Court Opinion

ID: 9582467
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:27:14.606656+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:37:49.938566
License: Public Domain

Fletcher, Chief Justice,
concurring.
I join the majority’s decision, but write separately to emphasize a fundamental fallacy with the dissent’s concern that any analysis other than the one put forth by the dissent will result in a flood of “child molesters” being released from prison. This is a factually incorrect statement as applied to Luke because Luke will remain in prison. This opinion in no way affects Luke’s convictions and 15 year-plus sentences on two counts of aggravated child molestation and one count of child molestation. Furthermore, Luke’s aggravated sodomy convictions will not be vacated under Brewer v. State if the habeas court concludes on remand that there is even minimal evidence of force.38 To put it plainly, Luke is not going anywhere and neither is anyone else convicted of child molestation.

 Brewer v. State, 271 Ga. 605, 607 (523 SE2d 18) (1999) (“only a minimal amount of evidence is necessary to prove that an act of sodomy against a child was forcible”).