Former UM Student Sentenced to Three Years for Aggravated Domestic Violence

A former Ole Miss student and member of a prominent law family in Mississippi was sentenced this week to serve three years in prison for beating his girlfriend in an incident that occurred in 2016. The sentence length was part of a plea deal.

Sheldon Givens Alston Jr., 24, was sentenced to 15 years, with 12 suspended and five years’ probation, according to the Clarion-Ledger. He must also pay a $500 fine.

Sheldon Givens Alston Jr.

He was charged with felony domestic abuse – aggravated assault and felony kidnapping. A Lafayette County grand jury indicted him on the charges July 3, 2017. He submitted a guilty plea Monday in front of Union County’s Circuit Judge Kelly Luther to the aggravated domestic violence charge.

According to court documents, Alston became violent toward his girlfriend on or about the night of August 19, 2016. The female’s testimony shows that throughout the night, Alston accosted her at the Roundtable bar on the Square, pushed her down a brick flight of stairs, and pinned her down and “unleashed a torrent of blows.” He proceeded to strangle her then threated to kill her. After the victim tried to escape, Alston became violent again for the fourth time that night.

After saying he would take her back to her sorority house, he lied and drove to his grandfather’s secluded cabin in the woods in Oxford. The next morning Alston drove her back to his house and left on the condition that she would drive to her house in Columbia, Mississippi and stay there until she recovered from her injuries. Instead, she drove the emergency room at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. The hospital staff alerted the Oxford Police Department of her injuries. OPD apprehended Alston shortly after.

Alston still faces a civil suit filed in Hinds County by the victim, who is seeking unspecified damages, according to the Clarion-Ledger. 

Hottytoddy.com staff report