A Shelby County man described by a judge as showing “shocking” disrespect in court will remain behind bars after the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals upheld his eight-year prison sentence Wednesday.
Jonathan Hall, a convicted felon with a history of robbery and carjacking, had appealed for a suspended sentence, arguing he was a changed man who had found religion and steady employment. However, appellate judges affirmed the trial court’s decision to keep him incarcerated, citing his refusal to take accountability for breaking a woman’s jaw and his decision to carry a loaded 9mm handgun despite previous felony convictions.
The case stems from a violent domestic dispute on Christmas Eve in 2022. According to prosecutors, police responded to a home on Bontura Drive where the victim, Lashondra Lee, reported that Hall had attacked her after they returned from a club. Lee told officers Hall punched her in the face, kicked her in the ribs, and threatened to kill her if she attempted to leave…