X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

After a jury trial, Dalreno Robinson was found guilty of the felony murder of Kevin Stiggers and a separate count charging the underlying felony of aggravated assault. The trial court entered judgment of conviction for felony murder, merged the aggravated assault count into the felony murder, and sentenced Robinson as a recidivist to life imprisonment without parole. A motion for new trial was denied, and Robinson appeals. 1. Construed most strongly in support of the verdicts, the evidence shows that, while in Vera Campbell’s apartment, Robinson and the victim fought in a bedroom over Robinson’s refusal to return a MARTA card to Ms. Campbell. After she separated the two men, Ms. Campbell left the room and subsequently heard Robinson say “I got something for you.” The victim responded, “You stabbed me, man.” When police officers arrived, Robinson told them “I’m not stabbed, I stabbed him.” They discovered a six-inch steak knife wrapped in a bloody towel. One of multiple stab wounds caused the death of the unarmed victim. Robinson’s testimony regarding self-defense was countered by other evidence that he was uninjured and that Ms. Campbell did not leave any knife in the bedroom. On appeal, Robinson highlights his version of the homicide “and reasserts his claim of self-defense. Witness credibility is a matter for the jury, as is the question of justification; therefore, the jury was free to reject the claim that Robinson stabbed the victim in self-defense. Cit.” Price v. State , 280 Ga. 193, 195 2 625 SE2d 397 2006, disapproved on other grounds, Patel v. State , 282 Ga. 412, 413 2, fn. 2 651 SE2d 55 2007. Furthermore, the evidence that Robinson and the victim fought over a MARTA card did not require that Robinson be found guilty of voluntary manslaughter instead of felony murder. See Frezghi v. State , 273 Ga. 871 1 548 SE2d 296 2001. The evidence presented at trial was sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to find Robinson guilty of felony murder beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U.307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979; Cockrell v. State , 281 Ga. 536, 537 1 640 SE2d 262 2007.

2. Prior to trial, the State filed notice of its intent to seek a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Attached to that notice were certified copies of several prior felony convictions, including armed robbery. During the sentencing hearing, there was some discussion of the notice, and the State offered a certified copy of the armed robbery conviction and other exhibits. When the trial court asked whether there was any objection to either the State’s notice or admission of the exhibits, defense counsel answered in the negative. The trial court admitted into evidence all of the certified copies of prior felony convictions. However, the trial transcript does not include those exhibits. Robinson contends that the State’s mere mention of a certified copy of the armed robbery conviction is insufficient and, thus, that the record does not support his sentence as a recidivist.

 
Reprints & Licensing
Mentioned in a Law.com story?

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

More From ALM

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
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
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
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
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
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

Named in the 2025 edition of U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" for the 15th consecutive year in both Medical Malpractice Law and Per...


Apply Now ›

Duane Morris LLP (a 900 lawyer firm with 20 plus offices across the country, and in London and Singapore) seeks an experienced commercial fi...


Apply Now ›

NOTICE OF FEDERAL MAGISTRATE JUDGE VACANCIES IN ATLANTA AND ROME, GAThe U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia is acceptin...


Apply Now ›