Court: No new trial after judge mistakenly declares mistrial
ATLANTA (AP) — A woman pleaded with the Georgia Supreme Court not to let the man accused of killing her mother go free because of a judge's mistake during his murder trial.
Otis is charged with murder in the slaying of 75-year-old Mary Oliver and aggravated assault in an attack on 71-year-old Emmanuel Surry.
When his murder trial began April 7, 2014, public defender Amanda Grantham told the jury in her opening statement that Otis "just snapped."
The justices said a 1995 ruling makes clear that the defense doesn't need to provide notice of an insanity defense if no expert witnesses are to be called.
The social workers in the public defender's office are working to set him up with the help he needs.
Bryan Grantham, the husband of Otis' trial attorney who joined the case on appeal to help his wife, said he doesn't believe Otis will be a danger to anyone because he didn't have a violent history.