A judge denied bond for Jamaal Jenkins after prosecutors argued that gunfire in a crowded restaurant endangered more than one victim.
SNELLVILLE, Ga. — A Georgia judge rejected a bond request for a man accused of shooting a Chick-fil-A customer after defense counsel argued he acted in self-defense when the victim punched him first.
Jamaal Jenkins, 44, appeared at a preliminary hearing on charges of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and reckless conduct. The case stems from an April 7 shooting inside the Chick-fil-A on the 1500 block of Scenic Highway in Snellville. The hearing set up the first public clash between the defense theory and the prosecution’s account: one side pointed to a punch, while the other pointed to three gunshots, a chest wound and an alleged attempt to keep firing.
Teombre Calland, Jenkins’ attorney, told the judge that her client was not a flight risk and had no felony convictions. She argued that Jenkins was defending himself because the victim struck him in the face before the shooting. Calland said Jenkins would agree to a stay-away order involving both the victim and the restaurant if released. Her argument focused on the first physical act in the confrontation and the limits the court could impose to control future contact. At a bond hearing, such factors can matter because judges weigh risk to the public, risk of flight and the strength of the state’s early evidence.
Prosecutors answered with the setting and the alleged scale of the response. They argued that Jenkins was a danger to the community because the shooting happened inside a restaurant with other customers present. Snellville Police Detective Victor Martinez testified that Jenkins and the victim did not know each other before the encounter. The two men were standing in line when Jenkins started talking to the victim, Martinez said. The detective testified that Jenkins told the man he smelled like cigarette smoke, called him a “weirdo” and used a racial slur. The victim then punched Jenkins once, according to the detective.
What happened after the punch drove the judge’s ruling. Martinez said Jenkins pulled a Glock 42 from his pocket and fired three shots. One bullet struck the victim in the chest. The detective testified that Jenkins chased the victim and tried to keep shooting until the handgun malfunctioned. Martinez said the malfunction may have kept the shooting from becoming a homicide. The reports from the hearing did not say whether Jenkins made any statement to police about fear, injury or why he fired. They also did not say whether he had visible injuries from the punch beyond the detective’s account that he had been hit in the face.
The judge found enough evidence to bind all three charges over to Superior Court and denied bond. That ruling did not decide the self-defense claim for trial purposes, and it did not amount to a conviction. It did mean Jenkins would remain in the Gwinnett County Jail while the case moves into the next felony stage. A Superior Court case can include later hearings, more discovery, possible indictment action, plea talks or trial scheduling. No next court date was listed in the reports available after the hearing. Jenkins remains presumed innocent unless a court or jury finds otherwise.
The legal divide is likely to remain central. A self-defense claim often depends on what threat existed at the moment force was used and whether the response was legally justified under the circumstances. The defense highlighted that Jenkins was punched first. Prosecutors highlighted the decision to draw a pistol, fire repeatedly and, according to police, chase the wounded man while trying to shoot again. The reckless conduct charge also widens the frame beyond the two men. It alleges conduct that put others at risk, a point prosecutors used because the gunfire happened inside a public restaurant rather than in an isolated place.
Several facts remain outside the public record. The victim was not named in the reports from court, and officials did not release a full medical update. The reports did not say whether the chest wound caused lasting injury or whether the victim had returned home. Authorities also did not publicly describe any surveillance video, 911 calls or witness statements from customers and workers. It was not clear whether the alleged racial slur would lead to any additional allegation or remain part of the factual background. For now, the case is charged as aggravated assault, firearm possession during a crime and reckless conduct.
The hearing also showed how quickly a small public dispute can become a felony prosecution. Police said the two men were strangers before they stood in the same line. The first comment, according to Martinez, was about the smell of cigarette smoke. The next moments included insults, one punch, a gun drawn from a pocket and three shots inside a business where others were present. Officers found Jenkins still at the scene after they arrived. The reports did not say whether the restaurant’s workers or customers were evacuated, how long the location was closed or how many people witnessed the shooting.
The defense now carries its self-defense argument into a more serious court setting, while prosecutors carry the detective’s account of the alleged chase and malfunction. Jenkins remained jailed without bond after the ruling, and the next public milestone in the Superior Court case had not been listed by Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated May 27, 2026.