Opinion ID: 3187215
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Heading: Georgia Intoxication Law

Text: Under Georgia law, “[a] person shall not be found guilty of a crime when, at the time of the act, omission, or negligence constituting the crime, the person, because of involuntary intoxication, did not have sufficient mental capacity to distinguish between right and wrong in relation to such act.” Ga. Code Ann. § 16-3-4(a). “Involuntary intoxication means intoxication caused by: (1) [c]onsumption of a substance through excusable ignorance; or (2) [t]he coercion, fraud, artifice, or contrivance of another person.” Id. § 16-3-4(b). In Georgia, chronic alcoholism does not amount to involuntary intoxication. See, e.g., Sanford v. State, 671 S.E.2d 820, 823 (Ga. 2009) (approving charge stating that alcoholism is not involuntary and is no defense to a criminal act); McEver v. State, 373 S.E.2d 624, 625 (Ga. 1988); McLaughlin v. State, 224 S.E.2d 412, 414 (Ga. 1976). Additionally, “[v]oluntary intoxication shall not be an excuse for any criminal act or omission.” Ga. Code Ann. § 16-3-4(c). Still, “Georgia juries may 86 Case: 14-15650 Date Filed: 03/21/2016 Page: 87 of 103 be instructed as to whether evidence of intoxication negated intent to commit murder.” Lobosco v. Thomas, 928 F.2d 1054, 1058 (11th Cir. 1991).