Collins v. State

Bernes, Judge.

ADeKalb County jury found Lionel Collins guilty of aggravated assault and family violence battery for beating his then live-in girlfriend. The trial court imposed concurrent sentences but noted on the sentencing sheet that the counts merged “for sentencing.” The trial court subsequently denied Collins’ motion for new trial and granted his motion for sentence clarification, at which time the court explained that it had “merged” the counts for sentencing purposes only, i.e., used its discretion to run the sentences concurrently. Collins appeals, contending that the convictions of…