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Short v. State

Citations: 256 Ga. 170; 345 S.E.2d 594Docket: 43190

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia; July 16, 1986; Georgia; State Supreme Court

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Hazel Louise Short was indicted for the murder of Catherine Tucker Whitehead in Gwinnett County, where the State sought the death penalty. A jury found her guilty but opted for life imprisonment instead of death. Short raised two errors on appeal, which the court affirmed.

Short was arrested on March 20, 1984, following the mysterious disappearance of Whitehead on April 14, 1983. Initially, no arrests were made until Donald Glen Everett confessed to the kidnapping and murder, implicating Short, her daughter Tina, and her nephew Nickie Lynn Ford. Everett led authorities to Whitehead's remains, confirming homicide as the cause of death. 

After being informed of her rights, Short provided a detailed tape-recorded confession in Houston, Texas, which aligned with the confessions of others involved. Upon returning to Gwinnett County, she again confessed in writing, maintaining consistency with her Houston statement. During the trial, Short claimed she returned Whitehead unharmed and confessed only to protect her daughter. 

The court found sufficient evidence to support the murder conviction. Short argued that the trial court erred in excusing jurors opposed to the death penalty, but the court upheld the constitutionality of "death-qualification" of jurors, referencing Ford v. State and Lockhart v. McCree. Additionally, her motion to suppress certain in-custody statements was denied, with the court finding no violation of her rights.

Short was convicted on May 17, 1985, and her motion for a new trial was denied on December 19, 1985. She filed a notice of appeal on January 3, 1986, and the case was argued on April 21, 1986, with the judgment affirmed by the court. All justices concurred.