Fayette Co. man convicted of attempted murder, sentenced to life in prison

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - A Fayette County man convicted of attempted murder has been sentenced to serve life in prison, 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney (DA) Andy Hamlin announced Thursday, Aug. 3.

The DA says 80-year-old Jerry Martin Honeycutt was convicted of attempted murder, two counts of first-degree burglary and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm after a trial in April.

Honeycutt was charged following the March 26, 2021 incident at a residence in Bankston. The victims reported that Honeycutt was irate when he showed up at the house, occupied by two men and two women at the time. Honeycutt entered the house with a pistol and tried to shoot one of the men. The man was able to subdue Honeycutt and recover the gun. Honeycutt was also armed with a knife.

Officials say at the sentencing hearing, the State was able to chronicle Honeycutt’s long multijurisdictional criminal history that began in the early 1970s, amassing him dozens of arrests and at least five separate felony convictions.

“I am pleased with the sentence of life without the possibility of parole,” Assistant District Attorneys Kaleb Beams said. “Given Mr. Honeycutt’s extensive and violent criminal history, there was only one sentence that could ensure that Mr. Honeycutt would never harm another citizen again, and that was handed down today.”

Honeycutt is currently incarcerated at Williamson Correctional Facility as a result of his parole being revoked on previous, unrelated charges.

“Given Mr. Honeycutt’s prior convictions, one of which was for murder out of the state of Florida, there is no doubt that Jerry Honeycutt is a dangerous offender, and the sentence was warranted,” Hamlin said. “Justice was served.”

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