The Supreme Court of Georgia (SCOGA) has upheld the verdict and sentence given DeMarvin Ladele Bennett for the robbery-murder of a 73-year-old Gainesville man outside a Park Hill Drive pharmacy on the night of Feb. 7, 2019.
In his appeal, Bennett challenged his convictions for malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of Jack Hough. Bennett’s appeal contends that the evidence was “constitutionally insufficient” to support his conviction for malice murder. Also, that the trial court abused its discretion by
admitting evidence of his 2012 guilty plea conviction for robbery, that the trial court erred by instructing the jury that it could consider that 2012 conviction for the purpose of showing intent, and
that the trial court erred by failing to give a jury instruction on accident.
You can read the high court’s entire opinion here: s24a1374.pdf