Justia Georgia Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Tobias Daniels was tried by jury and convicted of malice murder and other crimes related to the 2015 shooting death of Mikell Wright and attempted robbery of Mikell’s brother, Rodregus Wright. Daniels argued on appeal the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction, and that the trial court erred in sustaining the State’s challenge to two of Daniels’s peremptory strikes and by failing to apply the rule of lenity in sentencing him for criminal attempt to commit armed robbery instead of aggravated assault. The Georgia Supreme Court concluded after review that the evidence was sufficient to support Daniels’s convictions, that the trial court did not commit reversible error in rejecting two of Daniels’s peremptory strikes, and that the trial court did not err in sentencing Daniels to attempted armed robbery instead of aggravated assault. View "Daniels v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Corey Smith was convicted by jury for the murder of Patricia Burley. On appeal, he claimed the trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial because he received constitutionally deficient assistance of trial counsel. The Georgia Supreme Court disagreed after review of the record, and affirmed Smith’s conviction. View "Smith v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Hajja Kenyatta Martin was convicted by jury of felony murder, arson in the first degree, concealing the death of another, and eight firearms charges in connection with the shooting death of Ralph McGhee. Martin appealed pro se, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, and contending that: (1) the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a prior conviction; (2) in allowing the prosecutor to argue that Martin’s claim of self-defense was based on lies; and (3) in instructing the jury. He also contended he received ineffective assistance of counsel. After review, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed Martin’s convictions for felony murder, arson, concealing the death of another, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The Court vacated in part and remanded, however, for the correction of sentencing errors regarding his convictions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. View "Martin v. Georgia" on Justia Law

James Cooper was convicted by jury of murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony in connection with the 2015 stabbing death of his nephew, Ricky Hall. Cooper appealed, arguing the evidence was insufficient to support his murder conviction. The Georgia Supreme Court concluded the evidence was sufficient, and affirmed. View "Cooper v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Defendant Calvin Glenn and co-defendant Delron Glenn were convicted of malice murder, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the shooting death of John Tanner. On appeal, Calvin contended the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions, and that the trial court erred in denying his motion in limine to exclude certain identification evidence. The Georgia Supreme Court disagreed and affirmed Glenn’s convictions. View "Glenn v. Georgia" on Justia Law

De’Andre Holmes appealed the denial of his motion for new trial after a jury found him guilty of malice murder and other offenses in connection with the death of Cory Joseph. On appeal, Holmes argued the evidence presented against him was insufficient because the State failed to prove that venue was proper in Richmond County, Georgia. Furthermore, he argued the trial court failed to exercise its discretion to act as the “thirteenth juror” in ruling upon Holmes’ motion for new trial and instead inappropriately applied a sufficiency-of-evidence standard to Holmes’ statutory challenge on the general grounds. After review of the trial court record, the Georgia Supreme Court concluded the State presented sufficient evidence to support Holmes’ convictions. However, because the record showed that the trial court applied only a sufficiency-of-evidence standard in considering Holmes’ motion for new trial on the general grounds, the Supreme Court vacated in part the trial court’s order denying his motion for new trial and remanded the case so that the trial court may exercise its discretion as the “thirteenth juror” and, in so doing, reweigh the evidence presented at trial. The Court did not reach Holmes’ additional enumeration of error regarding the sufficiency of the evidence presented by the State regarding venue. View "Holmes v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Vas Coleman was arrested at his home in Huntsville, Alabama on charges related to the 2015 death of Jose Greer in Fulton County, Georgia. Although Coleman was sixteen years old at the time of his arrest, the Fulton County Superior Court had exclusive jurisdiction over his case pursuant to OCGA 15-11-560 (b) (1) because he was accused of murder. After his arrest, Coleman was held at the Fulton County Youth Detention Center until he was granted a bond on March 24, 2016, and subsequently released. On April 8, 2016, Coleman was indicted by a Fulton County grand jury, along with four co-defendants, for felony murder and burglary in relation to Greer’s death. Almost two years later, on March 20, 2018, Coleman and his co-defendants were re-indicted on the same charges. After the State nolle prossed the April 2016 indictment, Coleman filed a motion to transfer his case to juvenile court, arguing that, because the March 2018 indictment was returned outside the 180-day time limit set by OCGA 17-7-50.1, the Superior Court no longer had jurisdiction. Relying on the Court of Appeals’ decisions in Edwards v. Georgia, 748 SE2d 501 (2013) and Georgia v. Armendariz, 729 SE2d 538 (2012), the trial court granted Coleman’s motion to transfer. The State appealed, arguing that the trial court granted the motion in error. “Reading the statute in its most natural and reasonable way,” the Georgia Supreme Court concluded the 180-day time limitation in OCGA 17-7-50.1 did not apply to a juvenile who was released and remained on bond prior to the running of 180 days. The Court overruled Edwards, and further concluded the trial court erred in transferring Coleman’s case to the juvenile court. View "Georgia v. Coleman" on Justia Law

Appellant David Frank Moore was convicted of felony murder and related offenses in connection with the shooting of Delray Crittenden, Nyriek Williams, and Aaron Byfield; Crittenden died as a result of the shooting. On appeal, Appellant argued the evidence was insufficient to support the jury’s verdicts, that the trial court erred in several respects, and that trial counsel rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance. Finding the evidence sufficient to sustain his convictions and no reversible errors, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed Moore’s convictions. View "Moore v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Curtis McCammon was convicted of malice murder, attempted armed robbery, and a gun crime in connection with the shooting death of Nigel James. On appeal, he argued the evidence presented at his trial was insufficient to support his convictions, and that the trial court erred by denying his motion to exclude testimony about his purchase and use of marijuana and by admitting an exhibit that was not properly authenticated. Finding no reversible error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "McCammon v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Quindarius Keshun Morton was convicted by jury of murder and related offenses in connection with the shooting death of Reginald Bien-Amin. Morton appealed, arguing the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions, the trial court erred in failing to charge the jury on voluntary manslaughter and erred in admitting certain expert testimony, and that he was denied effective assistance of counsel. Finding no error, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. View "Morton v. Georgia" on Justia Law