Superior Court jury convicts Columbus man in racially motivated 2020 AutoZone attack

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A Superior Court jury convicted a Columbus man on aggravated assault and possession of a knife in the commission of a crime.

After deliberating Thursday, the jury convicted 22-year-old Jayvon Hatchett on all charges. Hatchett pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Authorities charged Hatchett with aggravated assault after he was accused of stabbing AutoZone employee Michael Hunt seven times on Aug. 25, 2020.

The verdict was given after a four-day trial revealing how many times the defendant stabbed the victim, listening to witnesses who were mostly AutoZone employees, and after mental health professionals gave opinions on Hatchett's state of mental health at the time of the incident from both the defense and prosecution.

Hatchett received 20 years in prison for aggravated assault and five years for being in possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, which will be served consecutively.

Previous Reports:

Wheelchair-bound AutoZone stabbing victim describes vicious attack in what the DA says was racially motivated crime