John Fanning Also Faces Charges From Earlier 2012 Incident

John Fanning, who was jailed Friday (Oct. 5) on several charges relating to a domestic dispute in Gwinnett, also faces several charges relating to a domestic dispute earlier in 2012. Both incidents involve his estranged wife, Lesley Lynn Fanning.

Fanning, son of former Gwinnett Commissioner Shirley Lasseter, is being held without bond at the Gwinnett Detention Center. Charges include aggravated assault and cruelty to children (third degree).

Gwinnett Police records show that they responded to a dispute involving the Fannings at their Dacula home on Bold Springs Road in January.

In the January domestic dispute, police had not been called to the residence. A Gwinnett Police officer on patrol observed a visibly upset Lesley Fanning near her vehicle parked in the driveway of the Harbins Community House on Feb. 1.

According to the GCPD incident report, she told the officer that her husband had thrown her purse and cell phone out of his car window the previous night following an argument, and she was walking along along Harbins Road trying to find them. Her husband had started the argument over a text message he had found on her cell phone, she said.

During the argument, her husband had become violent, slapped her, hit her, kicked her, and whipped her over her buttocks, Lesley Fanning informed the officer. She had bitten him in the arm while they wrestled over their son's cell phone, she said. The officer reported that he photographed the injuries and bruises she had sustained from the altercation with her husband the night before.

When John Fanning pushed her against the kitchen island, Lesley Fanning told the officer she grabbed a pair of shears, swung them at him and cut his hand. He was bleeding badly and left for the hospital, where his hand required six stitches, she said.

After later interviewing John Fanning to obtain his version of the incident, the officer decided to obtain warrants and arrest them both. The officer also photographed John Fanning’s injuries.

John Fanning was arraigned Oct. 3 in Gwinnett State Court on a misdemeanor battery charge and interfering with a 911 call as a result of the January incident. Lesley Fanning waived arraignment in Gwinnett Superior Court on Sept. 11 on a felony charge of aggravated assault; her attorney has requested a jury trial.

The Fannings are seeking a divorce and are trying to work out custody of their three children.

In a separate incident, Lesley Fanning was charged Sept. 12 by the Gwinnett Sheriff’s Department with carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a concealed weapon to a gathering after a handgun was discovered in her purse/laptop bag at Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center security checkpoint.

She was at the courthouse complex for a child custody hearing, and was returning from lunch. John Fanning also was at the courthouse that day for the hearing.

Also, John Fanning and Lasseter are facing federal prison sentences as a result of charges from an FBI sting operation in 2011.

See Also:

Fanning Jailed on Assault, Child Cruelty Charges

Suwanee Patch editor Steve Burns contributed to this report.

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