Justia Georgia Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Sylvester Richardson was convicted by jury of murder and other crimes relating to the fatal shooting of Christopher Wilson. He appealed, claiming that the trial court erred when it denied a motion for a mistrial and when it admitted evidence that he was involved in a gang. Richardson also contended he received ineffective assistance of counsel. Upon review of the record and briefs, the Georgia Supreme Court found no error and affirmed. View "Richardson v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Antonio Taylor was convicted by jury of murder and other crimes in connection with the stabbing death of Araminta Elly. On appeal, he argued the trial court erred when it admitted certain hearsay testimony and when it denied his motion for a mistrial based on the prosecution’s alleged use of his pre-arrest silence. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Taylor v. Georgia" on Justia Law

LaParrish London was convicted by jury of the malice murder of Eric Terrell. On appeal, he argued: (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction; (2) the trial court erred in denying his motion for new trial; (3) the trial court erred in admitting hearsay; and (4) his trial counsel was ineffective. Upon review, the Georgia Supreme Court found no reversible error and affirmed London’s conviction. View "London v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Michael Naples was tried by jury and convicted of murder and other crimes in connection with the death of 17-month-old Kaylee Johnson. Investigation revealed the child died from inoperable brain swelling from either having her head slammed against a hard object or having been thrown down a flight of stairs. Naples appealed, contending that the trial court erred when it admitted “other acts” evidence under OCGA 24-4-404 (b) (“Rule 404 (b)”) and that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Naples v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Otheron Walker was convicted by jury of malice murder in connection with the beating death of his ten-month-old daughter, Daijah White. On appeal, Walker contended the evidence was insufficient, that the jury was improperly charged, and that trial counsel was ineffective. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Walker v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Daniel Thomas was convicted by jury for malice murder in connection with the shooting death of Elliott Mizell. Thomas argued on appeal that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction; that the trial court erred by admitting an involuntary custodial statement; and that trial counsel was ineffective in two ways. The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed, finding the evidence was sufficient to support Thomas’s convictions; the custodial statement was not involuntary; and Thomas failed to show that his trial counsel was deficient as to one ineffective assistance of counsel claim, and failed to show prejudice as to the other. View "Thomas v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Antiwan Lane was convicted by jury of malice murder and other charges for procuring the murder of Ivan Perez. The trial court granted Lane a new trial based on a host of grounds, including evidentiary errors and ineffective assistance of counsel. The State appealed, arguing that none of the claimed errors by counsel or the trial court resulted in sufficient prejudice or harm to require reversal. Given the large number of errors at issue, the Georgia Supreme Court first reconsidered and overruled its prior precedent that precluded full consideration of the cumulative effect of multiple errors at trial. The Court then concluded counsel was ineffective in at least two respects and the trial court made at least one key evidentiary error in overruling a defense objection. Lastly, given the combined prejudicial effect of multiple errors by counsel and the trial court, the Court affirmed the grant of a new trial. View "Georgia v. Lane" on Justia Law

Tony Mitchell was convicted by jury of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the death of Randy Lewis. On appeal, Mitchell contended his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance because she failed to competently execute her chosen strategy of discrediting the jailhouse informant who testified that Mitchell had confessed to having killed Lewis. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Mitchell v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Arheem DeLoach was convicted by jury on two counts of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the deaths of Rashad Biggins and Jamell Law. In Case No. S19A1299, DeLoach contended the trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial with respect to the crimes committed against Law, asserting that his trial counsel was ineffective in two ways: (1) counsel failed to move to sever the counts involving Law from those involving Biggins, and (2) counsel failed to object or to move for a mistrial when the trial judge mentioned the appellate process before giving the final jury charge. In Case No. S19X1300, the State cross-appealed, contending the trial court erred in granting DeLoach a new trial with respect to the crimes committed against Biggins. The State argued that the trial court’s basis for granting a new trial, that the prosecutor knowingly failed to correct material, false testimony from a key witness, was is unsupported by the record. The Georgia Supreme Court concurred with the reasons given below in Division 2, affirmed that portion of the trial court’s judgment. As set forth in Division 3, the Supreme Court reversed that portion of the trial court’s judgment because the record did not support the trial court’s finding that the false testimony was material. View "DeLoach v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Lazarus White was convicted by jury of malice murder and another crime in connection with the 2012 stabbing death of Terry Bell. He appealed, arguing the trial court erred in excluding testimony regarding Bell’s alleged act of violence against a third party and three instances of ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "White v. Georgia" on Justia Law