Merritt v. State

Birdsong, Presiding Judge.

Van Merritt appeals his convictions for the dual offenses of possession of cocaine while having “on and within arm’s reach of accused’s person a firearm, to wit: a pistol,” in violation of OCGA § 16-11-106 (b) (4). Held:

1. The evidence showed that police officers, standing as near to an apartment doorway as “from [the witness stand] to the front bench [of the courtroom]” saw an individual standing in the doorway. The doorway was well lit and the door was open; the officers were standing in the shadows. They saw three persons standing in line on the apartment steps.…