News Release from the District Attorney, Appalachian Judicial Circuit

District Attorney, Appalachian Judicial Circuit News Release:For Immediate Release:

Currently, a Petition for Writ of Certiorari is pending in the United States Supreme Court in a pending criminal action against Jacob Robert Lee arising out of a collision occurring on July 1, 2011. On that date Lee was driving a 2011 Dodge Ram on State Route 515 in Fannin County when his vehicle struck a Honda van stopped at a red light at an intersection. Because of the force with which Lee’s vehicle struck the van, serious injury and death resulted.

On August 27, 2013, the Petition for Writ of Certiorari filed by Lee was docketed in the United States Supreme Court following a series of appeals in the State of Georgia court system. The appeals arose from an order entered in the Juvenile Court of Fannin County transferring the case against Lee to Superior Court of Fannin County for Lee to be tried as an adult.

Subsequent to the July, 2011 collision, an action was filed in the Juvenile Court of Fannin County against Lee and on December 29, 2011, the Juvenile Court entered the transfer order. In January, 2012, Lee filed his first appeal in the Georgia Court of Appeals. The same month, a true bill of indictment was returned by the Grand Jury in State of Georgia v. Jacob Robert, Superior Court of Fannin County.

On February 5, 2013, the Court of Appeals issued an opinion that affirmed the Juvenile Court’s order. Lee then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Georgia Supreme Court seeking reversal of the transfer order. A Petition for Writ of Certiorari is a discretionary appellate process where the applicant requests the Court to review a lower court’s ruling. On June 3, 2013, the Supreme Court of Georgia denied Lee’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari and the case was ultimately remitted back to the Superior Court of Fannin County.

Then, on August 26, 2013, Lee filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court. To date, Lee’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari is pending in the United States Supreme Court.

As to the status of the case, District Attorney B. Alison Sosebee states

“Due to the lengthy appellate process, the trial and ultimate disposition of this matter has been delayed; however, the District Attorney’s office is ready to proceed forward on this case.”

Immediate Contact: Brian Stanford, Chief of Staff (706) 632-2496