Opinion
A24A1429
05-10-2024
SAMUEL R. ARNOLD, JR. v. THE STATE.
The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:
Samuel R. Arnold, Jr., was convicted of murder and other crimes, and was sentenced to life in prison. He appeals from the trial court's dismissal of his demand for speedy trial. We lack jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court of Georgia has appellate jurisdiction over "[a]ll cases in which a sentence of death was imposed or could be imposed." Ga. Const of 1983, Art VI, Sec VI, Par III (8) Because a penalty of death may be imposed for the crime of murder, jurisdiction is proper in the Supreme Court See OCGA § 16-5-1 (e) (1); Neal v State, 290 Ga 563, 572 (722 S.E.2d 765) (2012) (Hunstein, C J, concurring); see also State v. Thornton, 253 Ga. 524, 524 (1) (322 S.E.2d 711) (1984) (directing this Court to transfer "all cases in which either a sentence of death or of life imprisonment has been imposed upon conviction of murder"), overruled in part on other grounds as recognized in Elliott v. State, 305 Ga. 179, 205 (III) (C) (i) (824 S.E.2d 265) (2019).
Accordingly, this appeal is hereby TRANSFERRED to the Supreme Court of Georgia for disposition.