Justia Criminal Law Opinion Summaries

Joanna Hayes appealed her convictions and sentences for malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony relating to the shooting death of her former daughter-in-law Heather Strube. Her only issue on appeal challenged the sufficiency of the evidence presented at trial used to convict her. Finding the evidence sufficient to support her convictions and sentences, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Hayes v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Alvin Harris was tried and convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 1999. He received a mandatory life sentence for felony murder plus consecutive and concurrent terms on the additional counts. In 2008, he filed a petition for habeas corpus, raising numerous grounds for relief. Following an evidentiary hearing at which Harris was represented by counsel, the habeas court denied relief. Harris then applied for a certificate of probable cause to appeal asserting the habeas court erred in rejecting two of his ineffective assistance of appellate counsel claims that appellate counsel failed to reasonably investigate and submit evidence that trial counsel: (1) was ineffective for failing to inform him of a plea offer made by the State; and (2) was under the influence of drugs during the time he represented Harris. Upon review, the Supreme Court found no reversible error in the habeas court's factual and legal determinations, and affirmed the denial of Harris' petition. View "Harris v. Upton" on Justia Law

After a jury trial, Tyus Colton was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery in connection with the beating death of Shannon Blount. On appeal, he contended, among other things, that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of Colton's confession without first finding that the confession had been made voluntarily. Though the Supreme Court found after its review, that the evidence was sufficient to support his convictions, the Court found error with the trial court's admission of testimony relating to the co-defendant's initial, non-custodial statement to police on the day of the murder. As such, the Supreme Court remanded the case back to the trial court for a conclusive finding on the voluntariness of Colton's confession. View "Colton v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Ward Brockman was convicted by jury of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit armed robbery. The jury recommended the death sentence for the murder after finding beyond a reasonable doubt that the murder was committed during the commission of another capital felony. Brockman appealed the denial of his motion for a new trial. Finding that the evidence sufficient to support the jury's verdict and sentence, the Supreme Court affirmed his conviction and the trial court's denial of his motion for a new trial. View "Brockman v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Derrick Ashley Blake was convicted of felony murder and related charges in connection with the December 2008 shooting death of Marion Turner. Blake appealed the denial of his motion for new trial, asserting error in the trial court's instructions to the jury and in his sentence. Although the Supreme Court found no error in Blake's convictions, the Court did find error in his sentence, which was vacated. The Court affirmed Blake's convictions, but remanded the case for recalculation of his sentence. View "Blake v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Appellant Marcus DeWayne Huff was convicted of malice murder for the 2010 stabbing death of Daniel Aftowski. He appealed, asserting the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction. Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Huff v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Rodney Reaves was convicted of the felony murder of his 11-year-old daughter and other related crimes. He appealed the denial of his motion for new trial, asserting that the trial court erred by excluding the testimony of certain witnesses and failing to properly instruct the jury and that trial counsel provided ineffective assistance. Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Reaves v. Georgia" on Justia Law

In 2009, a grand jury indicted Appellant Lance Thomas, Jr., along with Robert Robinson, James Prothro, and Tony Smith for: (1) malice murder of David Nixon, (2) felony murder of David Nixon (based on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon), (3) malice murder of Michael Cruver, (4) felony murder of Cruver (based on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon), (5) aggravated assault of Reginald Nixon ("Nixon") with a deadly weapon, (6) burglary, (7) aggravated assault of Cruver with intent to rob, and (8) aggravated assault of Nixon with intent to rob. The charges arose from a 2008 home invasion. Robinson pled guilty to the two counts of felony murder; Prothro pled guilty to burglary and aggravated assault; and Smith pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. They all testified for the State at Appellant's trial, where Appellant was found not guilty of the malice murder counts but guilty of all the other charges. On appeal, he contended that the evidence at trial was insufficient to sustain his burglary conviction, that the trial court erred in denying his motions to suppress evidence seized pursuant to a vehicle search and his custodial statement to the police, and that the trial court should have merged several convictions for sentencing. Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Thomas v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Tiffany Wise appealed her conviction for malice murder for beating 88-year-old Mabel Berry to death. Concluding that the evidence at trial was sufficient to support the conviction and that any error in the admission of a police officer's testimony was harmless, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Wise v. Georgia" on Justia Law

Marquis Young was tried by jury and convicted of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He appealed, contending that the trial court erred when it allowed the State to reopen the evidence after closing argument had begun and that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel. Upon our review of the record and briefs, the Supreme Court found no error and affirmed. View "Young v. Georgia" on Justia Law