Supreme_Court_of_Georgia_seal 10-11-14(ATLANTA) – The Georgia Supreme Court  has reversed a White County judge’ s decision and ruled that a man who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison does not deserve a new  trial. The states highest court ruled that new evidence showing that a state’ s witness told one story to his attorney and a different story later at trial speaks to the witness’ s credibility, but  is insufficient by itself to warrant the granting of an extraordinary motion for new trial. 

Samuel Mitchell Abernathy was convicted in November 2008 of the murder of Darren Ramey earlier that year outside a Helen bar. Ramey was stabbed in the chest following a dispute with Abernathy inside the bar.

The decision by high court in  reversing the lower court order for a new trial, was unanimous.