Bell v. Georgia
Annotate this CaseCortney Bell was convicted by jury of second degree murder, second degree cruelty to children, and felony contributing to the dependency of a minor in connection with the death of her infant daughter, Caliyah. The Court of Appeals reversed Bell’s convictions for second degree murder and cruelty to children on appeal, concluding that the evidence was insufficient to support those charges. It affirmed her conviction for felony contributing to the dependency of a minor, and the Georgia Supreme Court granted certiorari to determine whether the Court of Appeals erred in holding that the evidence was legally sufficient to support Bell’s conviction on that charge. Because the Supreme Court concluded, based on the facts of this case, that the evidence was insufficient to authorize a jury to conclude that Caliyah’s death was proximately caused by Bell’s conduct as alleged in the indictment, it reversed the judgment of the Court of Appeals.
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