Justia Georgia Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

A grand jury indicted Verlaine Laguerre and his co-defendant Prentice Baker for murder and related crimes. Trial was scheduled to take place around the holidays at the end of 2012. During both the week of December 22 and the following week, three to five jurors had conflicts, and that the first time that a complete jury could be back together would be January 8. During a recess, the trial court and the attorneys went into chambers where they determined that they had only two options: either the court should declare a mistrial or order a continuance for nearly three weeks from December 19 to January 8. Baker acquiesced in a mistrial because of the jurors’ apparent unpreparedness to be in a trial over nine days, and because it would not be in the best interest of the defense if it were blamed or placed in a negative light by continuation of the trial. The prosecutor also acquiesced in a mistrial as the “lesser of two evils,” expressing his concern over the jurors’ ability to recollect all the evidence after an extended break, especially when they were never told that there would be such a break. Over Laguerre’s objection, the trial court declared a mistrial, stating that the State in its discretion could try the case at a later date. In the subsequent order denying Laguerre’s plea of former jeopardy, the trial court expressly found no evidence that the State was benefitted by a delay, engaged in any prosecutorial misconduct, or did anything to induce a mistrial. Laguerre argued on appeal to the Supreme Court that the trial court abused its discretion in denying his plea of former jeopardy because the circumstances did not demonstrate the “manifest necessity” that was constitutionally required to authorize a mistrial over his objection. The Supreme Court affirmed, finding under the circumstances, the trial judge “acted in order to assure a fair trial, not only for[Laguerre] but for his codefendant and the prosecution as well.” View "Laguerre v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Oscar Blalock sought access to records held by the City of Lovejoy under the Georgia Open Records Act. After failing to receive those records, or any response from the City, Blalock filed a mandamus action seeking to compel compliance with the Act. The trial court dismissed Blalock’s petition, finding that mandamus was unavailable because the Act’s civil penalties provision affords Blalock a remedy “as complete and convenient as mandamus.” Although the Supreme Court did not agree with the trial court’s conclusion regarding the remedial adequacy of civil penalties, that did not save Blalock’s claim: because the Act provided its own cause of action for enforcement in OCGA 50-18-73 (a), that provision was plainly a “complete and convenient” alternative to mandamus. View "Blalock v. Cartwright" on Justia Law

Following a jury trial, Eric Austin was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and various other offenses in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Sade Danmola. On appeal, Austin argued the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support the verdict and that the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury on “sudden emergency” in connection with the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon charge. The Supreme Court found the trial court erred with respect to sentencing, vacated the sentence and remanded for re-sentencing. The Court affirmed in all other respects. View "Austin v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Jahvon Pittman was tried by jury and convicted of murder and related offenses in connection with the shooting death of Maxwell Fiandt. Pittman appealed, claiming that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a directed verdict of acquittal and alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. Though the Supreme Court found no merit in Pittman’s trial phase enumerations, it did find that the trial court erred during sentencing, and, therefore, vacated and remanded for resentencing. View "Pittman v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Don McCray was convicted of murder and other offenses arising out of the shooting death of Darius Grover. McCray’s sole defense was justification in that he acted in self defense. In his first two enumerations of error, McCray claimed the evidence was insufficient to convict him of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and also that the State failed to disprove every other reasonable hypothesis except guilt and thus failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Furthermore, McCray contended the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence relating to the custodial statement he gave to the authorities when he voluntarily turned himself in. McCray alleged several other errors at trial all entitled him to dismissal of the charges against him or in the least, a new trial. Finding no reversible errors, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "McCray v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Following the denial of his motion for new trial, as amended, Clarence Clark appealed his convictions for malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the fatal shooting of Marlon Brown. His sole challenge was that his trial counsel was ineffective in two respects: in failing to object to the use of the term “murder” during trial testimony and in not objecting to the introduction into evidence of his statement to police. Finding the challenge to be without merit, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Clark v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Ladarrius Jones was convicted of two counts of malice murder for the shooting deaths of Thaddeus Nelson and Randy Wilder; four counts of aggravated assault for shooting in the direction of Amanda Hill, Alexis Jenkins, Audra McCluster, and Shametia McCluskey; and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Appellant argued that the evidence was insufficient to prove venue, the trial court erred in failing to give a jury charge on voluntary manslaughter, and his aggravated assault convictions should have merged with his malice murder convictions. After review, the Supreme Court affirmed because the State established venue beyond a reasonable doubt, the voluntary manslaughter charge was not warranted under the evidence presented, and the aggravated assault offenses did not merge with the malice murder convictions because the crimes involved different victims. View "Jones v. Georgia" on Justia Law

The State appealed the trial court’s pre-trial decision to suppress statements made by appellee William Clark during a police station interview. In 2008, appellee called 911 after assaulting and killing his paramour, Deborah Jeffries, by striking her in the head with a golf club and stabbing her in the chest more than twenty times. Detective J.D. Stephens of the Atlanta Police Department testified he began video-recording the interview after appellee had already been talking for seven minutes. The video recording was approximately 33 minutes long. Less than 30 seconds into the recording, appellee says, “This is off the record,” and Detective Stephens responds, “Yeah.” Appellee then proceeds to discuss his three-year history with the victim, accusing her of various nefarious activities and describing how she used her relationships with other men to goad him into becoming upset or angry. About 22 minutes into the recording, Detective Stephens reminds appellee that he was read his rights. Appellee simply continues to talk. At approximately 28 minutes into the interview, appellee puts his head down on the table, but keeps talking. Appellee eventually describes the point at which he hit and stabbed the victim. Detective Stephens again reminded appellee that his rights were read to him. While Detective Stephens is out of the room, appellee can be seen on the video climbing on top of the table, then lying down on it as if in distress. The video then stops. According to Detective Stephens, the paramedics found nothing wrong with appellee and, after they left, he resumed interviewing appellee for about 40 more minutes, but did not record it. At the trial court’s hearing on appellee’s suppression motion, the trial court stated it believed Detective Stephens had read appellee his Miranda rights, but it did not believe appellee understood those rights. The trial court granted appellee’s motion to suppress his videotaped custodial statement on the ground the State failed to carry its burden to show it was voluntary. The Supreme Court affirmed. View "Georgia v. Clark" on Justia Law

Appellant Antonio Shaw was convicted of the malice murder of Shomari Grier, criminal attempt to commit the murder of Ashley McCord, aggravated assault of Lashaun Brown, and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Appellant contended on appeal to the Supreme Court that the trial court erred in excluding evidence of a witness’s alleged gang affiliation and in not instructing the jury on voluntary manslaughter as a lesser included offense of murder. Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Shaw v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Cordado Burrell was tried and convicted of murder and related offenses in connection with crimes he committed against Herman Upshaw and Ruth Griffith. Burrell appealed, claiming: (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions; (2) he received ineffective assistance of counsel; (3) the trial court committed reversible error during trial; and (4) the State failed to disclose exculpatory evidence in violation of “Brady v. Maryland.” Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Burrell v. Georgia" on Justia Law