Court Opinion

ID: 9781141
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 16:14:52.977963+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:34:18.873351
License: Public Domain

MELTON, Justice,
concurring.
While I concur in the majority’s holding, I write separately to emphasize that, under the facts of this case, the trial court soundly concluded that there was no reasonable probability that Cox would not have pled guilty and insisted on going to trial. Cox was indicted for four counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of incest, and twenty-three counts of sexual exploitation of children. These charges were based on allegations that Cox and her husband engaged in a variety of sex acts with Cox’s two minor sons. Cox, in fact, confessed to a GBI agent that she had engaged in sexual intercourse and oral sex with both of her sons. Cox and her husband took photos of these acts, distributed them on the internet, and kept photo albums in their bedroom. Given Cox’s confession to the acts forming the basis of the charges against her, the evidence clearly supports the trial court’s conclusion that Cox would have ultimately pled guilty to the charges in spite of her counsel’s error regarding her eligibility for parole.
I am authorized to state that Chief Justice Hunstein and Presiding Justice Carley join in this concurrence.
*696Holly Cox, pro se.
Samuel S. Olens, Attorney General, Mary Beth Westmoreland, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Sheila E. Gallow, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee. James C. Bonner, Jr., Sarah L. Gerwig-Moore, amici curiae.