It was as if Circuit Judge Terence Perkins knew just what Duane Weeks Jr. was made of: “There’s 1,000 other ways to do what you want to do that are even more effective than what you’ve been doing. How’s this working out for you?” the judge told Weeks last May before sentencing him to yet another prison term on three felonies.
Weeks is back in jail, on yet another felony after allegedly attacking, strangling and leaving a woman unconscious. Until now, he’s managed to limit the severity of his many sentences. If he’s convicted again, he may not be so fortunate, especially because both the judge and the prosecutor had warned him in May to mend his ways.
Back in May, Weeks–the 42-year-old son of former Supervisor of Elections Kim Weeks, herself always truculent and now a felon–had been smugly, rudely arguing with Perkins over the terms of his plea agreement. At his sentencing hearing he kept debating the no-contact order the court was imposing against Weeks to protect his latest victim, a man whose tractor Weeks had stolen, according to Weeks’s arrest report. Weeks had also made threats against the sheriff’s deputy who drove him to the jail after his arrest.
Weeks was facing a far milder punishment than he could have at that sentencing, not only because of Perkins’s patience (or his own attorney’s: Weeks was just as dismissive of Raven Sword, the attorney). He was originally eligible for up to 15 years in prison, and could have been branded a habitual offender, which would have aggravated his sentence considerably: Weeks’s arrest and incarceration record, in state prison and at the local jail, is very long. (See: “Felon Duane Weeks, Former Elections Supervisor’s Son, Charged With 2 New Felonies.”)
Thanks to the plea deal–which he was on the verge of repudiating–he got 15 months in prison, with credit for the 290 days he’d already served, followed by three years on probation. Despite that, Weeks had hesitated before finally signing off. (See: “At His Sentencing, Another Aggrieved Weeks Duels With a Judge: ‘This Isn’t Going to Work For Me’.”)
Weeks was imprisoned on May 26. He was released, on probation, on October 1. On Jan. 27, he was arrested again on two counts: battery of a woman, a felony, because of his repeat offenses, and felony probation violation.
The battery incident seems to mirror an almost identical one in 2021, for which he was convicted, when Weeks grabbed a woman by the throat and choked her. In the latest case, Weeks was at a woman’s residence and had asked her to drive him to his probation appointment when she allegedly called him a “crackhead,” because she believed he had been on the drug, according to that arrest report.
Weeks “responded to her comment by grabbing her by the neck and pushing her to the ground,” the arrest report states. The woman told deputies “she could not breathe, lost consciousness, and believed that she was going to die.” The incident was witnessed by another person, who hid with children in a bedroom. The woman reported to deputies that she was “fearful to report this altercation as Duane threatened to burn her house down with her and her children inside.”
On Feb. 10, detectives went to the County Road 305 home of Kimberle and Duane Weeks Sr., where Duane Weeks apparently lives, with a search warrant. No one was arrested.
Duane Weeks Jr. is now on his sixth attorney in 14 months. Two weeks before his sentencing hearing last May, his attorney at the time, Kurt Teifke, asked the court to be relieved of his duty, citing an “irreconcilable conflict.” Earlier in December, Teifke had replaced Nicole Jordan. There had been two public defenders appointed before her, according to Kimberle Weeks, for a total of four by the time Duane last entered the prison system.
Weeks is on his second attorney since his latest arrest. He was initially assigned Assistant Public Defender Reginal Nunnally. On Feb. 8, the court granted a substitution of counsel. Weeks is now represented by Matt McGuire.
Because of the probation violation, the terms of his plea last May are no longer applicable, and his next punishment will be reconsidered in light of those convictions, as well as in light of the disposition of the latest charge, depending on how it is resolved. Absent a dismissal of the new charge, it is likely that the prosecution will seek to apply the habitual offender status.
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Unsurprised says
Maybe he and his mother can share a cell if she’s still in
Jimbo99 says
Whoever said “crime doesn’t pay” ? Obviously, was never on the side of law enforcement, legal representation & justice systems.
The dude says
He’ll back out and walking amongst us in a matter of months.
The jails here have revolving doors.
It’s no wonder this county is so full of depraved criminals.
For Real says
The apple sure doesn’t fall far from the tree. Mommy felon enables Son a felon too, great combo.
Skibum says
No more second, third or fourth chances for this already convicted felon. No more being a nice guy, judge, and trying to convince the unconvincable to “mend his ways”. Just put this man where he belongs – in prison for a long time to exist with the others who choose time and time again to prey on innocent people in society. We are sick of predators like him victimizing people over and over again!
Jake says
It’s a shame this man is always in trouble for battering woman hopefully the judge sees it this time and puts him away for a very long time so all his victims have peace of mind before he goes after one of his victims and kills them or does serious harm
Kimmy says
What’s to say the next girl he doesn’t kill or seriously harm
Private says
I was the girl who he almost killed luckly I got away. But the next girl I don’t think will be so lucky.
ASF says
This guy has had enough chances. No more gratutitous breaks for him. It only seems to add to his sense of entitlement which then seems to drive his criminality.
Jim says
I surely hope the judge does something serious about this.so Noone else’s gets hurt. I fear for all the ladies whose he’s hurt and his next prey.
Marcus says
I knew one of the girls he use to date he was a monster and a stalker.lock him up and throw away the key I mean he’s 40 sumthing years old and still battering woman with nothing going for him. But keep letting mommy and daddy to enable him. Shame on the parents.
Whathehck? says
I am so glad you made it. You and his other victims deserve peace of mind and this criminal out of your life forever. You got a second chance use it wisely.
Jonathan says
When will judges stop giving this loser a break and lock him up for good and let Big Bubba in prison teach him a lesson.
Victim says
Well said
Geezer says
He should run for Supervisor of Elections!
Mr. Weeks possesses all the right attributes for a rewarding career in Florida politics.
Rizzie says
This is the guy Tonda Royal said set up his case against him. They called it outlandish. Why of all the people in the Mondex would he choose Duane Weeks? Royal got 12 years. Duane got another chance. Again and again
Fightforjustice says
He should be serving a MINIMUM of 25 years concurrent in prison. He’s nearly murdered 2 women, stalked and threatened others and is a sociopath. Throw the book at him. His mom was “convicted” of taping county Republicans via phone doing illegal things without them knowing and that was her crime. This guy…much worse!