Court Opinion

ID: 9584773
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:52:32.312064+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:15:32.217775
License: Public Domain

Quillian, Judge,
dissenting. In Lynch v. State, 108 Ga. App. 650 (134 SE2d 526), it was held: "The defendant having made an unsworn statement to the court and jury in his defense, the court erred in charging the jury to the effect that the defendant had the right to testify under oath as any other witness. . . and in connection with such charge stating to the jury, ’Now, the defendant in this case elected to make an unsworn statement.’. . 'The failure of a defendant to testify shall create no presumption against him, and no comment shall be made because of such failure.’ The court erred in overruling the second special ground of defendant’s motion for a new trial assigning error because of such charge.” (Emphasis supplied.) Under that which was held in the Lynch case it was error to fail to grant a mistrial.
I am authorized to state that Chief Judge Bell and Judges Pannell and Evans concur in this dissent.