Pugh v. State

316 Ga. 633

FINAL COPY S23A0253. PUGH v. THE STATE. MCMILLIAN, Justice. Appellant Philip Pugh entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill to malice murder in connection with the shooting death of Vincent Newsome.1 On appeal, Pugh claims that the trial court erred in denying his motion to withdraw his guilty but mentally ill plea for three reasons. Pugh first argues that the trial court should have sua sponte conducted a competency hearing at the time of his guilty plea and that the failure to do so violated his procedural due process rights. Pugh next argues that his substantive due process…