Justia Georgia Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Ronnie Holmes challenged his 2015 convictions for felony murder and other crimes in connection with the 2013 shooting death of Terry Mack. Holmes argued the trial court erred in denying his motion for directed verdict on the armed robbery charge underlying his felony murder conviction and his felony murder conviction, and that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to move to sever his trial from that of his co-defendant, Michael Woods. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Holmes v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Brandon Morrall challenged his 2013 convictions for malice murder and a firearm offense in connection with the 2011 shooting death of Stephen “Tucker” Jackson. Appellant chose to represent himself on appeal, and his sole enumeration of error was that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel due to his trial counsel’s failure to file a motion to prevent an eyewitness from identifying him at trial as the shooter. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Morrall v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Paul Mattei was tried by jury and found guilty of malice murder, aggravated assault, and various other offenses in connection with the shooting death of Angela Williams. On appeal, Mattei contended the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support his convictions and that the trial court erred by admitting at trial character evidence in violation of OCGA 24-4-404 (b). Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed Mattei’s convictions. View "Mattei v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Carla Rae Hopwood was tried by jury and convicted of murder in connection with the 2012 fatal shooting of her longtime boyfriend, Ernest Bray. Hopwood appealed, contending that the evidence was legally insufficient to sustain her conviction and that the trial court erred when it admitted a statement that she gave to an investigator. Upon review of the record and briefs, the Georgia Supreme Court found no merit in these claims of error, and affirmed. View "Hopwood v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Demiko Jones was tried by jury and convicted of murder and other crimes in connection with the 2015 fatal shooting of Rodney Stafford. On appeal, Jones claimed the trial court abused its discretion when it excused a juror after deliberations were underway. The Georgia Supreme Court found no merit in this claim. However, the Supreme Court did agree, however, with Jones’s contention that the State failed to present sufficient evidence under OCGA 24-14-8 to establish that he was guilty of the unlawful possession of a firearm by a first-offender probationer. As a result, Jones’s conviction for possession by a first-offender probationer was reversed, but all other convictions were affirmed. View "Jones v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Jesus Guerrero was tried by jury and convicted of murder and other crimes in connection with the 2016 fatal shooting of Shiann Cray. Guerrero appealed, claiming the trial court erred when it refused to charge the jury on justification. Upon review of the record and briefs, the Georgia Supreme Court found no reversible error and affirmed. View "Guerrero v. Georgia" on Justia Law

William Moore appealed after a jury convicted him of malice murder for the strangling and beating death of his girlfriend, Mandi Kaiser. He challenged the trial court’s rulings on evidentiary matters, including allowing the State to introduce evidence of his prior violent acts toward another girlfriend. He also argued the trial court erred by denying a request for a jury instruction on mutual combat and by failing to grant a mistrial based on a comment by the prosecutor in closing argument. Further, Moore argued his trial counsel was ineffective in matters related to the other acts evidence. After review, the Georgia Supreme Court concluded that any error in admitting the other acts evidence was harmless given the strength of the State’s case. And because Moore had not otherwise shown trial court error or deficient performance by counsel, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Moore v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Bruce Howard was convicted by jury of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the 2016 shooting death of Jaylon Maddox during an attempted robbery. On appeal, Howard challenged only the sufficiency of the evidence used to convict him. The Georgia Supreme Court determined there was sufficient evidence, so it affirmed. View "Howard v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Frankie Jay Henry III was convicted by jury for the stabbing death of Antonio Wiley. On appeal, he argued the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support his conviction and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Henry v. Georgia" on Justia Law

In 2005, Nicholas Tate pleaded guilty to the murders of Chrissie Williams and her three-year-old daughter, Katelyn, and to numerous related crimes. He waived his right to a jury trial as to sentencing for the murders. At the conclusion of a sentencing bench trial, the trial court found several statutory aggravating circumstances and sentenced Tate to death for each of the murders. The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Tate’s convictions and death sentences. On January 31, 2012, the day that his execution was scheduled to occur, Tate filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and a motion for a stay of execution. Tate’s execution was stayed, and he amended his petition on May 16, 2013. The habeas court conducted an evidentiary hearing on June 9-10, 2014, and, in an order filed on December 27, 2018, the court denied relief with respect to Tate’s convictions but granted relief with respect to his death sentences after finding that Tate received ineffective assistance of counsel at the sentencing trial. In case number S19A0825, the Warden appealed the habeas court’s vacation of Tate’s death sentences, contending that the habeas court erred by concluding trial counsel were prejudicially deficient in investigating and presenting mitigating evidence at the sentencing trial, and in denying the Warden the opportunity to call Tate as a witness at the habeas evidentiary hearing. In case number S19X0826, Tate cross-appealed, contending the habeas court committed reversible error in denying several claims, including several instances of ineffective assistance of counsel, the violation of his constitutional right to a speedy trial, the State’s pursuit of contradictory theories, and post-conviction counsel’s conflict of interest. In the Warden’s appeal, the Supreme Court reversed and reinstated Tate’s death sentences. In Tate’s cross-appeal, the Court affirmed. View "Ford v. Tate" on Justia Law