Ridley v. Georgia
Annotate this CaseKentrick Ridley was convicted of malice murder and related crimes in connection with the 2016 shooting death of Rico Bynum. On appeal, Ridley contended: (1) the evidence was not sufficient as a matter of due process to support his convictions; and (2) the trial court failed to fulfill its role as the “thirteenth juror,” and that the trial court erred by allowing the prosecutor to make certain statements during her closing argument. The Georgia Supreme Court found the record showed the evidence was sufficient to support Ridley’s convictions and that the trial court exercised its role as the thirteenth juror. "And most of the closing- argument statements that Ridley challenges were proper comments on the defense’s failure to present evidence—made with express reference to the fact that the burden of proof rests 'completely' with the State—while the remaining statement at issue properly asked the jury to draw a reasonable inference supported by undisputed evidence." So the Court affirmed Ridley’s convictions and sentences.
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