Wright v. State

Evidence that the defendant and co-defendant forced the victims from the street into their car supported the asportation element of his kidnapping conviction.

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Joseph Wright and a co-defendant were tried jointly, and each was found guilty of aggravated assault for shooting one victim, aggravated assault for shooting a second victim, aggravated battery regarding the first victim, armed robbery of both victims, and kidnapping of both victims. Following the denial of his motion for new trial, Wright appeals. He contends the evidence was insufficient to support the convictions and that, in particular, the evidence of asportation was insufficient to support the kidnapping conviction. We review the case “under the standard espoused in Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979 to determine if the evidence, when viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, supports the verdict.” Citation omitted. Mack v. State , 272 Ga. 415, 416-417 1 529 SE2d 132 2000.

With regard to the evidence, it is undisputed that Gary Warner age 16 and his friend Na’el Jones were robbed by two armed men. On May 16, 2000,Warner and Jones were walking together to catch a bus when two men got out of a black, four-door Chevy and approached them. The men pulled out guns, put them in the boys’ sides, and told the boys “to give it up.” One man put his arm around Warner and the other put his arm around Jones, and they told the boys to walk to the car, which was about 10 feet away, and forced the boys into the back seat. Before entering the car, Warner gave one of the men his wallet, which held about $25 and a season pass to an amusement park. The men then got in the front seats, turned around to face the boys, pointed the guns at the boys, and again told them to “give it up.” Jones described the guns as black .380 caliber weapons. Warner gave them his blue Nokia 5190 cell phone with a clear antenna. Jones turned over $2.

Wright v. State

Evidence that the defendant and co-defendant forced the victims from the street into their car supported the asportation element of his kidnapping conviction.

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