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  • Barge v. State

    Publication Date: 2014-02-27
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Jonathan P. Waters, Macon, for appellant.
    for defendant: Karl D. Cooke Jr., District Attorney, Sandra G. Matson, Dorothy V. Hull, Jason M. Wilbanks, Assistant District Attorneys, Macon, Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Benjamin H. Pierman, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A1687

    The murder defe failed to show that the jury was confused by the trial court's refusal to sever his trial from that of a co-defe

  • Thornton v. State

    Publication Date: 2013-12-26
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    Court: Court of Appeals
    Judge: Miller, M. Yvette
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Jonathan Kester and Jackie Patterson, Atlanta, for appellant.
    for defendant: Carmen Smith, Solicitor General, and R. Leon Benham, Assistant Solicitor General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: A13A1867

    The evidence clearly showed that the name listed on the indictment was another name by which the defendant was known, thus the indictment was not fatally defe

  • Griffin v. State

    Publication Date: 2013-12-19
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Hunstein, Carol W.
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Jessica R. Towne Clark & Towne PC, Lawrenceville, for appellant.
    for defendant: Daniel J. Porter, District Attorney, Robby A. King, Assistant District Attorney, Lawrenceville, Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and David A. Bikoff, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A0967

    A showing of a simple buy-sell drug transaction, without more, does not support a conviction for consp

  • Brown v. Parody

    Publication Date: 2013-11-27
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Melton, Harold D.
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, and Daniel W. Hamilton Shepard, Plunkett, Hamilton & Boudreaux LLP, Augusta, for appellant.
    for defendant: Timothy Parody, Grovetown, proceeded pro se. Sarah L. Gerwig-Moore Mercer Law School, Macon, and J. Scott Key, Decatur.
    Case Number: S13A0899

    A divided Supreme Court held that the habeas court erred in ruling that the undisputed facts showed that plea counsel was deficient with regard to consideration of the defendant's compe

  • Givens v. State

    Publication Date: 2013-11-27
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Sheueli C. Wang Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, Atlanta, for appellant.
    for defendant: Paul L. Howard Jr., District Attorney, Paige R. Whitaker, Deputy District Attorney, Marc A. Mallon, Senior Assistant District Attorney, Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Ryan A. Kolb, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A1016

    The Supreme Court affirmed the defendant's malice murder conviction, but vacated the life sentences imposed on 9 counts against him, since the charges of felony murder were vacated as a matter of la

  • O'Donnell v. Smith

    Publication Date: 2013-11-21
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Jason C. Fisher, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellant.
    for defendant: Rodney S. Zell Zell & Zell PC, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A0783

    The habeas court erred in considering the affidavit of an alternate juror who replaced another juror during deliberations, as it did not provide evidentiary support for the defendant's ineffective a

  • Crowder v. State

    Publication Date: 2013-11-21
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Patrick R. Sullivan and Donald F. Samuel Garland, Samuel & Loeb PC, Atlanta, for appellant.
    for defendant: Layla H. Zon, District Attorney, Melanie M. Bell, Assistant District Attorney, Elizabeth K. Grofic District Attorney's Office, Covington, Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Rochelle W. Gordon, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A0961

    Evidence of an allegation that the defendant sexually molested his young cousin was properly admitted at his murder trial, since it was relevant to explain the escalating tension between the defend

  • Browder v. State

    Publication Date: 2013-11-21
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: John K. Gross, Metter, and Glen A. Cheney, Reidsville, for appellant.
    for defendant: John T. Durden Jr., District Attorney, Melissa L. Poole, Joe G. Skeens, Assistant District Attorneys, Hinesville, Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and David A. Zisook, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A1187

    Defense counsel was not deficient for strategically deciding not to raise a Bruton objection to the co-defendant's out-of-court statement, which counsel thought was beneficial to a self-defense

  • Brett v. State

    Publication Date: 2013-11-07
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: James C. Bonner Jr., Kevin A. Anderson, and Jimmonique R. S. Rodgers Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, Atlanta, for appellant.
    for defendant: Fredric D. Bright, District Attorney, Gray, Stephen A. Bradley, Chief Assistant District Attorney, Milledgeville, Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Patricia B. A. Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Brittany N. Jones, Assistant Attorney General, Atlanta, for appellee.
    Case Number: S13A0701

    The defendant fatally shot the victim after locating him and confronting him about the death of a dog in the victim's

  • Spectera Inc. v. Wilson

    Publication Date: 2013-11-06
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    Court: Supreme Court
    Judge: Benham, Robert
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Michael J. Bowers, Malissa A. Kaufold-Wiggins Balch & Bingham LLP, Atlanta, Cavender C. Kimble Balch & Bingham LLP, Birmingham, Ala., Wade P. K. Carr, Bruce E. Baty Dentons US LLP, Kansas City, Mo., and Eric J. Andalman Dentons US LLP, Chicago, Ill., for appellant.
    for defendant: Walter G. Elliott II Elliott, Blackburn & Gooding PC, Valdosta, for appellees. Amicus Appellee: Aubrey T. Villines Jr. and Jeffrey R. Filipovits Filipovits Law Firm PC, Atlanta.
    Case Number: S12G1935

    The Court of Appeals erred in defining the phrases "any class of providers" and "classes of eye care providers" too broadly, inasmuch as it relied on the general dictionary definition of the word "