Coleman v. Georgia

Horace Coleman and Quantez Mallory were tried jointly by jury and convicted of malice murder in connection with the beating death of Bobby Tillman. Coleman and Mallory each filed separate appeals, which were consolidated for purposes of this opinion. Coleman argued that the trial court erred when it denied his motion for a mistrial after the prosecution elicited purportedly inadmissible testimony from a jailhouse informant. Mallory argued the trial court erred when it denied his Batson challenge during jury selection and that his due process rights were violated because he lacked access to prospective jurors’ criminal histories maintained by the Georgia Crime Information Center (“GCIC”). Both Coleman and Mallory also contended the trial court’s questioning of the State’s forensic pathologist constituted an erroneous comment on the evidence. Upon review of the record and briefs, the Georgia Supreme Court found no error, and affirmed. View "Coleman v. Georgia" on Justia Law