Leslie Sean Pruitt v. State

Opinion

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia

ATLANTA,____________________ July 27, 2026

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A26A2513. LESLIE SEAN PRUITT v. THE STATE.

In 1999, Leslie Sean Pruitt was convicted of malice murder and other crimes.

See Pruitt v. State, 279 Ga. 140, 140 (611 SE2d 47) (2005). Pruitt filed a motion to vacate a void judgment, which the trial court dismissed. He then filed this appeal, which the trial court clerk directed to this Court. However, the Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over “[a]ll cases in which a sentence of death was imposed or could be imposed.” Ga. Const. of 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VI, Par. III(8). Because a penalty of death may be imposed for the crime of malice murder, jurisdiction is proper in the Supreme Court. See OCGA § 16-5-1(a), (e)(1); Hart v. State, 322 Ga. 1, 10(1) (917 SE2d 631) (2025) (preserving requirement that this Court transfer “non-deathpenalty murder appeals” to the Supreme Court). The Supreme Court’s jurisdiction over murder cases includes appeals from orders resolving post-judgment motions in such cases. See Simpson v. State, 292 Ga. 764 (740 SE2d 124) (2013). Accordingly, this appeal is hereby TRANSFERRED to the Supreme Court for disposition.

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 07/27/2026

I certify that the above is a true extract from the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.

Witness my signature and the seal of said court hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

, Clerk.