The Atlanta Gleaner.

Legal News

Edited By George Washington

(Testing in progress)

George Washington Statue at Federal Hall

Thorntonv.The State

CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
Docket No.S20G0613
DecidedNovember 12, 2020
Reporter310 Ga. 460
JudgesSupreme Court of Georgia
Tags
CriminalCriminal LawCriminal ProcedureEvidenceSufficiency of the EvidenceStatutory InterpretationCertiorari
Case Summary

Christopher Thornton was convicted of obstructing a game warden after refusing to lower his car stereo and driving away while the warden was briefly dragged. The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed. The court held that the evidence was sufficient to show that the warden was acting lawfully and that Thornton knowingly obstructed the warden’s official duties. The court rejected Thornton’s challenge to the governing obstruction statute and concluded that a rational jury could find the required conduct beyond a reasonable doubt. The judgment therefore remained in place.

Opinion

Loading published copy…

The Far Side