ATLANTA — Closing arguments unfolded Thursday in the trial of Alton Oliver, charged with fatally shooting a Fulton County sheriff’s deputy. The proceedings concluded just a day after Oliver took the stand to share his version of events.
Oliver testified that he shot Deputy James Thomas out of fear, claiming the deputy made several unwanted sexual advances while driving past him. He recounted that after a second encounter, Thomas allegedly accelerated toward him, prompting his reaction.
Deputy Thomas was discovered deceased in the driver’s seat of a crashed vehicle early on December 2022, around 4:30 a.m. in the Riverside neighborhood on Bolton Road.
During the closing arguments, Oliver’s defense team sought to portray the situation as one of a “predator versus prey,” suggesting that the former deputy had pursued Oliver with aggressive intentions. They argued that Thomas initiated three separate encounters, including a purported sexual proposition, while Oliver was merely on his way home.
According to the defense attorney, “Under the cover of darkness, he was the predator. And my client was the prey.” They further contended that there was insufficient evidence regarding the deputy’s motivations for leaving his home that night, and that this uncertainty should create reasonable doubt about Oliver’s intentions.
Prosecutors challenged this narrative, emphasizing the humanity of Deputy Thomas, describing him as a son and brother deserving of respect. They asserted that the shooting could not be justified as self-defense, arguing that Thomas was unarmed and approximately 40 feet away when Oliver fired three shots into his vehicle.
The prosecutor outlined various alternative actions Oliver could have taken that night, including walking away or dialing 911 for help, instead of resorting to gunfire. He slammed the defense’s argument as misleading, referencing what he termed “smoke and mirrors.”
Jurors were presented with ballistics evidence alongside Oliver’s recorded statements, which reportedly lacked consistency with previous testimonies. The prosecutor closed by stressing that a guilty verdict would not only hold Oliver accountable but also provide a sense of justice and closure for Thomas’ family.
In his final appeal, the prosecutor stated, “You don’t get to… start popping off rounds at people just because they solicit you. That is not right. That is not the law.”
The jury has begun deliberations as the trial reaches its culmination, leaving the fate of Oliver, charged with a significant crime, in their hands.
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