Court Opinion

ID: 9847566
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:02:20.258936+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:20.406276
License: Public Domain

Sognier, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The sole issue in this case is whether the testimony of appellant’s wife, who was charged as an accomplice and pled guilty, was corroborated. In finding that such testimony was corroborated by evidence of a similar offense, the majority relies on Potts v. State, 86 Ga. App. 779, 783 (2) (72 SE2d 553) (1952), to support its holding that evidence of a prior similar transaction can be used to corroborate an accomplice’s testimony as to identification of the defendant as a participant in the offense charged. However, Potts did not involve either corroboration of an accomplice’s testimony or the use of evidence of prior similar transactions or crimes for such purposes. Rather, Potts dealt with corroboration of the prosecutrix/victim’s testimony by showing the conduct of the defendant prior to, during and subsequent to commission of the offense charged.
The only Georgia case I have found dealing with the use of a similar offense to establish the identity of a defendant as a participant in the offense charged is Perryman v. State, 63 Ga. App. 825, 827 (12 SE2d 392) (1940). In that case we held that evidence of a similar crime admitted to show motive, intent, state of mind, etc., is not sufficient to establish the defendant’s connection to the crime charged. Applying this rule to the facts of the instant case, I find no corroboration of the accomplice testimony, which consisted solely of prior inconsistent statements, not made under oath. Since a person cannot be convicted solely on the uncorroborated testimony of an accomplice, OCGA § 24-4-8, Black v. State, 155 Ga. App. 798 (272 SE2d 762) (1980), I would reverse the conviction in this case.
I am authorized to state that Chief Judge Banke and Presiding Judge Birdsong join in this dissent.