Sign In
Events
Newsletters
Search

Close

Close Search

Cancel

SEARCH
MY LAW.COMNEW

Thornton v. State

The trial court properly declined to vacate the defendant's conviction for conspiracy to commit murder after her only alleged co-conspirator was acquitted of conspiracy by the same jury.

X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Appellant Patti Thornton was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, making false statements, and tampering with evidence; her co defendant, Walter Booth, was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and making false statements. A jury found appellant not guilty of murder but guilty of the remaining charges, and the same jury acquitted Booth of murder and conspiracy to commit murder but found him guilty of making false statements. Thornton v. State, 331 Ga. App. 191 770 SE2d 279 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeals affirmed appellant’s convictions, relying on cases abolishing the inconsistent verdict rule. See United States v. Powell, 469 U.S. 57 105 SCt 471, 83 LE2d 461 1984; Milam v. State, 255 Ga. 560 341 SE2d 216 1986. We granted appellant’s petition for certiorari, posing the following question to the parties: Did the Court of Appeals err when it affirmed appellant’s conviction for conspiracy to murder although her sole co-conspirator was acquitted of conspiracy to murder by the jury before which they were jointly tried Because we answer the question in the negative, the judgment is affirmed.

1. The facts are set forth in Thornton v. State, supra, 331 Ga. App. at 191-194 as follows:

Trending Stories

 
Reprints & Licensing
Mentioned in a Law.com story?

License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand.

LEARN MORE

More From ALM

Premium Subscription
With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas.
View Now
Team Accounts
Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team.
View Now
Bundle Subscriptions
Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both options are priced the same.
View Now
Go to CLE Center
Southeastern Legal Awards 2025
May 01, 2025
Atlanta, GA

The Daily Report is honoring those attorneys and judges who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession.


Learn More
Complex Claims & Litigation Forum 2025
February 24, 2025 - February 26, 2025
Las Vegas, NV

This conference aims to help insurers and litigators better manage complex claims and litigation.


Learn More
Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards 2025
March 24, 2025
New York, NY

Recognizing innovation in the legal technology sector for working on precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives.


Learn More
Go to Events Go to Webcasts
Legal Counsel

Title: Legal Counsel Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) FLSA Status: Exempt, Full Time Supervisory Responsibility: N/A Location: Remo...


Apply Now ›
Associate Position

Blume Forte Fried Zerres and Molinari 1 Main Street Chatham, NJ 07945Prominent Morris County Law Firm with a state-wide personal injury prac...


Apply Now ›
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY DEFENSE LITIGATION

d Arcambal Ousley & Cuyler Burk, LLP, a well-established women-owned litigation firm, has an opening in our Parsippany, NJ office. We of...


Apply Now ›
Go to Lawjobs