Hall County conviction, sentencing to be reviewed by SCOGA

ATLANTA - The State Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of a Hall County man when they reconvene in January.<br /> <br /> In April, 2010, Hugo M. Tepanca was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder based on aggravated assault, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in the April, 2008, shooting death of Jose Sanchez-Vargas. <br /> <br /> He was sentenced to life plus five years in prison.<br /> <br /> Tepanca's attorney argues the trial court made eight errors, including by "merging" Tepanca's malice murder and aggravated assault convictions into his felony murder conviction for the purpose of sentencing. (If a person is convicted of multiple crimes involving the same incident, courts "merge" them into the most serious offense