Jones v. State

── Jones 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. S26A0320 Nathan Jones v. The State On Appeal from the Superior Court of DeKalb County No. 22CR1549 Decided: June 2, 2026 BETHEL, Justice. Nathan Jones was convicted of felony murder, based on criminal solicitation to purchase marijuana, for the death of Jor- dan Gratton. 1 Jones argues on appeal that the evidence was in- sufficient to support his conviction as a matter of constitutional 1 The crimes occurred on October 21, 2018. On March 15, 2022, a DeK- alb County grand jury indicted Jones for malice murder (Count 1), felony mur- der (Counts 2–4), aggravated assault (Count 5), armed robbery (Count 6), crim- inal solicitation to purchase marijuana (Count 7), and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony (Count 8). At a September 2022 jury trial, Jones was found guilty of felony murder (Count 4) and criminal solicitation (Count 7) but was acquitted of the remaining charges. The trial court sentenced Jones to serve life in prison for felony murder and merged the criminal solici- tation count. On September 26, 2022, Jones filed a motion for new trial, which he amended through new counsel on January 15, 2025. Following a hearing, the trial court denied the motion, as amended, on June 25, 2025, but Jones failed to file a notice of appeal from that order. Jones moved for an out-of-time appeal on August 20, 2025. See OCGA § 5-6-39.1. The motion was granted on August 21, 2025, and Jones filed a timely notice of appeal on August 22, 2025. The case due process and under OCGA § 24-14-6. But the evidence was suf- ficient to sustain Jones’s conviction with respect to both of his claims, so we affirm. 1. The evidence presented at trial showed the following. On the afternoon of October 21, 2018, text messages were exchanged between Jones’s phone and Gratton’s phone. The following con- versation ensued: Jones: Yo [2:30 p.m.] Gratton: Wassup [2:30 p.m.] Jones: Yu can pull up on me [2:31 p.m.] Gratton: Yeah how much you wan [2:32 p.m.] Jones: Wat yo 7’s goin for 2 [2:35 p.m.] Gratton: 50 [2:36 p.m.] Jones: Wya [2:39 p.m.] Gratton: [sends pin attachment of location] [2:39 p.m.] Gratton: Wya [2:39 p.m.] Gratton: You Tryna get it? [2:54 p.m.] was docketed to this Court’s term commencing in December 2025 and submit- ted for a decision on the briefs. 2 Witnesses explained that “7” is a measurement for marijuana, with customers purchasing a quarter ounce or 7 grams. 2  Jones: Ya my fault my phone went dead [4:04 p.m.] Jones: I’m on flat shoal pkwy [4:04 p.m.] Gratton: Send yo location [4:04 p.m.] Jones: [sends pin attachment of location,