Supreme Court of Georgia Decisions 2024

Justia Opinion Summary: Frederick Sauder was convicted of malice murder and other crimes related to the armed robbery of Wayne Alexander and his subsequent shooting death. The crimes occurred in August 2016, and Sauder was indicted in December…

Justia Opinion Summary: Randy Leon Pittman, Jr. was convicted for malice murder and arson in connection with the shooting and burning death of Natoshia Smith. Pittman challenged his convictions on several grounds. He argued that the evidence…

Justia Opinion Summary: Bryan Keith Schmitt was convicted of malice murder for the death of Hamid Jahangard, who died after being hit by Schmitt’s car. Schmitt was indicted on charges of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, and two…

Justia Opinion Summary: Kiervon Armani Hooks was convicted of felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, both charges stemming from the shooting death of Brandon Ray Foster. The incident occurred on September…

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Charles Michael Sconyers who was convicted for malice murder and cruelty to children in the first degree, in relation to the death of 23-month-old Lincoln Davitte. The child died from blunt-force trauma…

Justia Opinion Summary: Andrew Thomas Huber was convicted of felony murder predicated on aggravated assault in relation to the shooting death of Daniel Raburn. Huber, along with his accomplices Thomas Wayne Harper and Brandilee Nicole…

Justia Opinion Summary: Truman Harry Smith was convicted of felony murder and other charges related to the shooting death of Johnny Crawford. Smith claimed self-defense, stating that he shot Crawford due to fear for his life, and argued that he…

Justia Opinion Summary: Two former police officers, John Powell and Brian Scott, were indicted for violating their oaths of office under OCGA § 16-10-1. The indictment alleged that they failed to uphold the Constitution of the United States as…

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves James Graham Ward who was convicted for felony murder and other crimes related to two shootings that occurred on March 24, 2021, one of which resulted in the death of Brian Belin. Ward was indicted for…

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Rodrigues Platt, who was convicted for crimes related to the shooting death of David Jones, Jr. The crimes occurred on June 16, 2009, and Platt, along with two others, was indicted for malice murder,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Richard Stroud Jr. was convicted of felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in relation to the shooting death of Frederick Cade. Stroud and Jarvis Lamont Milton were indicted on…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jarvis Lamont Milton and Richard Stroud, Jr. were indicted for several crimes, including murder, in relation to the shooting death of Frederick Cade. The case was tried before a jury, and Milton was found guilty on all…

Justia Opinion Summary: The case revolves around Gavin Henderson, who was convicted by a DeKalb County jury for malice murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. The charges…

Justia Opinion Summary: Diante Thompson was convicted for malice murder and other crimes related to the stabbing death of Bobby Jermaine Ricks. Thompson, along with Demarco Draughn, Benny Hayward, and Xavier Levatte, were charged with malice…

Justia Opinion Summary: Austin Stryker was convicted for malice murder and other crimes related to the shooting and stabbing death of Hannah Bender. Stryker was a member of a small gang, and the prosecution argued that he killed Bender because…

Justia Opinion Summary: Muhammad Hassan was convicted of participation in street gang activity, murder, aggravated assault, and firearms charges in connection to a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of Amira Cameron. The shooting was…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case from the Supreme Court of Georgia, Marquavious Howard was appealing his felony murder conviction for the 2017 shooting death of Jacorbin King. Howard was accused of participating in a robbery at King's…

Justia Opinion Summary: In January 2018, Matthew Richardson was convicted for felony murder and other crimes related to the shooting death of Julius Aderhold, III. The incident occurred in a drive-by shooting when Richardson was allegedly upset…

Justia Opinion Summary: In January 2018, Matthew Richardson was involved in a drive-by shooting during which his passenger, Julius Aderhold, was shot and killed. The incident occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, and stemmed from Richardson's anger…

