Rower v. State

Carley, Justice.

The state is seeking the death penalty against Curtis Alfonso Rower for a murder which took place in Cobb County, Georgia. We granted Rower’s application for interim appeal pursuant to OCGA § 17-10-35.1.

1. Rower, an African-American, argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to bar the state from seeking the death penalty against him on the ground that the death penalty is discriminatorily sought and imposed on the basis of race in Cobb County. In support of his motion, Rower offered statistical data purporting to show that the death penalty is more often sought…