Johnson v. State
291 Ga. 621
Ga.2012Background
- In October 2008, Deandre Phillips lived in a guesthouse on a property where Johnson shared a home with his wife.
- Phillips was to be 'jumped into' a street gang; gun-related tensions arose after Phillips left Johnson's home during the initiation.
- Phillips was killed and found in the main house bathroom with seven .380 shell casings recovered; a pistol linked to Megan Summerous was implicated.
- Johnson admitted to coworkers that he killed Phillips and that a gun had been used; he sought to hide the weapon after the killing.
- Between October 3 and 10, 2008, Johnson displayed suspicious behavior around the main house and smelled of Phillips’s corpse was noted.
- Johnson was indicted January 11, 2010, convicted on multiple counts, and sentenced to life plus five years; the appellate motion for new trial followed.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sufficiency of evidence to sustain murder convictions | Johnson | State | Evidence sufficient |
| Whether trial court erred in not striking juror for cause | Johnson | State | No abuse of discretion; juror not disqualified |
Key Cases Cited
- Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (U.S. 1979) (sufficiency of evidence standard for criminal conviction)
- Thorpe v. State, 285 Ga. 604 (Ga. 2009) (deference to trial court on voir dire matters)
- Pinckney v. State, 285 Ga. 458 (Ga. 2009) (juror not necessarily disqualified for uncertainty about testimony)
- Peterson v. State, 282 Ga. 286 (Ga. 2007) (voir dire and juror qualification standards)
- Roberts v. State, 276 Ga. 258 (Ga. 2003) (no abuse of discretion in juror excusal decisions)