Morris v. State

Trial counsel was not deficient for failing to request the removal of four venire panel members for cause, since each challenged juror affirmed his or her impartiality, despite expressing some concern over the case.

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Jermaine Morris was convicted of malice murder, aggravated assault, and firearm possession charges arising out of the shooting death of Kenya Woolfalk and the aggravated assaults upon Antravis Wells and Demon Cox.1 He appeals from the denial of his motion for new trial, contending that he received ineffective assistance of counsel and that the verdict was ambiguous. Finding no error, we affirm. 1. The jury was authorized to find from the evidence adduced at trial that Morris purchased a used car from Woolfalk and Wells several weeks before the shootings. Following the purchase, Morris contacted Woolfalk and Wells to discuss a problem with the vehicle, and arranged a meeting to allow them to examine the engine. When Woolfalk, Wells, and their companion Cox, arrived at the pre-arranged location near Interstate 20, Morris insisted that they follow him to a different location. The men refused and drove off. Morris pursued them onto the interstate, pulled alongside Woolfalk’s car and fired his .45 Glock pistol several times into the car, hitting Woolfalk in the neck and chest and then shooting Cox once in the leg as he attempted to steer the car after Woolfalk had been killed. None of the victims was in possession of a weapon. When the police apprehended Morris a few days after the incident at a DeKalb County hotel, he was in possession of the .45 caliber gun used to shoot the victims. In a videotaped statement Morris admitted his involvement in the shooting, but claimed that he shot in self-defense.

Although Morris does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to support his convictions on appeal, we conclude that this evidence was sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to find Morris guilty of the charged crimes beyond a reasonable doubt and to reject his claim that he fired his weapon in self-defense. Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U.S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979.

Morris v. State

Trial counsel was not deficient for failing to request the removal of four venire panel members for cause, since each challenged juror affirmed his or her impartiality, despite expressing some concern over the case.

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