• Freeman v. The State

    Publication Date: 2017-10-31
    Practice Area: Constitutional Law | Criminal Law
    Industry:
    Court: Court of Appeals
    Judge: Presiding Justice Melton
    Attorneys: For plaintiff: Justin Freeman, Rockmart, for appellant.
    for defendant: Stephanie D. Woodard, Daniel Sanmiguel (Hall County Solicitor General's Office), Gainesville; Paula Khristian Smith, Patricia B. Attaway Burton, Christopher M. Carr (Department of Law), Atlanta, for appellee.

    Case Number: S17A1040

    The Supreme Court reversed defendant's conviction for one count of disorderly conduct pursuant to O.C.G.A. 16-11-39 subsection (a) (1) because defendant's act of raising his middle finger to a pastor during a church service was a constitutionally protected act that did not place the pastor in reasonable fear for his safety.