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Brown v. State

Supreme Court of Georgia
Jul 2, 1974
207 S.E.2d 461 (Ga. 1974)

Opinion

28688.

SUBMITTED JUNE 27, 1974.

DECIDED JULY 2, 1974.

Armed robbery; motor vehicle theft. Fulton Superior Court. Before Judge Williams.

Herbert Shafer, for appellant.

Lewis R. Slaton, District Attorney, Carter Goode, J. Melvin England, Morris H. Rosenberg, Arthur K. Bolton, Attorney General, William F. Bartee, Jr., Assistant Attorney General, Thomas P. Burke, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.


John Morgan Brown, III, was convicted of armed robbery and motor vehicle theft. The jury fixed a punishment of ten years for the armed robbery, and five years for the motor vehicle theft. The jury did not specify that the sentences were to be served consecutively. The trial court imposed the sentences fixed by the jury, and specified that they were to be served consecutively.

The appeal is from the convictions and sentences, and the denial of the appellant's motion for new trial.

The only error enumerated is the imposition of the consecutive sentences by the trial judge.

A trial judge does not have legal authority to impose consecutive sentences where the jury has not specified that the sentences are to be served consecutively. Wade v. State, 231 Ga. 131 ( 200 S.E.2d 271); Mathis v. State, 231 Ga. 401 ( 202 S.E.2d 73); Gandy v. State, 232 Ga. 105 ( 205 S.E.2d 243); Creamer v. State, 232 Ga. 136 (6) ( 205 S.E.2d 240); Geiger v. Hopper, 232 Ga. 408; Shockley v. State, 232 Ga. 154 ( 205 S.E.2d 246)

The case is remanded with direction that the sentences be amended to show that they are to run concurrently rather than consecutively.

Judgment affirmed with direction. All the Justices concur, except Nichols, P. J., Undercofler and Hall, JJ., who dissent.


SUBMITTED JUNE 27, 1974 — DECIDED JULY 2, 1974.


Summaries of

Brown v. State

Supreme Court of Georgia
Jul 2, 1974
207 S.E.2d 461 (Ga. 1974)
Case details for

Brown v. State

Case Details

Full title:BROWN v. THE STATE

Court:Supreme Court of Georgia

Date published: Jul 2, 1974

Citations

207 S.E.2d 461 (Ga. 1974)
207 S.E.2d 461

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