Appellant Jerome Burgess was convicted as a party to the crime of felony murder, six counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.1 For the reasons that follow, we affirm appellant’s convictions.
1. The record on appeal shows that on October 25, 2008, appellant participated in a drive-by shooting in Clayton County by driving the vehicle from which Andre Weems used an AK-47 to shoot at three teenagers, one of whom was fatally wounded. At trial, witnesses, including Weems, testified that appellant and everyone riding in his vehicle on the night of the shooting were members of the gang known as Murk Mob. Witnesses testified that earlier in the evening, members of Murk Mob and a rival gang known as 220 had an altercation in the parking lot of a local stadium after a high school football game. Witnesses testified that Weems specifically had words with the leader of the 220 gang. Appellant was seen with his vehicle in the parking lot and police, who were monitoring the altercation, instructed him to leave. Weems testified that he and the other people riding in appellant’s truck were “mad” at the leader of 220. Another witness stated that the occupants of appellant’s truck had heated words to say about 220 after the altercation. Upon leaving the game, appellant drove the group to Weems’s cousin’s house where Weems retrieved the gun. Appellant then drove Weems and the others to another neighborhood in Clayton County where the leader of 220 lived. Witnesses stated the group was looking for the 220 gang leader in order to shoot him. However, when appellant and his friends did not find the rival gang member at his home, a witness stated the group decided to assault the three teenagers they saw in the vicinity so that Weems could “get his stripes.” The surviving victims testified that they saw a dark colored truck at the top of a hill flash its lights a few times, that the truck’s lights went out, and then the truck sped toward them at which time bullets were fired from the vehicle. Appellant took the stand at trial and denied being in a gang and testified that Weems forced him to drive the vehicle by nudging him with the gun. Although he initially stated he was unaware of Weems’s intent, appellant admitted that he flashed his headlights in warning because he knew Weems intended to shoot at the victims. The medical examiner testified that the deceased victim died of a gunshot wound to his torso.
