Months Of Beatings Of Pregnant Girlfriend Land Woodstock Man In Prison

WOODSTOCK, GA — After what prosecutors described as months of violent attacks on a pregnant woman — that culminated in hours of beatings, foot stomping on her abdomen and salt poured into her open wounds — a Woodstock man has been sentenced to life in prison.

On March 31, a Cherokee County jury convicted Joseph English Gregory Newton, 31, of Woodstock, of 15 charges related to attacks on his girlfriend, who was two months pregnant during the final assault.

After a two-day jury trial, Newton was found guilty of kidnapping with bodily injury, criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal attempt to commit feticide, family violence aggravated assault, family violence aggravated battery, four counts of family violence battery, family violence simple battery, false imprisonment, sexual battery, two counts of criminal trespass, and tampering with evidence.

Judge Tony Baker sentenced Newton to life plus 10 years to serve in a state prison.

On Dec. 22, 2020, law enforcement first became aware of domestic violence incidents between Newton and his girlfriend. The night before, Newton’s girlfriend had attempted to leave their home after an argument. When Newton took away her car keys and cell phone, she left on foot. Newton then chased her through the neighborhood, yanked her by the hair, tore off her clothes, and dragged her across a yard and a driveway.

Even though several people saw this happen, no one called the police.

“Although domestic violence is most pervasive out of sight, in many cases, family, friends, and even complete strangers witness violence but choose to remain silent," said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe of the Domestic Violence Unit. "They may feel it isn’t their place to intervene, or they may want to protect the privacy of the victim. The victim may even ask them to remain silent. As a community, we all need to take a hard look at cases like this and understand that violence is never acceptable and that sometimes we need to step up to protect a victim, even when the victim is not ready or is unwilling to seek aid.”

The girlfriend had swelling, scratches and bruising from the attack. She was eventually able to get away from Newton, and a family member called 911 the next day. The Woodstock Police Department investigated the crime and arrested Newton.

After his arrest, Newton was released on bond, but told to avoid contact with his girlfriend. However, they eventually resumed their relationship, which was shown at the trial to be tumultuous.

Officials received another call about domestic violence with Newton on Oct. 10, 2021. Newton’s girlfriend had decided to end their relationship for the sake of their unborn child. Police said he was angry and held her against her will in the apartment, attacking her for hours, and threatening to kill her and the baby.

During this attack, Newton punched, kicked, spit, and strangled his girlfriend, and also dragged her by the hair, hit her with things in their apartment, slammed her head against the floor, and stomped on her abdomen. After, he poured salt, sugar and coffee grounds on her open wounds. At some point, he fell asleep, and she escaped through an apartment window, got in her car, and called 911.

First responders found the victim with swollen eyes and lips, cuts on her arms and hands, and neck injuries.

Officers saw multiple signs of strangulation, including neck pain, a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, vision changes, lightheadedness, and a droopy face. The woman was taken to the hospital, where doctors determined she had suffered a subchorionic hemorrhage of the placenta, but expected the baby to survive.

Woodstock Police arrested Newton, who was hiding in the attic of their apartment.

“After enduring a brutal assault, this resilient young woman escaped her abuser and called 911 while driving to a safe place. During that call, she described the events that occurred and, for the first time, pleaded for help,” District Attorney Wallace said. “Even though Newton beat her for hours, she had the strength and courage to escape – ensuring that she and her baby would survive.”

At the trial, the state presented more than 200 exhibits and called 13 witnesses to the stand, including law enforcement officers, domestic violence experts, medical professionals who cared for the victim, and a friend and neighbor who had witnessed some violence. Photos of the girlfriend's injuries and jail calls where Newton asked her to lie about what happened were also pat of the trial evidence.

“Over the course of their relationship, the victim suffered repeatedly at the hands of this defendant. She never called for help for herself and held on to much of the blame and responsibility for her injuries," Ashe said. "Tragically, this blame shifting is something we often see in cases involving domestic violence. Ultimately, the defendant’s final attack led her to call for help – not for herself, but for her unborn child. Miraculously, she survived this relationship and our hope is that she continues to heal and thrive."

Domestic violence

If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic violence, contact the Cherokee Family Violence Center, CFVC.org, 770-479-1703 (24/7 crisis hotline). In case of an emergency, call 911.