State Supreme Court to Hear Murder Conviction Appeal Today

By Charlie Bauder, WNEG Radio, Toccoa

The Georgia Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments today in the appeal of a man convicted of murder in Stephens County in 2012.

Attorneys for both Anthony C. Merritt and the state of Georgia are expected to make their oral arguments before the state’s highest court this afternoon.

In April 2012, a jury found Merritt guilty of malice and felony murder and other charges in the 2011 shooting death of Jerron Jacksonat a mobile home the two men shared on Kylemore Drive.

Merritt was sentenced to life without parole plus 10 years.

In his appeal to the Supreme Court, Merritt’s attorney argued that the lawyer who represented Merritt at his trial was incompetent and ineffective.

Merritt’s attorney said that the trial lawyer failed to file a motion to suppress evidence from what he claims was authorities’ illegal entry into the trailer.

However, the state argued Merritt’s trial lawyer was not ineffective, adding that police believed there was an emergency inside the trailer which gave them a valid reason to enter it.

A ruling on Merritt’s appeal is not expected until later this year.