Opinion ID: 1280665
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Claims Barred by Res Judicata

Text: The habeas court properly found claims previously rejected by this Court in Hill's direct appeal to be barred by res judicata. [A]ny issue raised and ruled upon in the petitioner's direct appeal may not be reasserted in habeas corpus proceedings.... Gaither v. Gibby, 267 Ga. 96, 97(2), 475 S.E.2d 603 (1996). The following issues are barred to the extent that they were raised in Hill's direct appeal: whether the State improperly commented on Hill's silence and whether the curative instruction given in response to the comment was sufficient; whether the prosecutor made improper reference to the Bible in closing argument in the sentencing phase; whether the State or trial court violated Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986); whether the trial court erred in excluding as irrelevant evidence of the victim's character in the sentencing phase; whether the evidence supported the OCGA § 17-10-30(b)(7) aggravating circumstance; whether the trial court's misstatement before the beginning of the sentencing phase that aggravated assault was a capital felony was reversible error; whether the trial court erred in finding jurors Flowers and Daniel unqualified to serve; whether the trial court improperly limited voir dire; whether the District Attorney's comment to juror Mackey regarding the jury not actually sending the defendant to death required reversal; whether the allegedly unreasonable length of the trial days constituted error; whether the trial court erred in replacing an ill juror; whether the trial court committed reversible error during the guilt/innocence phase by admitting evidence regarding Hill's murder of his girlfriend; whether the trial court erred in allowing two witnesses to give rebuttal testimony in the sentencing phase; whether the trial court erred in allowing the prosecutor to see the report of Hill's psychologist during the trial; whether the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction and death sentence; and, whether Hill's death sentence or Georgia death sentences in general are arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, or disproportionate.