Justia Georgia Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Christopher Glenn’s petition for a writ of certiorari was granted for consideration of whether the Georgia Court of Appeals erred in affirming a trial court’s order revoking Glenn’s probation based on its determination by a preponderance of the evidence that Glenn committed felony interference with government property by kicking and damaging the door of a police car when he was detained inside. Glenn claimed he damaged the door in the court of exercising his common-law right to resist an unlawful arrest and detention; this claim was rejected by both the trial and appellate courts. On appeal, the Georgia Supreme Court addressed: (1) whether a person has a common-law right to attempt to escape from the detention resulting from an unlawful arrest; and (2) if so, whether a person may damage government property in such an attempt. The Court held that the common-law right to resist an unlawful arrest includes the right to use proportionate force against government property to escape an unlawful detention following the arrest. Because the trial court found that Glenn’s arrest was unlawful but did not then consider whether the force he used in attempting to escape the ensuing unlawful detention was proportionate, the Court vacated the Court of Appeals’ decision with direction that the case be remanded to the trial court to make this "essential" determination. View "Glenn v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Brandon Cross was convicted in 2003 of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the death of Debra Hymer. On appeal, he argued the trial court erred: (1) by declining to allow him to impeach the hearsay statements of his co-conspirator Jessica Cates; (2) by failing to charge the jury as to the burden of proof for co-conspirator statements; and (3) by admitting three autopsy photographs and a video recording of the crime scene. He also argued he should have been granted a new trial because the record was insufficiently comple View "Cross v. Georgia" on Justia Law

James Eggleston was tried by jury and convicted of felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with Richard Byrd’s death. Following the denial of his motion for new trial, Eggleston appealed, contending only that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to sustain his convictions. Because the evidence was sufficient, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Eggleston v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Andre Bridgewater was tried by jury and convicted of murder and other crimes in connection with the fatal shooting of Myron Short. Bridgewater appealed, contending that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions and that the trial court erred when it admitted the prior inconsistent statements of a witness. Finding no error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Bridgewater v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Todd Welch was convicted by jury of murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of Christopher Brown and the aggravated assault of Darrell Agee. Welch contended on appeal that the trial court erred by improperly admitting hearsay evidence under the forfeiture-by-wrongdoing exception to the rule against hearsay, and erred by failing to give his requested jury instruction on grave suspicion. After review, the Georgia Supreme Court concluded the arguments Welch raised were without merit. However, the Court found it had to vacate Welch’s sentences as to Counts 10 and 20 of his indictment in order to correct sentencing errors that harmed him. View "Welch v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Donald Griffin was convicted by jury of felony murder in connection with the stabbing death of Truitt Cheeley. Griffin appealed the denial of his motion for a new trial, contending that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence witness testimony about Griffin’s racism and Griffin’s custodial statement. Griffin also claimed his trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective. Furthermore, Griffin contended the trial court erred in denying his request to cross-examine a witness who testified as to Cheeley’s reputation for peacefulness with evidence that Cheeley had been convicted of a crime of violence. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Griffin v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Darien Meheux appealed his 2014 conviction for the malice murder of Jasmine Benjamin, claiming the trial court erred in admitting a handwritten statement and that his trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective. Because Meheux, acting pro se, filed a motion for new trial while he was still represented by trial counsel and his amended motion for new trial filed by counsel was untimely, the Georgia Supreme Court determined the trial court should have dismissed the motion rather than deciding it on the merits, and therefore vacated the judgment and remanded the case with direction to the trial court to dismiss the motion. View "Meheux v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Patrick Satterfield was convicted by jury of felony murder and other crimes in connection with the death of Richard Boynton. On appeal, Satterfield contended the evidence was insufficient to support the verdicts and that his trial counsel was ineffective. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed his convictions. View "Satterfield v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Roshun Gray was convicted of malice murder and two firearm offenses in connection with the 2012 shooting death of Ferderian Bennett. On appeal, Appellant contended he was legally incompetent to stand trial and that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to investigate his incompetency. Finding both of those claims as meritless, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Gray v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Antavian Love was convicted of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of Enrique Trejo. On appeal, Love, who was 16 years old at the time the crimes were committed, argued the trial court erred in denying the motion to suppress his statements to law enforcement and in sentencing him as a juvenile to serve life without parole. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed his convictions. View "Love v. Georgia" on Justia Law