Doyle v. State

The defendant's 14-year-old brother identified him as the gunman, who shot through a door at a return-to-college party in Savannah four times, wounding three victims, one of them fatally.

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Appellant Devon Sharif Doyle was convicted and sentenced for malice murder, several counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.1 He appeals, asserting, inter alia, trial counsel was ineffective in failing to object to prosecutorial misconduct. Finding no error, we affirm.

1. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, we find the following: The victims, who were college students, were attending a return-to-college party at a house in Savannah when a small group of individuals, including appellant’s 14-year-old brother, Tavarus, crashed the party. Tensions rose between the college students and the intruders. The students asked the intruders to leave and they did so, only to return a short time later. An altercation ensued and the students forced the intruders outside. At that point, appellant’s ex-girlfriend telephoned appellant and told him that his brother had been in a fight at the house. Appellant drove to the party and approached the students outside of the house while carrying a revolver. As the students retreated into the house, appellant, Tavarus, and the other intruders followed them and Tavarus threw a chair at one of the partygoers. The students tried to shut the front door, but the intruders kept pushing and kicking against it. Then appellant fired his revolver at and through the door four times. Three of the students were wounded, one of them fatally. Tavarus identified his brother as the shooter; so did his ex-girlfriend.2 Other witnesses informed police that the shooter was wearing a red shirt and plaid pants. Police seized a red shirt, plaid pants, and a holster which had been used to carry a revolver from appellant’s room.

Doyle v. State

The defendant's 14-year-old brother identified him as the gunman, who shot through a door at a return-to-college party in Savannah four times, wounding three victims, one of them fatally.

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