JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man charged with deliberately driving his van into a tent housing the Republican Party of Duval County's voter registration tent in February of 2020 has been found guilty of criminal mischief. He left the Duval County Jail Thursday night after spending more than a year there.
No one was hurt in the incident.
After the jury deliberated for less than an hour, they found Gregory Timm, 28, guilty of criminal mischief and not guilty on two aggravated assault charges. The judge sentenced Timm to 60 days in Duval County Jail with credit for 60 days time served.
Additionally, the judge ordered Timm to pay a $323 fee and a $150 public defender fee. He has 108 days to pay court costs. The judge dismissed Timm's two traffic citations from the day of the incident.
After the verdict was read, Timm shook hands with his public defenders and thanked them. His public defenders told First Coast News he had to pick up a few things at the jail and would be booked and leaving the jail Thursday night.
Timm's public defenders had said Timm was guilty of the criminal mischief charge in their opening argument Wednesday.
Dean Black, chairman of the Republican Party of Duval County sent First Coast News the following statement regarding the verdict.
“The Republican Party is the Party of Law and Order so we respect this decision. The justice system relies on fair juries and impartial decisions, not intimidation and retaliation. We thank the prosecution, judge, jury, and our brave police officers for their duty to our community and continue to offer our heartfelt support to those affected by this despicable crime.”
Background:
Timm faced two felony charges of aggravated assault of a person 65 or older for the incident last year, and one charge of criminal mischief. No one was hurt.
During his close to 45 minutes on the stand on the second day of his trial, Timm repeatedly testified that it was never his intention to threaten or hurt anyone during the incident in the Walmart parking lot. Instead, he said, he wanted to destroy the tent, table, chairs and Trump signs he said "disgusted him."
Before the incident, Timm told the courtroom he went to Walmart to buy cigarettes. He said he told the cashier Walmart had a "bunch of Trump supporters" in the parking lot. Timm told the cashier, he testified, that he was "considering going and flipping over" the Republican Party of Duval County's table.
Timm told the courtroom the incident happened shortly after former President Donald Trump was acquitted for his first impeachment. Timm said he was disappointed in those results.
“I felt like over and over we were being told we don’t matter because this administration will not be held accountable and I felt very strongly that this was not the time, at the very least, this was not the time for celebration," Timm said.
"Did it appear that that was happening at the time under that tent,” the defense asked Timm.
“It did," Timm replied.
Videos Timm took before and during the incident was shown in court Wednesday and Thursday. Timm said he sat in his van outside Walmart after buying cigarettes for about 15 minutes before filming the first video. In that video, Timm is heard saying, "these f***ing idiots have their f***ing Trump tents set up. I’m waiting for them to walk away from the table and I’m going to run it over with Vanessica [the van]. This will be fun.”
Timm said he waited another 15 minutes before driving his van towards the tent and making the second video. He said he was waiting until everyone was out form under the tent.
"It was never my intention to hurt or harm anybody," Timm told the courtroom.
Timm said he sent the videos to his family group chat because he "thought they would think it was funny."
Timm testified he still considers the incident a prank, but said it was "the most stupid think I have ever done." He said he needed to take a stand against the Trump administration.
"I don’t have any kids. I’m young. I’m single. I’m in a position to be able to say something and I honestly felt it was almost my duty to say something," Timm told the State in cross examination.
"Why did you feel it was your duty," prosecutor William Grauel asked Timm.
“I thought it was somebody’s duty because the only reason this administration was getting away with these atrocious crimes is because we were rolling over and taking it. So, how far were they going to push the American public," Timm said.
"So, you believed it was your duty to do something about that," Grauel asked Timm.
"To do a prank and to make fun of it, yes," Timm replied.
Timm also testified he thought "worst case scenario, he'd spend a night or two in jail. He said he was prepared to accept that.
"I said all I saw was the big red tent. What I should’ve seen were outstanding citizens encouraging people to go out and vote," Timm said during cross examination.
Timm said while on the stand that the whole process happened "in slow motion." He maintained he "parked" on the tent, and didn't crash into it.
Timm was one of six witnesses called Thursday, plus one recalled from Wednesday. The first Thursday was starting with a correctional probation supervisor with the Florida Department of Corrections. That supervisor, Mark Alfieri, is a member of the Republican Party of Duval County and volunteered at the voter registration drive the day of the incident.
Alfieri said he took it upon himself to act as security and traffic control that day. He testified that before the incident, there were "a lot of good vibes. Our spirits were high." Then, Alfieri told the courtroom, there was "a rather traumatic event that was thrust upon us."
Alfieri said Timm engaged them in a friendly manner, as many witnesses testified. He thought Timm was going to stop and talk to them.
"He did not," Alfieri said. "I believe that was a friendly deceptive manner to have us relax our guard before he did what he did."
Alfieri testified he was considering charging the van, grabbing Timm and pulling him outside the van and holding him until JSO got there to make sure nothing else happened.
Husband and wife Susan and Brooks Clayton also testified Thursday. They said they were in the parking lot going to lunch at a nearby restaurant when they stopped at the tent. Susan filled out a form in support of a candidate.
Susan and Brooks testified Susan was about to get out of her car to return the clipboard that the form was on when Brooks saw the van and pulled her back into the car. Both said the van was moving slowly, but said they felt threatened.
Brooks testified the van was "close enough that I thought I needed to pull my wife back into the car." Both Susan and Brooks said the van was moving slowly, but said they felt threatened. They then followed Timm in their car when he left the scene. He ran a red light, they said, and they lost him.
According to a police report, Timm hit the gas as he approached the tent, and the volunteers had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit on Feb. 8.
The incident happened at the Walmart at 11900 Atlantic Blvd. in Kernan Village.
On Wednesday, the State called several witnesses, most of whom spoke about their shock, confusion and fear on that day last year. Liura Collins, 65-years-old, was the state's first witness. She is also listed in the incident report as one of the victims.
Collins said Timm waved and smiled as he drove up slowly to the tent. She thought he was going to park in the spot next to the tent, Collins said. When Timm's bumper hit the pole of the ten, however, Collins said she screamed for him to stop. She testified that she thought maybe he didn't realize at first he had hit the pole because he was distracted waving at her.
When he didn't stop and instead drove into the tent then "gunned his engine" and drove away, she realized the act was intentional, Collins said. She told the court she felt "definitely threatened," and was afraid. Collins is a member of the Republican Party of Duval's executive committee.
Timm recorded the incident, a video show to jurors Wednesday. He also recorded an expletive-laced video beforehand. In that video, filmed across the parking lot from the tent, Timm said in part, "these idiots have their f***ing Trump tents set up. I’m waiting for them to walk away from the table and I’m going to f***ing run it over. This will be fun.”
Timm was seen taking notes at times during the first day of the trial. He also perked up when the State started questioning witnesses. His public defender told jurors Timm never wanted to hurt anyone. He said the Trump signs "offended him," and he "did something really stupid and illegal." He contended Timm is guilty of criminal mischief, but not aggravated assault.