A Columbia County man serving a life sentence for murder waited too long to ask for a late appeal, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.
Lee Edward Conner, now 38, was found guilty in March 2022 for the 2018 shooting death of Christopher Dugan. Conner shot Dugan three times in the back at Conner's Grovetown home on Pinetree Street.
Conner asked for a new trial, but the judge denied that request in September 2022. After that, he had 30 days to file an appeal but didn't.
More than three years later, in December 2025, Conner asked for permission to file a late appeal.
Georgia law allows some late appeals under certain rules. A request can be filed within
100 days after the normal deadline passes.
The trial court agreed to let Conner file the late appeal. However, the state Supreme Court said the trial court should not have done that because Conner filed his request beyond the 100-day limit.
Because the deadlines are jurisdictional, courts aren't legally empowered to consider requests filed after the deadline. That, the high court ruled, renders the lower court's permission invalid.
The state Supreme Court issued its decision Sept. 9. The case is No. S261021, Lee Edward Conner v. The State.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Court blocks late appeal bid by Columbia County man jailed for murder
