The defense attorney for a West Palm Beach man accused of shooting at his girlfriend last year requested that criminal charges to be dismissed.According to court documents in Palm Beach County, Gatien Georges’ defense attorney filed a motion to dismiss criminal charges on Oct. 21, 2025, related to an attempted first-degree murder, arguing Georges was defending himself under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.The stand your ground law allows a person not to retreat and to use force if the person believes that it is needed, “to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.”Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsIf the requirement for stand your ground is met, the person is immune from criminal prosecution. Georges’ defense argues that during a May 20, 2025, verbal dispute with his long-term girlfriend at a restaurant, Georges left the restaurant and went home to de-escalate the situation.The defense says when Georges got home, he decided to pack up the victim’s belongings so she could pick them up without entering his home.When the victim arrived, Georges said he handed the victim her items peacefully, but the victim grabbed Georges’ Ring doorbell camera from the wall.The defense argues that the victim taking the doorbell camera was a forcible felony under Florida law.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here. The defense notes that Georges followed the victim to retrieve the camera. At some point, the defense said the victim, “became aggressive and threatened him, shouting that she would kill him.”The defense said a witness told police that they heard the victim tell Georges, “I dare you to shoot me.”The defense said the confrontation caused Georges to fear for his safety, as they claimed the victim “tried to run him over with a car several years earlier.”The defense believes that, given the totality of the circumstances, Georges was, “in reasonable and imminent fear for his life.”The defense acknowledged that Georges discharged his firearm at the victim, “to stop the deadly threat posed by .”The defense argued that the situation was self-defense because the victim was the aggressor.A motion hearing in court scheduled for Tuesday was postponed to March 2 after the state attorney’s office requested to continue the case, which was granted by the court on Monday. According to a Jan. 30 court filing by the state attorney’s office, the victim told the state through her attorney her desire not to participate with the prosecution of Georges.The victim’s attorney told the state she will not continue her involvement in the case unless she is personally served with a subpoena.The state’s previous efforts to serve the victim a subpoena to appear at Tuesday’s stand your ground hearing were unsuccessful. In one instance, the victim’s attorney told the state that she provided the state an address to the home of a relative where she accepts mail but does not live at the home.The victim’s attorney told the state that the victim lives in the Tampa Bay area, and the victim’s address was unknown.The state attorney’s office said it was working on getting the victim’s address to serve her to appear in court.If the victim is not located by the state attorney’s office within 30 days, the state attorney’s office said it will seek a writ of bodily attachment or a request to have law enforcement find her, take her into custody and bring her to court.The state attorney’s office stressed the importance of the victim appearing at the stand your ground hearing because the victim, “is the only one who can testify to the exact nature of her contact with the defendant prior to him retrieving a firearm from his apartment and shooting at her after she got in her car.” A West Palm Beach Police Department report of the incident notes after the encounter at Georges’ residence, the victim went back to her vehicle.At some point, the report said when the victim entered her car, Georges was pointing a gun at her.Moments later, Georges fired the weapon, then the victim drove away. When the victim reached the entrance of the apartment complex, she realized she was struck by the gunshot and called police.Georges, 54, is facing attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and criminal mischief charges.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
The defense attorney for a West Palm Beach man accused of shooting at his girlfriend last year requested that criminal charges to be dismissed.
According to court documents in Palm Beach County, Gatien Georges’ defense attorney filed a motion to dismiss criminal charges on Oct. 21, 2025, related to an attempted first-degree murder, arguing Georges was defending himself under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Gatien Georges
The stand your ground law allows a person not to retreat and to use force if the person believes that it is needed, “to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.”
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
If the requirement for stand your ground is met, the person is immune from criminal prosecution.
Georges’ defense argues that during a May 20, 2025, verbal dispute with his long-term girlfriend at a restaurant, Georges left the restaurant and went home to de-escalate the situation.
The defense says when Georges got home, he decided to pack up the victim’s belongings so she could pick them up without entering his home.
When the victim arrived, Georges said he handed the victim her items peacefully, but the victim grabbed Georges’ Ring doorbell camera from the wall.
The defense argues that the victim taking the doorbell camera was a forcible felony under Florida law.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The defense notes that Georges followed the victim to retrieve the camera.
At some point, the defense said the victim, “became aggressive and threatened him, shouting that she would kill him.”
The defense said a witness told police that they heard the victim tell Georges, “I dare you to shoot me.”
The defense said the confrontation caused Georges to fear for his safety, as they claimed the victim “tried to run him over with a car several years earlier.”
The defense believes that, given the totality of the circumstances, Georges was, “in reasonable and imminent fear for his life.”
The defense acknowledged that Georges discharged his firearm at the victim, “to stop the deadly threat posed by [the victim].”
The defense argued that the situation was self-defense because the victim was the aggressor.
A motion hearing in court scheduled for Tuesday was postponed to March 2 after the state attorney’s office requested to continue the case, which was granted by the court on Monday.
According to a Jan. 30 court filing by the state attorney’s office, the victim told the state through her attorney her desire not to participate with the prosecution of Georges.
The victim’s attorney told the state she will not continue her involvement in the case unless she is personally served with a subpoena.
The state’s previous efforts to serve the victim a subpoena to appear at Tuesday’s stand your ground hearing were unsuccessful.
In one instance, the victim’s attorney told the state that she provided the state an address to the home of a relative where she accepts mail but does not live at the home.
The victim’s attorney told the state that the victim lives in the Tampa Bay area, and the victim’s address was unknown.
The state attorney’s office said it was working on getting the victim’s address to serve her to appear in court.
If the victim is not located by the state attorney’s office within 30 days, the state attorney’s office said it will seek a writ of bodily attachment or a request to have law enforcement find her, take her into custody and bring her to court.
The state attorney’s office stressed the importance of the victim appearing at the stand your ground hearing because the victim, “is the only one who can testify to the exact nature of her contact with the defendant prior to him retrieving a firearm from his apartment and shooting at her after she got in her car.”
A West Palm Beach Police Department report of the incident notes after the encounter at Georges’ residence, the victim went back to her vehicle.
At some point, the report said when the victim entered her car, Georges was pointing a gun at her.
Moments later, Georges fired the weapon, then the victim drove away.
When the victim reached the entrance of the apartment complex, she realized she was struck by the gunshot and called police.
Georges, 54, is facing attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and criminal mischief charges.