Hatney v. State

308 Ga. 438

FINAL COPY S20A0202. HATNEY v. THE STATE. ELLINGTON, Justice. Following a jury trial, Cornelius Hatney was convicted of felony murder predicated on aggravated assault in connection with the beating death of Etate Essang. Hatney appeals, contending that the trial court erred in refusing to give a requested jury instruction on voluntary manslaughter as a lesser offense of the charges of malice murder and felony murder. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm Hatney’s conviction.1 1 The crimes occurred on October 10, 2008. On May 1, 2009, a Lowndes County grand jury returned an…