Fuller v. the State

Summary

The Supreme Court of Georgia affirmed William Fuller, Jr.'s convictions for felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, finding the trial evidence sufficient under Jackson v. Virginia. Although the trial judge twice communicated with the jury in the jury room without Fuller present — once about staying late and once to explain the verdict form — the court held, following Hanifa v. State, that Fuller waived any objection by failing to raise one himself or through counsel before the verdict. His ineffective-assistance claim also failed because, per Cain v. State, the court addressed only the prejudice prong and found no reasonable probability that his presence at the verdict-form discussion would have changed the outcome given the overwhelming evidence. All the Justices concurred.