A Putnam County jury has convicted 39-year-old Joshua Franklin Pritchard of aggravated assault and domestic assault after prosecutors said he brandished a semi‑automatic handgun during a domestic disturbance in Cookeville. Judge Bray accepted the verdict on Tuesday and scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 19, 2026.
According to District Attorney Bryant C. Dunaway, Assistant District Attorneys Jenna Huff and Evan Smith prosecuted the case after Cookeville police responded to a physical domestic in progress on June 14, 2025, which led to Pritchard’s arrest. Dunaway’s post outlines the jury’s findings and notes the court’s decision to set the March sentencing date.
Jury's Findings And Evidence
3B Media News reports that the jury returned guilty verdicts on aggravated assault by the use or display of a weapon, identified as a semi‑automatic handgun, as well as on a separate domestic assault count. The outlet also corroborated the Tuesday verdict date and confirmed Pritchard’s age as 39.
Aggravated Assault Under Tennessee Law
Under Tennessee law, an assault is elevated to aggravated assault if it results in serious bodily injury or involves the use or display of a deadly weapon, among other circumstances. Statutory language and legal commentary explain that intentional aggravated assault is typically prosecuted as a Class C felony. In contrast, reckless aggravated assault can be charged as a Class D felony, with penalties that vary according to a defendant’s criminal history. For the statute text and definitions, see WomensLaw.org, along with related case commentary discussing how those classifications are applied.
What’s Next In Court
Judge Bray is set to sentence Pritchard on March 19, 2026. The district attorney’s Facebook summary did not include any comment from Pritchard’s defense attorney. The final sentence will be shaped by Tennessee’s felony ranges and the court’s weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors after a presentence report is prepared and any victim impact statements are submitted.
The prosecution was handled by assistant district attorneys assigned to the 13th Judicial District. Assistant District Attorney Jenna Huff has previously been highlighted in local coverage as a domestic violence specialist. 102.5 WOW Country profiled Huff when she was sworn into the district attorney’s office.
