Sims v. State

── Sims v. State ── Court: Supreme Court of Georgia Date: June 02, 2026 Category: General NOTICE: This opinion is subject to modification resulting from motions for reconsideration under Supreme Court Rule 27, the Court’s reconsideration, and editorial revisions by the Reporter of Decisions. The version of the opinion published in the Advance Sheets for the Georgia Reports, designated as the “Final Copy,” will replace any prior version on the Court’s website and docket. A bound volume of the Georgia Reports will contain the final and official text of the opinion. In the Supreme Court of Georgia No. S26A0143 James Sims v. The State On appeal from the Superior Court of Fulton County No. 16SC143159 Decided: June 2, 2026 ELLINGTON, Justice. A Fulton County jury found appellant James Sims, as well as his co-defendants James Calhoun and Jonathan Banks (altogether, “the defendants”), guilty of malice murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of Pamela Williams, the burglary of her home, and other crimes. 1 Sims contends that 1 The crimes occurred on November 30, 2013. On April 12, 2016, Banks was indicted along with his co-defendants, Calhoun and Sims, by a Fulton County grand jury for malice murder (Count 1); felony murder predicated on aggravated assault (Counts 2); felony murder predicated on burglary (Count 3); aggravated assault (Count 5); burglary in the first degree of the home of Pamela Williams (Count 6); and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony (Count 9). Banks was charged individually with felony murder predicated on possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (Count 4) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (Count 10). Sims was charged individually with burglary in the first degree of the home of Deborah Huddleston (Count 8) and Calhoun was charged individually with burglary in the first degree of the home of Corey Robinson (Count 7). The court severed Counts 7 and 8, and those charges were not presented to the jury. the evidence was insufficient to support the jury’s verdicts and that the verdicts were contrary to the weight of the evidence. He also contends that the trial court erred in admitting certain evidence and in denying motions to strike the jury panel and to sever the defendants. Finally, he argues that he received constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel. As we explain further below, with respect to some of these claims of error, Sims has not made any meaningful argument for why the claim should prevail based on the applicable law and the specific facts of the case, and so he has not carried his burden of showing error on appeal. As to those claims of error that Sims does support with argument, they fail for the reasons set out below. Viewed in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdicts, After a joint jury trial that began on September 27, 2016, Sims was found guilty on all charges. The trial court sentenced Sims to life in prison with the possibility of parole for malice murder (Count 1); 20 years’ probation, consecutive to Count 1, for burglary (Count 6); and five years’ probation, consecutive to Count 6, for the firearm offense (Count 9). The remaining counts (Counts 2, 3 and 5) merged or were vacated by operation of law. On November 16, 2016, Sims timely filed a motion for new trial, which he amended on December 18, 2020, and October 15, 2021.