Court Opinion

ID: 9586265
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:08:53.224655+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:27:31.006280
License: Public Domain

Ingram, Justice,
concurring specially.
Division 6 of the court’s opinion presents the question of whether the armed robberies, considered as aggravated circumstances to authorize the death sentence for the two murders, became included crimes in the murders. If so, the convictions for the two armed robberies must be reversed under Code Ann. § 26-506. "[A] crime is an included crime and multiple punishment therefor is barred if it is the same as a matter of fact or as a matter of law as specified in the Criminal Code.” State v. Estevez, 232 Ga. 316, 319 (206 SE2d 475).
The factual and legal tests required by Code Ann. § 26-505 (a) and (b), respectively, for determining whether *129the crimes are the same or not reveal that the armed robberies in this case are not included in the offenses of murder. They are separate crimes for which a conviction for each is authorized.
The consideration of the armed robberies as aggravating circumstances during the sentencing phase of the trial to authorize imposition of the death sentences for the murders does not make the armed robberies a part of the murder convictions. A prior conviction of some other armed robbery, if it existed, could have been considered as aggravating circumstances to authorize the death penalty and the mere fact that these armed robberies were contemporaneous with the murders would not prevent their use as aggravating circumstances in this case. Thus, I conclude there is no prohibition in either the statutory limitation on multiple prosecution for the same conduct or in the death penalty statute (Code Ann. § 27-2534.1) which would prevent the consideration of the armed robberies in this case as aggravating circumstances to authorize the death sentences for the two offenses of murder.