Court Opinion

ID: 9598720
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:11:03.716869+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:52.310568
License: Public Domain

Sears-Collins, Justice,
concurring specially.
I agree that the appellants’ knowledge of prior murders committed by the alleged co-conspirators is relevant to the question of the appellants’ conspiracy to commit murder. See majority opinion, pp. 429-430. However, the photographs of the previous murder victim were not necessary to establish the fact of the prior murders and have questionable relevance to the appellants’ knowledge of the prior murders. See majority opinion, p. 431. This is especially true because, at the time of the conspiracy, the appellants would have had no access to the photographs, which were in the hands of the state. Thus, I disagree with the conclusion reached in Division 7 of the majority opinion. However, I believe the admission of the photographs was harmless error under the standard set forth in Johnson v. State, 238 Ga. 59 (230 SE2d 869) (1976), and I therefore concur in the judgment of the majority.
I am authorized to state that Justice Hunstein joins in this special concurrence.