Goodman v. Georgia
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Lori Ann Goodman challenged her convictions and sentences for malice murder and theft by taking in connection with the 2005 death of Debra Dressler. Goodman, Dressler, and Rose Richardson became acquainted in a homeless shelter in Virginia. The home of Dressler's husband was near, and Dressler wanted to collect her dentures and a checkbook from there, so the three women drove there in Dressler's car. An argument ensued at the husband's home and in the end, Mr. Dressler was killed. The three women fled in Dressler's vehicle; they acquired beer and crack cocaine. On their journey, Richardson and Goodman became aggravated by Dressler's behavior: "at one point, Dressler was to have sex with a truck driver in exchange for money, but came back from the truck driver's vehicle with only hamburgers from a fast food restaurant." At a motel in South Carolina, Goodman and Richardson decided they needed to "get rid of [Dressler]" by poisoning her with prescription pills, aspirin, and alcohol. Richardson and Goodman put the drugs in a large bottle containing a cocktail and gave it to Dressler, who drank it. Because the toxic cocktail seemed to have no effect on Dressler, the Richardson and Goodman took a belt and choked Dressler with it; Richardson tried to put a ball of yarn over Dressler's mouth and nose and then put a pillow over Dressler's face. After some minutes, the two women became tired and stopped; they could not determine if Dressler was still alive. After resting, Goodman again choked Dressler, this time with a bandana, and Richardson again placed a pillow over Dressler's face. Richardson removed Dressler from the car and Goodman retrieved a pair of 24-inch bolt cutters from the trunk; Goodman struck Dressler three times on the head with the bolt cutters, and Richardson took them and did the same. Goodman and Richardson were later apprehended in Louisiana. Richardson pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and testified at Goodman's trial. Finding the evidence sufficient to support her conviction, and that Goodman's trial counsel's performance was not deficient, the Supreme Court affirmed Goodman's convictions and sentences.
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