Justia Georgia Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Marquez Martin was convicted by jury of felony murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting deaths of James Wood and Russell Jacobs. On appeal, Martin contended his trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective by failing to object to the trial court’s omission of certain language trial counsel had requested for the jury charge on defendant’s good character. Because Martin has failed to establish that his trial counsel was deficient in not objecting to the omission of the requested language, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed the conviction, but vacated in part to correct a sentencing error. The trial court sentenced Martin to concurrent life sentences on all four felony murder convictions. But because there were only two murders, it was error for the trial court to sentence Martin on four murder counts. View "Martin v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Deante Hall was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit malice murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in connection with the shooting death of Tony Butler and an assault on Levar Andrews.Hall challenged the sufficiency of the evidence as to each offense of which he was convicted. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed Hall's convictions. View "Hall v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Gary Ensslin was convicted of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of Stephen Wills. Ensslin contended on appeal that in denying his motion for new trial, the trial court erred by ruling that the improper admission at his trial of statements that investigators elicited from him after he invoked his right to remain silent was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. The Georgia Supreme Court disagreed and affirmed Ensslin's convictions. View "Ensslin v. Georgia" on Justia Law

After the trial court granted his motion for new trial, Laurence Watts was retried before a jury in 2010 and again found guilty of malice murder and related offenses in connection with the 2003 shooting death of Brent Ogletree. His amended motion for new trial after the retrial was denied, and he appealed, claiming as his sole enumeration of error ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Watts.v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Phell Hudson, Jr. appealed his convictions for malice murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and making a false statement, all stemming from the shooting death of Michael Allen. Hudson argued the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury on voluntary manslaughter and insanity at the time of the alleged crimes. He also argued the trial court erred by limiting his cross-examination of a witness. The Georgia Supreme Court determined Hudson's jury instruction claims failed because the evidence presented at trial did not include even slight evidence to support either charge. And his cross- examination claim failed because any error was harmless. Accordingly, the Court affirmed Hudson's convictions. View "Hudson v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Michael Frazier, Jr. was convicted as a party to the crimes of felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the shooting death of one of his accomplices, Quenterious Griner. Appellant’s sole contention on appeal was that the evidence presented at his trial was insufficient to support his convictions. Finding the evidence sufficient, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Frazier v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Cornelius Hatney was convicted by jury of felony murder predicated on aggravated assault in connection with the beating death of Etate Essang. Hatney appealed, contending that the trial court erred in refusing to give a requested jury instruction on voluntary manslaughter as a lesser offense of the charges of malice murder and felony murder. After review of the trial court record, the Georgia Supreme Court found no reversible error and affirmed Hatney's conviction. View "Hatney v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Raekwon Roseboro was convicted of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the 2015 shooting death of Willie Deandre Jackson and the aggravated assault of Kendrick Ellison. On appeal, Roseboro argued he received constitutionally ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed conviction. View "Roseboro v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Irwin Dresbach appealed his convictions for felony murder and other crimes in connection with the 2014 shooting death of Jennifer Gatewood. Dresbach argued on appeal that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to explain adequately the strength of the evidence against him, causing Dresbach to proceed to trial instead of accepting the State’s plea offer. After review, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed, finding that Dresbach failed to establish a reasonable probability that he would have accepted the State’s plea offer but for trial counsel’s alleged deficiency. View "Dresbach v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Amy McGarity was convicted by jury of murder and other crimes in connection with the kidnapping and strangulation death of Kayla Weil. McGarity contended that the trial court erred in denying her motion for a new trial, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support her conviction for murder and that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of her bad character. Because neither of these claims had merit, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "McGarity v. Georgia" on Justia Law