Court Opinion

ID: 4303330
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-08-13 18:06:28.879436+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:24:23.446528
License: Public Domain

Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia

                                        ATLANTA,____________________
                                                 August 03, 2018

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A18A2109. ASHLEIGH E. RICKS v. THE STATE.

      In 2012, Ashleigh Ricks pled guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to life
in prison. In this appeal, she seeks to challenge the trial court’s denial of her motion
to withdraw the guilty plea. We lack jurisdiction.
      Under our Constitution, the Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over
“[a]ll cases in which a sentence of death was imposed or could be imposed.” Ga.
Const. of 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VI, Par. III (8). Because a penalty of death can be
imposed for the crime of felony murder, jurisdiction is proper in the Supreme Court.
See OCGA § 16-5-1 (c), (e) (1); Neal v. State, 290 Ga. 563, 572 (722 SE2d 765)
(2012) (Hunstein, C. J., concurring); see also State v. Thornton, 253 Ga. 524, 524 (1)
(322 SE2d 711) (1984) (directing this Court to transfer “all cases in which either a
sentence of death or of life imprisonment has been imposed upon conviction of
murder”). Accordingly, we hereby TRANSFER this appeal to the Supreme Court for
disposition.

                                        Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
                                               Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
                                                                         08/03/2018
                                               I certify that the above is a true extract from
                                        the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
                                               Witness my signature and the seal of said court
                                        hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

                                                                                        , Clerk.