A jury found Edward McCloud guilty of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, theft by taking an automobile and financial transaction card theft. The felony murder verdict stood vacated by operation of law, and the trial court merged one of the aggravated assault counts into the malice murder. See Malcolm v. State , 263 GA. 369 434 SE2d 479 1993. The trial court entered judgments of conviction on the remaining counts, sentenced McCloud to life imprisonment for the murder, and also imposed consecutive sentences of 20 years for the other aggravated assault, 10 years for the automobile theft, and 3 years for the financial transaction card theft. The trial court granted an out-of-time appeal and subsequently denied a motion for new trial. McCloud appeals. 1. Construed most strongly in support of the verdicts, the evidence shows that McCloud and Joseph Hall, Jr. attacked David Cook in his condominium. McCloud and Hall beat Cook, strangled him, bound his hands and feet, tied a pillow case and towel around his head, cut him with sharp objects, and fatally stabbed his neck and torso. McCloud and Hall then stole Cook’s wallet and car, and drove to Alabama, using Cook’s credit card on the trip. This evidence was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to find McCloud guilty of malice murder and the other charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979.
2. McCloud contends that the trial court erred in giving a sequential charge on malice murder, felony murder and voluntary manslaughter in violation of Edge v. State , 261 Ga. 865 414 SE2d 463 1992. “However, that contention fails because McCloud was convicted of malice murder, and ‘there can be no harmful Edge violation when the jury convicts on a malice murder charge.’ Cits.” Bellamy v. State , 272 Ga. 157, 160 6 527 SE2d 867 2000.
