Opinion ID: 3049501
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sentence and direct appeal

Text: The jury returned a unanimous verdict fixing Johnson’s sentence at death. The jury found beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of four statutory aggravating circumstances: (1) Johnson murdered Sizemore while he was engaged in the commission of another capital felony (i.e., rape); (2) Johnson murdered Sizemore while he was engaged in the commission of aggravated battery; (3) Johnson’s murder of Sizemore was outrageously and wantonly vile, horrible, and inhumane in that it involved torture and depravity of mind; and (4) Johnson’s murder of Sizemore was outrageously and wantonly vile, horrible, and inhumane in that it involved an aggravated battery. The state trial court sentenced Johnson to death on the malice murder conviction in accordance with the jury’s recommendation. The state trial court sentenced Johnson to life imprisonment for the rape and to 20 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated battery.9 9 The aggravated assault conviction merged into the felony murder conviction, and the felony murder conviction was vacated by operation of law. See Johnson, 519 S.E.2d at 225 n.1 (citing Malcolm v. State, 434 S.E.2d 479, 482 (Ga. 1993) (noting that: (1) aggravated assault conviction, as underlying felony in felony murder count, merged into felony murder conviction as a matter of law; and (2) a defendant may be convicted in Georgia of both malice murder and felony murder of single victim, but may not be sentenced for both crimes)). 18 The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed Johnson’s convictions and sentences. Johnson, 519 S.E.2d at 225. The United States Supreme Court denied Johnson’s petition for certiorari. Johnson v. Georgia, 528 U.S. 1172, 120 S. Ct. 1199 (2000).