Man sentenced to 60 years after trooper beating

DECATUR, Ga. — A judge has sentenced a man to 60 years in prison for brutally beating a Georgia State trooper to the point she had to retire from the force.

Garcia Venson must serve 50 of those years behind bars for the May 2010 attack on Kimberly Davis.

Before Venson was sentenced, Davis tearfully addressed the court, asking DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson to give him the maximum sentence of 60 years.

"It just wouldn't be right for him to get such a minimal amount of time," she said.

Davis recalled how Venson beat her with her own gun and tried to kill her.

"He pulled that trigger and when the trigger was locked and it didn't work, he struck me over and over," she testified.

Davis had pulled Venson over on Interstate 20 for a tinted window violation.

Venson testified he sped off and led Davis on a high-speed chase because he had a suspended license and didn't want to go to jail.

After he got out of his car and ran, Davis caught up with him and ordered him to the ground. Prosecutors said Venson never complied with the trooper's orders and fearing for her life, she shot him.

Venson testified that he gave up and was cooperating and Davis shot him for no reason. But he also testified that he kept moving and didn't comply with Davis' commands.

During sentencing, Davis testified that the beating has left her with massive migraines and double vision.

"I have at least four scars in the top of my head," Davis said.

She told the court that while she was in the hospital, co-worker Chad Lecroy, with whom she was in trooper school, would stop by and comfort her.

"Just a few months after my incident, he was killed by someone that was in jail and was let out early," Davis said to the judge.

It's why Davis urged the judge to keep Venson in jail for a long time. But the defense asked the court for leniency, and so did Venson's mother.

"Please your honor, not 60 years in jail," Patricia McCarthy tearfully pleaded.

McCarthy told the court her son had been shot before and beaten to the point he was in a coma. She said he was a good kid and was remorseful for what happened.

"He didn't mean to hurt Ms. Davis like this. Ms. Davis, I'm a mother. I am so sorry for what happened," McCarthy said.

In the end, the judge didn't give Venson the maximum sentence, but gave him a long time behind bars to think about what happened.

"I really enjoyed being a state trooper," Davis said.

Davis said she is now trying to find a career not as strenuous as law enforcement.

Davis said she hates that because it was her dream to be a Georgia State trooper was crushed after her encounter with Venson.

WSBTV