Justia Opinion Summary: The case in question revolves around a defendant, Devin Durden, who was convicted of felony murder and other crimes related to the shooting death of Dewayne Chronister. Durden was indicted along with Dontavis Screws and…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jerome Everett was convicted of felony murder and other crimes related to the shooting death of Keith Nelson. Everett appealed his conviction, arguing that the trial court erred by giving an incorrect jury instruction on…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Andre Pugh appealed his conviction for the murder of his wife and the possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Pugh challenged the trial court's denial of his motion to suppress evidence…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, the appellant Morgan Baker was convicted of malice murder in connection with the shooting death of Tamarco Head. Baker appealed the conviction, arguing that the trial court erred by…

Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves two appeals from rulings in a pretrial order related to the indictment of John Ledbetter for two separate murders. The State appeals the trial court's decision to grant Ledbetter’s motion to suppress…

Justia Opinion Summary: In November 2019, Samuel Earl McCullum was convicted of the 1998 rape and murder of Monica Blackwell and the 1999 rape of another woman identified as C.C. McCullum appealed, asserting that the evidence presented in court…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Willie Williams Palmer appealed his 2023 convictions for malice murder and other crimes related to the shooting deaths of his estranged wife, Brenda Jenkins Palmer, and his 15-year-old stepdaughter,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, a Georgia Supreme Court decision, the defendant, Remond Sinkfield, was convicted of felony murder and other crimes related to the death of Levi Atkinson. Atkinson died after either jumping or being pushed…

Justia Opinion Summary: In a dispute between the City of Winder and Barrow County, Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed the interpretation of the Services Delivery Strategy (SDS) Act, with regard to the delivery of services to county…

Justia Opinion Summary: In August 2021, a Fulton County grand jury indicted defendant Jerrion McKinney on various charges relating to his alleged participation in an "armed takeover" of an area in Atlanta, including twelve counts of violating…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled on an appeal by Allison Crary, who challenged three orders from a revocation proceeding. The orders were: denial of a motion to declare a grandparent visitation statute…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the appellant, Savanna Jennings, was convicted of malice murder and related charges in relation to the shooting death of her grandfather, Otha Perrin Sr. The jury found her guilty on all counts, and she was…

Justia Opinion Summary: In a case before the Supreme Court of Georgia, Francisco Javier Madera, who was convicted of the murder of Juan Carlos Zambrano, appealed his conviction on five grounds. He argued that the trial court erred by denying…

Justia Opinion Summary: In Georgia, the Fair Dismissal Act (FDA) offers certain protections to public school teachers after they have fulfilled a contract for the fourth consecutive school year with the same local board of education. This case…

Justia Opinion Summary: Donald Berry Green appealed his sentence for felony murder and aggravated assault related to the shooting death of Andre Winter. He entered a guilty plea, but years later, began filing motions for an out-of-time appeal.…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2019, co-defendants Mark Kirkland and Kendrick Ogletree were found guilty of numerous offenses, including malice murder, related to the arson-related deaths of Deangelo Barbary and Debra Morris. The pair were indicted…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this Georgia Supreme Court case, the defendant, Darnell Rene Floyd, was convicted of felony murder predicated on possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and other related charges in connection to the shooting…

Justia Opinion Summary: The appellant, Demarcus Deshawn Blash, was convicted for malice murder and other offenses related to the shooting deaths of Jain Marie Williams and Wendell Everett Williams. Blash contended that the evidence was…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2024, the Supreme Court of Georgia upheld the convictions of Demarcus Deshawn Blash for malice murder and other offenses related to the shooting deaths of Jain Marie Williams and Wendell Everett Williams. Blash…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Jamie Avila Reyes, the appellant, appealed his 15-year prison sentence for crimes including homicide by vehicle in the first degree and driving under the influence of alcohol. Reyes, an undocumented…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, the appellant, Belinda Lopez, was convicted of malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in relation to the shooting death of her husband, Noel Lopez.…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Supreme Court of Georgia, Premier Pediatric Providers, LLC was sued by Kennesaw Pediatrics, P.C. for access to its business records. The lower court granted Kennesaw Pediatrics summary judgment,…

