Gossett v. State, 142 Ga. App. 815

Bell, Chief Judge.

Defendant was convicted of a criminal attempt to commit burglary and of the possession ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‍of a tool commonly used in the commission of the crime of burglary. Held:

1. The evidence even though circumstantial was sufficient to authorize the conviction and it was not error to ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‍deny the motion for directed verdict of acquittal.

2. The court charged the jury in an isolated portion of the charge: “The defendant by his plea of guilty has plead not ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‍guilty to both of these counts.” No juror could have been misled or confused and no prejudice could flow from this palpable “slip of the tongue.” Elsewhere in the charge ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‍the jury was clearly instructed that the defendant had pleaded not guilty; and on the concepts of reasonable doubt and presumption of innocence. No reversible error appears.

3. The enumeration concerning ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‍the admission in evidence of certain paint scrapings has no merit.

Judgment affirmed.

McMurray and Smith, JJ., concur.

Case Details

Case Name: Gossett v. State

Court Name: Court of Appeals of Georgia

Date Published: Jul 13, 1977

Citations: 142 Ga. App. 815; 237 S.E.2d 220; 1977 Ga. App. LEXIS 1384; 54075

Docket Number: 54075

Court Abbreviation: Ga. Ct. App.