Fact-Checking the King Von Fatal Shooting: Atlanta Police Reports, Ballistics, and Charges
By James H. Sterling
Atlanta police charged Timothy Leeks with felony murder while he was still receiving medical treatment for gunshot wounds at Grady Memorial Hospital. Prosecutors argued that Leeks introduced lethal force into what began as a fistfight, directly causing Bennett's death.
In March 2021, Leeks secured release from the Fulton County Jail on a $100,000 bond. The defense strategy rested on Georgia’s expansive self-defense and defense-of-others laws. Under Georgia Code § 16-3-21, a person is justified in using deadly force if they reasonably believe such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves or a third party.
Leeks’ defense team maintained that Bennett and an overwhelming group of associates ambushed Bowman, placing Bowman at imminent risk of severe injury. By August 2023, the Fulton County District Attorney’s office formally dropped the felony murder charges against Leeks. Prosecutors determined that securing a unanimous conviction at trial was unlikely given the surveillance footage showing Bennett initiating physical violence against Bowman, which provided strong grounds for a statutory defense-of-others claim.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
