Court Opinion

ID: 9588889
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:39:28.277325+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:00.561897
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
dissenting.
This is a case in which defendant was tried and convicted for robbery, in a purse-snatching case.
1. I agree with the majority opinion in Divisions 1 and 3.
2. I agree with the majority opinion in Division 2 with the modification that a judge has not as much discretion in passing upon a request for continuance in a criminal case as in a civil case. Murphy v. State, 132 Ga. App. 654-658 (209 SE2d 101); Brown v. State, 134 Ga. App. 771 (216 SE2d 356).
3. But I do not agree that it was not error for the trial judge to fail to charge on the lesser offense of theft by taking, as conviction of the lesser crime would have required a sentence of a shorter term of years than the offense of robbery. There was ample evidence to show that the defendant could have been guilty of the lesser offense (theft by taking) instead of the greater offense (robbery).
While it is true the defendant’s evidence if proved would require an acquittal because of mistaken identity, nevertheless, the jury is the sole arbiter of the weight to be given the testimony of each witness; and may believe a part of what one witness swears and disbelieve another part; may believe one witness in preference to a thousand who swear in opposition to his testimony. See Code §§ 38-104, 38-105, 38-106, 38-107. Also see Jackson v. State, 13 Ga. App. 147 (1) (78 SE 867); Willis v. State, 63 Ga. App. 262 (1) (10 SE2d 763); Largin v. State, 77 Ga. App. 111, 119 (47 SE2d 895); Cox v. State, 172 Ga. 482 (3) (158 SE 17).
The jury could believe part of the defendant’s story and part of the victim’s story and decide that defendant stole the pocketbook; hence, the court should have *831charged on the lesser crime of theft by taking. The jury could have considered such a charge and convicted defendant of the lesser offense, in which case the sentence would have been less. The court must charge on every lesser offense if under the circumstances, the evidence is sufficient to convict of the lesser offense. Code § 26-505; Hensley v. State, 228 Ga. 501, 502 (2) (186 SE2d 729).
The Georgia courts have long held that the trial judge, with or without request, should instruct the jury on the general principles of the law which must be applied by them in reaching the correct decision upon the questions submitted for their consideration. Driver v. State, 194 Ga. 561, 562 (22 SE2d 83); Sledge v. State, 99 Ga. 684 (1) (26 SE 756); Spivey v. State, 59 Ga. App. 380, 383 (1 SE2d 60). Failure to charge on a lesser included offense requires the grant of a new trial. Moore v. State, 151 Ga. 648, 662 (108 SE 47); Bloodworth v. State, 216 Ga. 572 (4) (118 SE2d 374).
I therefore dissent as I would vote to grant a new trial.