Jason Futch Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Mike Weaver

Defendant Guilty in 2003 Shooting Death

Atlanta-Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. (Atlanta Judicial Circuit) announces that, following his conviction, Jason Futch (21) has been sentenced to life in prison plus five years for the 16 August 2003 shooting death of Michael Weaver (20), formerly of Macon. Futch was found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Mr. Weaver and several friends drove from Milledgeville to Atlanta on 15 August to attend a concert in Centennial Park and later went to Futch's apartment at 3200 Lenox Road in Buckhead. (The victim was a friend of Kenneth Roberson, and the defendant was Roberson’s roommate.) At one point, Mr. Weaver and Futch were playfully wrestling but, when the victim began to get the upper hand, the defendant became angry and started threatening the victim saying, “If you don’t get off me, I’ll kill you.” Mr. Weaver retreated to the bathroom to get away from Futch, who had become inexplicably enraged. The others in the room tried to calm the defendant, but he soon retrieved a shotgun from his bedroom. The friends continued to try to calm the defendant, but he then told them that they had three seconds to move out of the way. He then raised the shotgun, aimed, and fired one shot. The pellets from the blast went through the bedroom door, through the bathroom door, and into the victim’s left arm and chest, killing him.

The murder weapon was traced to the Glynn County Police Department in Brunswick, Georgia, where the defendant’s father had once served as a police officer. He acquired the weapon—which was inoperable at the time—through a police department gun buy-back program. He refurbished the weapon, making it operable, and gave it to the defendant for skeet shooting and hunting.

Senior Assistant District Attorneys Shukura Polk and Ron Boyter prosecuted the case, and Judge Thomas Campbell presided.

CONTACT: Erik Friedly, 404-224-0560 (office); 770.583.6069 (pager); erik.friedly@co.fulton.ga.us