The Supreme Court of Georgia has upheld the murder convictions and life prison sentences for 2 men convicted of separate crimes in Hall County back in 2015. The high court published the opinions Monday morning.
While the court affirmed the conviction and sentence of Leshan Tremiele Tanner, 45, of Gainesville, it sent the case back to Hall County Superior Court to address a sentencing error.
"Because Tanner was found guilty of, and sentenced to, felony murder while in the commission of conspiracy to commit robbery, he could not also be sentenced for the underlying felony of conspiracy to commit robbery," a summary of the opinion states. "Rather, that crime merges into the felony murder and the sentence for the underlying felony must be thrown out."
Tanner was initially sentenced in September of 2015 in the deadly shooting of Cedric Huff in June of 2014. The incident occurred when authorities said Tanner went to Huff's West Avenue home to attempt a marijuana purchase.
Co-defendant, Rodnie Maurice Stokes, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter and was given a 40-year sentence, with 20 to serve.
The second Hall County case ruled on by the Supreme Court this week involves David William Keener, 53, of Tignall in Wilkes County.
Keener was convicted in July of 2015 of the August 2014 felony murder of Randall Huling. Both men were part of Gainesville's homeless community at the time.
Keener also was found guilty in a separate trial involving the assault of another homeless man in Gainesville.
"On appeal, (Keener) contends that trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective and that the trial court failed to apply the correct legal standard when considering his motion for new trial. Finding no error, we affirm," the opinion written by Justice Carol W. Hunstein stated.
The Supreme Court decisions in both the Keener and Tanner cases were unanimous.
