. The additional charges are as follows,

• Terroristic threats for threatening to kill Williams
• Using a gun to commit a felony
• Three counts of third-degree cruelty to children (one of each child)
• Hindering a 911 call</…….

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