State v. Williams

Marshall, Justice.

In this case, the appellees were brought to trial under an indictment charging that they intentionally “did destroy, damage and deface certain government property, to wit: 157 trees, property of State of Georgia, State Highway Department.” See Code Ann. § 26-2613. The state presented evidence, including oral admissions by the appellees, that they had cut down trees from a State Highway right-of-way to facilitate motorists’ viewing billboards owned by appellee Williams. After presentation of the state’s case-in-chief, the trial judge granted the appellees’ motion for directed…