Case ID: ga_279/html/0051-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Fletcher, Chief Justice.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

S05A0392.
    COCHRAN v. THE STATE.
    (609 SE2d 353)
   Fletcher, Chief Justice.

After this Court overturned Antonio B. Cochran’s malice murder conviction, the State elected to re-sentence Cochran to life in prison for the remaining felony murder conviction. On appeal, Cochran contends that the new sentence is void because the trial court failed to conduct a hearing before issuing the new sentence.

Decided February 21, 2005.

Justin J. Wyatt, for appellant.

Patrick H. Head, District Attorney, Andrew J. Saliba, Amy H. McChesney, Assistant District Attorneys, Thurbert E. Baker, Attorney General, Robin J. Leigh, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.

In Williams v. State, however, this Court held that “a sentence imposed by a trial court in a non-death penalty case is not rendered void by the court’s failure to conduct a pre-sentence hearing under OCGA § 17-10-2.” Moreover, felony murder carries a mandatory life sentence, and as that was the only conviction at issue, the sentence imposed is required by law and Cochran suffered no harm by the failure to hold a pre-sentence hearing.

Judgment affirmed.

All the Justices concur. 
      
      
        Cochran v. State, 276 Ga. 283 (576 SE2d 867) (2003).
     
      
       271 Ga. 686, 691 (523 SE2d 857) (1999).