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A Cedartown man convicted in December of murdering his brother-in-law after a Facebook argument will spend the rest of his life in prison.


Polk County Superior Court Judge Michael Murphy sentenced John Paul Jones, 40, this morning to life without parole in prison.

Jones was convicted of the shooting death of Michael Robinson, also 40. Robinson came to the Jones’ home on Aug. 6 after an argument sparked on Facebook. He was shot multiple times when he got out of his car.

Robinson's mother, Sherry Patterson, told Murphy she would never get over this tragedy.

“I feel like my son was treated like an animal that you sit and wait and shoot. I wonder who will be next,” she said.

Heather Robinson also spoke to the judge and told him she had a lot to say but the words won’t come. Her stepsister is married to Jones, and Robinson said the situation has devastated both families.

“I never imagined having to raise my children alone,” she said in between tears. “He not only took from our family. He took from (her step-sister’s family) as well.”

Murphy said it was a difficult case.

“There hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about this case since the jury’s verdict,” Murphy told the court before he issued sentence.

Before he gave his sentence, Murphy talked about his duty as a judge to administer a sentence and how that weighed heavy because two families were involved. He said the Jones’ family was a good family and Jones’ choices hurt them also.

The judge expressed his feelings that the children of both families that would “have to deal with the consequences the rest of their lives.”

“The way I see life is there are choices and there are consequences,” Murphy told Jones. “Your choices brought you here today and now we have to deal with the consequences.”

The emotionally charged courtroom included seven members of the Robinson family and four members of Jones’ family.

Several members of law enforcement, including deputies, Sheriff Johnny Moats, and Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome, were in the courtroom. All knew both men from their past employment as police officers.

Jones was convicted on six charges: malice murder, felony murder, two aggravated assault charges and two charges of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jack Browning recommended life without parole because he said he felt parole is for those who deserve a second chance.

“However, I do not believe it is reserved for someone doing something so indiscriminate as to lie in wait with a loaded gun,” Browning said.

The DA said Jones had been arguing with several on Facebook that night and challenged all of them to come to his house. He said trial evidence showed Jones was going to shoot the first person who showed up and that was Robinson, making him an indiscriminate target.

Defense attorney Karen Wilkes told Murphy before sentencing the killing wasn’t premeditated because Robinson came to confront Jones.

She also told Murphy that Jones was working two jobs at the time and was under the influence of Ambien and was not in control of his actions.
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