In the fall of 2014, a night out in Lawrenceville, Georgia, ended in tragedy for Terrence D. Robinson, a 37-year-old man. On the evening of October 10, an altercation outside Tailgators Sports Bar and Grill on Hurricane Shoals Road escalated, and Robinson was shot in the chest. He was rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Robinson's death quickly focused on a suspect identified as Anthony Meguil Luis Brooks, then 21 years old. Witnesses reported that Brooks fled the scene on foot after the shooting. Lawrenceville police issued warrants for his arrest on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. At the time, Brooks was on parole for a prior drug conviction.
Despite the initial focus on Brooks, the case took a turn. In December 2014, a different man, 21-year-old Anthony Banks, was arrested in LaGrange and charged with Robinson's murder. Banks was subsequently held without bond at the Gwinnett County jail, facing charges that included murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The legal proceedings against Anthony Banks culminated in a trial that concluded in May 2017. In a surprising turn of events, a jury found Banks not guilty of the murder of Terrence Robinson. Banks' defense attorney argued that issues with the evidence, including the angle of the gunshot, suggested another individual was responsible for the fatal shot. The attorney posited that Robinson's own friend had drawn a weapon and that the gun discharged accidentally when Banks slapped it away. The acquittal left the question of who was ultimately responsible for Terrence Robinson's death unresolved.
