Newman Found Guilty of Aggravated Battery on Pregnant Female

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Clay County jury found Marcus Newman guilty of Aggravated Battery Upon a Pregnant Female, Battery, and two counts of Violation of Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence. With the verdict, Newman faces up to 17 years in Florida State Prison. The Honorable James Kallaher will sentence Newman at a later date.

On July 6, 2024, members of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office responded to Baptist Medical Center in Clay County in reference to an assault. The victim told officers that Newman had picked her up from her father’s house and he immediately began arguing with her about spending time with her family. It quickly escalated to hitting before he pulled her across the center console and choked her. She passed out but was woken up another slap. She tried using her legs to block her pregnant stomach, but Newman struck her stomach as well. This continued for approximately one hour as he drove around Orange Park. They eventually went to his parent’s house where she used Newman’s mother’s phone to call her sister to pick her up. Newman left his parent’s house for a brief period.

The victim’s sister picked her up and they headed to Baptist Clay because the victim was approximately five months pregnant and worried about her unborn child. Newman came back as they were leaving and started following them. The victim and her sister were scared; her sister sped to the hospital while the victim called 911. Newman followed them to the hospital parking lot but fled when he saw a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy working an off-duty shift at the hospital. The deputy followed Newman and detained him after conducting a traffic stop. Officers observed the victim had red marks, scratches, and bruising, along with a black eye; the victim’s sister said the victim did not have any of those injuries when she left their father’s house earlier that day. The victim had obtained an Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence that prohibited Newman from having any contact with her.

In the weeks before trial, Newman contacted his sister from the Clay County Jail and had her record messages to send to the victim. This led to an additional charge of Violation of Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence.

The case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Cara Devlin and Brandi Moravek.