Court Opinion

ID: 9583876
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:42:44.150344+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:04:35.553115
License: Public Domain

Pope, Judge,
concurring specially.
While I concur in the opinion of the majority, I write separately to acknowledge that the trial court’s ruling on the admissibility of Charles Riggins’ pre-trial statement was correct. Under the opinion in Gibbons v. State, 248 Ga. 858 (286 SE2d 717) (1982), the statement was admissible as substantive evidence. See Hawkins v. State, 175 Ga. App. 606 (2) (333 SE2d 870) (1985). See also Worthy v. State, 253 Ga. 661 (4) (324 SE2d 431) (1985); see generally Bryant v. State, 174 Ga. App. 676 (1) (331 SE2d 16) (1985). However, the fact remains that Riggins’ pre-trial statement is the only evidence connecting appellant with the crime. Since the State did not present evidence in corroboration of his involvement, the majority is correct in reversing the conviction based upon the insufficiency of evidence.