Sign In
Events
Newsletters
Search

Close

Close Search

Cancel

SEARCH
MY LAW.COMNEW

Johnson v. State

The defendant's admission that he used a hammer to break the glass on the front door of a car dealership and the discovery of a hammer lying on the floor outside of the shattered glass, supported his conviction for possessing crime tools.

X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Luther Johnson was found guilty by a Decatur County jury of two counts of burglary, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer with violence. He appeals, asserting the general grounds only as to one count of burglary of a garden center and the count charging possession of tools for the commission of a crime. The evidence was sufficient under the standard of Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979, and we affirm. Construed in favor of the jury’s verdict, the evidence shows that police officers surprised Johnson in the process of burglarizing a car dealership in the early morning hours of December 21, 2005, and subdued him after a lengthy struggle. A pair of gloves fell out of Johnson’s pocket during the struggle. A hammer was found lying outside the shattered glass in the front door of the business.

The same morning, at about 8:00, the owner of a garden center two doors down from the car dealership opened the business and discovered that it had been burglarized. The business had been entered by breaking out a window in a door. The owner identified the gloves that fell from Johnson’s pocket as having come from his store. He also found another glove from the store lying on the floor near the bathroom; this glove bore a shoe print. The assistant manager of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations crime lab was qualified as an expert in the field of impressions analysis. He testified that he compared the shoe print on the glove with a pair of boots worn by Johnson at the time of his arrest. He concluded that the impression was made by that pair of boots or another pair of boots with a similar tread design and size.

Trending Stories

 
Reprints & Licensing
Mentioned in a Law.com story?

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

LEARN MORE

More From ALM

Premium Subscription
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
Team Accounts
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
Bundle Subscriptions
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
Go to CLE Center
GlobeSt. Women of Influence (WOI) 2024
July 22, 2024 - July 24, 2024
Lake Tahoe, CA

GlobeSt. Women of Influence Conference celebrates the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward.


Learn More
New York Legal Awards 2024
September 05, 2024
New York, NY

The New York Law Journal honors attorneys and judges who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession in New York.


Learn More
African Legal Awards 2024
September 06, 2024
Johannesburg

The African Legal Awards recognise exceptional achievement within Africa s legal community during a period of rapid change.


Learn More
Go to Events Go to Webcasts
Director of Legal Affairs

WittKieffer is proud to partner with Mom's Meals in the search for their Director of Legal Affairs. Mom's Meals is an investor-owned compan...


Apply Now ›
Trial Attorney Personal Injury.

Nutley Law firm concentrating in plaintiff's personal injury for plaintiff seeks an Attorney with three or more years of experience in New J...


Apply Now ›
MID-SENIOR LEVEL EMPLOYMENT ASSOCIATE OR PARTNER WANTED FOR BOUTIQUE FIRM OPPORTUNITY TO INHERIT AND GROW PRACTICE (Atlanta, GA)

Our client, an outstanding boutique litigation firm based in Atlanta, is seeking to add an experienced Employment Litigation Attorney to the...


Apply Now ›
Go to Lawjobs
Lawyers of Distinction
06/27/2024
The American Lawyer

Professional Announcement


View Announcement ›
SMGQ Law
06/21/2024
Daily Business Review

Full Page Announcement


View Announcement ›
Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari
06/14/2024
New Jersey Law Journal

Professional Announcement


View Announcement ›
Go to Professional Announcements