Following a jury trial, Franklin Griggs appeals his conviction for aggravated assault,1 theft by shoplifting,2 and battery.3 In addition to challenging the sufficiency of the evidence as to the aggravated assault conviction, he argues that the trial court erred in i failing to give an appropriate charge as to aggravated assault, ii giving a charge on the lesser-included offense of simple assault, and iii denying his motion for new trial that asserted a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. Discerning no error, we affirm. 1. When reviewing a defendant’s challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict, and the defendant no longer enjoys the presumption of innocence. Short v. State .4 We do not weigh the evidence or determine witness credibility, but only determine if the evidence was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to find the defendant guilty of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia .5
So viewed, the evidence shows that on December 23, 2006, a part-time loss prevention officer who otherwise worked full-time for the government as a police officer observed Griggs and a female companion enter a grocery store and remove several items from the shelves, concealing the items in aluminum foil. The officer alerted two store managers to station themselves at the store’s entrance, and when the couple exited the store without paying for the items, the officer and the managers confronted the couple outside the store, causing the couple to split up and run in different directions. After the officer successfully detained the female, he went to assist the managers, who were struggling with Griggs. During the struggle, Griggs had bitten the shoulder of one of the store managers breaking his skin, and had also stabbed the ankle of that manager with a pen so hard that the pen bent. The officer observed broken skin and blood on the manager’s ankle. The officer subdued and handcuffed Griggs, who later kept repeating, “I did it, I did it.” The officer took the couple back into the store, retrieving and photographing the stolen items. A patrol vehicle called by the officer took the couple to jail.