Justia Opinion Summary: This case concerns the standard of review that the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health must apply when reviewing the decision of a hearing officer on an application for a certificate of need to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The case revolves around Windy Hill Hospital's request to change from a long-term care hospital to a short-term care hospital in Georgia, without obtaining a new Certificate of Need (CON) from the Department of Community…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2003, Terry Harper and Emmanuel Ruiz were convicted by a jury of murder and related charges connected to the shooting deaths of Joe Luhrman, David Carty, and Tracy Glover in 2001. Harper appealed his conviction,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, Dedric Jackson and Dimitrius Castle were found guilty of felony murder and other related crimes after the fatal shooting of Norman Ray Moore, Jr. at a party. Jackson appealed, arguing…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2018, Hassan Shareef Rashad was indicted for numerous charges including the malice murder of two-year-old Adrian Mitchell. The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Rashad's conviction. The evidence presented at trial…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the appellant, Shomari Tahir Holmes, appealed his convictions for felony murder and other crimes related to the death of his 20-month-old son and for cruelty to children in the first degree against his…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Supreme Court of Georgia was asked to review the conviction of Merrick Redding, who was found guilty of felony murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of Joseph Davis. Redding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Luis Vendrel, was convicted for malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the shooting death of Nova Jill Saffles. Vendrel appealed his convictions,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case under review, the appellant, David Wallace Lee, was convicted of two counts of malice murder related to the shooting deaths of Meghan Bowen and James Harden. The appellant argued on several grounds, including…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case decided by the Supreme Court of Georgia, the appellant, Karonta Morrell, appealed his convictions related to the shooting death of Jonathan Lang. The appellant was found guilty of multiple charges including…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, appellant Austin Levi Payne appealed his convictions for felony murder and other crimes related to the death of one-year-old Journey Cowart. The Supreme Court of Georgia affirmed the lower court's decision.…

Justia Opinion Summary: In August 2018, Mary Collington was involved in a motor vehicle accident with Jesse Curney, a deputy with the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department, who was acting within the scope of his official duties at the time.…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, the case at hand involves Dequavius Dexter Franklin who was indicted for murder and related offenses. Franklin had made a statement to law enforcement while in a hospital, which the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In Georgia, plaintiffs Kristen Lovell, Lori Tullos, and Virginia McFaddin filed complaints against Brad Raffensperger (in his official capacity as the Secretary of State of Georgia), the Columbia County Board of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of Georgia confirmed the conviction of a woman, Amalia Ramirez, for the malice murder of her elderly mother, Himilce Ramirez, whom she was the sole caregiver for. Evidence showed that Himilce Ramirez…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2019, Justin Remler was convicted for felony murder and aggravated assault related to the death of Tristan Mitchell, a two-year-old child. Remler, who was alone with Tristan in the hours prior to his death, challenged…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, the appellant, Isaac Antonio Shellman, was convicted of malice murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon during a crime in connection with the shooting death of his wife,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In a case before the Supreme Court of Georgia, the State appealed a lower court's decision to suppress evidence of Antonio Rodrick Randall's refusal to submit to a blood test following his arrest for driving under the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In Georgia, defendant Eric Williams was convicted of malice murder and other offenses related to a 2017 shooting outside a nightclub. Williams appealed his convictions and sentence, arguing errors in the trial process…

Justia Opinion Summary: In Fulton County, Georgia, Rufus Weems was convicted for two counts of malice murder and other crimes related to the deaths of Christopher Welch and Chloe Dowdy. On appeal to the Supreme Court of Georgia, Weems…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, Justice Ellington delivered the opinion on the case of Isaiah Adams who was found guilty by a Fulton County jury of malice murder and other offenses in connection with the shooting death…

Justia Opinion Summary: Benjamin Bradley was convicted for multiple crimes, including the malice murder of Dequavious Harris, aggravated assault on Clarence Lewis and Quaimaine Harris, aggravated battery of Ricky Davis, and possession of a…