Court Opinion

ID: 9597069
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:55:15.048622+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:36.683140
License: Public Domain

Stolz, Judge,
concurring specially.
1. I would reverse the judgment of conviction, but not upon the basis set forth in the majority opinion.
In State v. Stonaker, 236 Ga. 1 (222 SE2d 354) the Supreme Court set forth the following rules: "(1) The trial judge must charge the jury on each crime specified in the indictment or accusation, unless the evidence does not warrant a conviction of such crime, or unless the state has affirmatively withdrawn a crime or stricken it from the indictment or accusation. (2) The trial judge also may, of his own volition and in his discretion, charge on a lesser crime of that included in the indictment or accusation. However, his failure to do so, without a written request by the state or the accused, is not error. (3) The state or the accused may, by written application to the trial judge at or before the close of the evidence, request him to charge on lesser crimes that are included in those set forth in the indictment or accusation, and his failure to so charge as requested, if the evidence warrants such requested charge or charges, shall be error. (4) An erroneous charge on a lesser crime to that set forth in the indictment or *372accusation does not rise to the level of reversible error, unless such charge was harmful to the accused as a matter of law.”
As I interpret these rules, there is nothing therein which relieves the trial judge of the necessity of charging the general principles of law raised by the pleadings and the evidence, which of necessity must be applied in reaching a correct verdict on the issues. Sledge v. State, 99 Ga. 684 (1) (26 SE 756); Foskey v. State, 126 Ga. App. 268 (1) (190 SE2d 556). I find nothing in Stonaker, supra, which overrules the legal principle stated in Foskey and Sledge, supra. In Stonaker, supra, the Supreme Court stated that the establishment of the above quoted rules overruled the principle stated in Kerbo v. State, 230 Ga. 241 (196 SE2d 424). In Kerbo, supra, the conviction was reversed because of the trial judge’s failure to charge on a lesser included offense (involuntary manslaughter). I cannot agree with the conclusion expressed in Division 10 of the majority.
2. A charge on inequality in physical strength between the defendant and the deceased was demanded by the evidence. The failure to do so is reversible error. Strickland v. State, 98 Ga. 84, 85 (2) (25 SE 908). I find myself in disagreement with Division 11 of the majority.
3. Likewise, the evidence required a charge on defense of habitation. Code § 26-903. The failure to so charge was reversible error. Hence, my disagreement with Division 12 of the majority opinion.
4. I concur in the dissent as to Divisions 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, and would not reverse on the bases stated therein.
5. For the reasons stated in Divisions 1, 2 and 3, I concur in the judgment of reversal.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen and Judges Clark and Webb, concur in Divisions 1,2 and 3 of this special concurrence in the judgment of reversal only.