Court Opinion

ID: 9854059
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:00:08.398364+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:53.817729
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
concurring specially.
The Supreme Court has reversed our decision in this case and its decision (mandate) is before us in order that we may make the judgment of that court the judgment of our court.
I concur specially for the same reasons as stated in Middlebrooks v. State, 137 Ga. App. 596. In the case sub judice, Hightower spent 45 days in jail awaiting commitment hearing, a total of 85 days before trial, and was first provided counsel more than a month after the commitment hearing. No doubt the defendant’s constitutional rights were "over-run and trampled under foot,” and the presumption arises that they have been violated with the burden upon the state to show waiver or estoppel, if any. See Middlebrooks v. State, supra.
Our original opinion was right, and no matter how distasteful, we are coerced into agreeing to make the judgment of the Supreme Court our judgment, and, accordingly, I concur in the judgment making the judgment of the Supreme Court the judgment of our court.
I am authorized to state that Judge Stolz joins in this special concurrence.