Home Invader Thwarted By Prayer Request

In the South, it’s often said that the shortest distance between your problems and their answer is the distance between your knees and the floor.

One Austell man decided he’d rather take the long route to Lithia Springs and now to the Douglas County Jail, where he is being held without bond.

The man, Jamaal Alexander Pinkney, was arrested for breaking into a home in Lithia Springs on New Year’s Eve. When the homeowner’s caretaker, 63-year-old Brenda Ann Miller, offered to pray with him, Pinkney fled the scene, according to an AJC report.

On Jan. 30, 23-year-old Pinkney allegedly broke a window of the home and returned the following night where he confronted Miller and homeowner Joyce Godfrey, 78, as they watched TV, the report continues.

The New Year’s Eve intruder was dressed completely in black and had his face covered. He demanded valuables, dumped their purses and cursed at them, but found nothing.

The intruder pressed a gun against Miller’s cheek and told her that he should shoot her.

Miller responded with “I’ll pray for you.”

To that, the intruder left empty-handed.

After a joint investigation of the incident by the Douglasville Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Pinkney’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Raven Stephens of Austell, was taken into custody.

She posted bail on Wednesday and called her boyfriend to pick her up. The police followed his car and apprehended him.

Pinkney is charged with burglary, aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit a felony and interference with a 911 call, and police are seeking a third accomplice.

Godfrey realized she knew Pinkney once he was taken into custody. Pinkney’s grandmother helped her with her own mother three months before she passed away.

Watch a video clip of the two women discuss the ordeal on Channel 2 Action News.