Marietta Attorneys Dean Phillips Law Office

Dean Phillips Law Office

341 Lawrence Street
Marietta, GA 30060
770-900-9175

  • Home
  • Practice Areas
    • Criminal Defense Attorney
      • Assault & Battery
      • Bench Warrants
      • Burglary
      • Bail Bonds
      • Drug Crimes
      • Hit and Run
      • Homicide
      • Juvenile Defense
      • Misdemeanors
      • Probation Violations
      • Resisting Arrest
      • Sex Offenses & Rape
      • Stalking
      • Theft
      • Weapons Offenses
      • White Collar Crimes
    • Divorce
    • DUI Defense
    • Georgia Gun Trust
    • Gun Trust
    • Personal Injury
      • Brain Spinal Cord Injuries
      • Dog Bites
      • Distracted Driver
      • Medical Malpractice
      • Motorcycle Accident
      • Pedestrian Bicycle Accidents
      • Personal Injury Compensation
      • Reckless Driver
      • Trucking Accidents
      • Wrongful Death
    • Traffic Violations
  • About the Attorney
  • Blog
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Criminal / Georgia Court of Appeals Notes Faulty Counsel in Rape Case

May 26, 2016

Georgia Court of Appeals Notes Faulty Counsel in Rape Case

Willie Blackmon was on trial in Fulton Superior Court for two counts each of rape, aggravated child molestation, and aggravated child molestation against a minor child. During the trial, Mr. Blackmon’s counsel allowed witnesses to testify against him, discussing claims that the defendant allegedly made out of court. His counsel also permitted the victim’s mother to reflect on Mr. Blackmon’s veracity in her testimony. The attorney then let the trial court instruct the jury to reflect on prior consistent statements, including those listed previously. Mr. Blackmon felt that his counsel was ineffective during his trial and motioned for a new one; however, Fulton Superior Court denied him that motion.

The Court of Appeals agreed with Willie Blackmon upon reviewing his case. The Court determined that the attorney should have objected to the witnesses’ testimonies as hearsay and the mother’s opinions presented as facts. It also felt that the attorney should have objected to the trial court’s charge to the jury because what was presented as consistent statements was predominantly hearsay. The Court showed that Mr. Blackmon’s counsel was not only ineffective but prejudiced his case. In spite of his claims, the Court did not find Mr. Blackmon’s counsel lacking when she allowed testimony from the director of forensic services.

Although the Court of Appeals demonstrated that Mr. Blackmon’s counsel was lacking during his trial and subsequently reversed his convictions, it also found that he may be retried based upon the evidence.

Filed Under: Criminal

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Reality TV Stars Guilty of Obstruction

According to a federal jury, before she was center stage in a slew of reality TV programs, Julie … [Read More...]

Uvalde Shooting Puts Terroristic Threats in the Spotlight

In the months leading up to this tragic school shooting in a quiet Texas town, the gunman apparently … [Read More...]

Hate Crimes in Georgia Increased in 2020

Thanks to a new law, the number of hate crimes that went to Georgia courts was up over 500 percent … [Read More...]

UCW (Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon) in Georgia

Rash of Mass Shootings Raises Weapons Possession Questions Regardless of your political viewpoint, … [Read More...]

What’s the Penalty for First-Time DUI in Georgia?

When people ask us this question, they’re really asking “How do I avoid the penalty for first-time … [Read More...]

The Phillips Law Firm, LLC
341 Lawrence Street
Marietta, Georgia 30060
770-900-9175

Copyright © 2022 · Attorney Advertising. This website is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer client relationship.