Court Opinion

ID: 9848300
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:16:09.727205+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:18:11.971344
License: Public Domain

Ingram, Justice,
dissenting. The record in this case discloses that the habeas corpus trial court made no finding of fact or conclusion of law with respect to appellant’s contention that he was denied a commitment hearing. The case began with the procurement of warrants for appellant taken by the alleged victim’s husband several months after the commission of the crimes. The appellant ultimately received two life sentences on a conviction resting on what I consider was rather weak evidence in a rape case. The sufficiency of the evidence has been finally adjudicated by the prior criminal appeal to this court, and I accept it. The character and weight of the evidence is mentioned only because it emphasizes how important a commitment hearing may have been in this case to the conduct of the defense at the subsequent trial.
For the reasons set forth in my dissent in Phillips v. Stynchcombe, 231 Ga. 430, dealing with the same basic issues here involved, I also respectfully dissent to Division 1 of the court’s opinion in this case and the judgment of affirmance. I would *444reverse the judgment below with direction to conduct another hearing to determine if the appellant were denied a commitment hearing, and, if so, whether such denial prejudiced his defense at the subsequent trial.