My question involves criminal law for the state of: Georgia
I have a friend who was recently picked up due to his public intoxication and giving false information to an officer, he also had a warrant out for burglary. The case is from 2008, and the statue of limitations doesn't apply because there was blood DNA at the scene of the crime. He was put into the state's DNA system last year for going to prison for a violation of probation (original charge was theft by shoplifting) and the match came up. He was later re-swabbed for DNA and questioned by a detective when he was consecutively transferred to another county's facility for the same charges (vop/shoplifting). The only information we have to go off of, is his jaded memory of the night he was intoxicated (by alcohol and possibly illegal drugs) and the police statement. His blood was also found outside of the building, there is no evidence he was inside the building, nor was anything stolen. There is a witness, his codefendant who claims my friend was with him during the crime. The problem is this: the police statement says there were two males (one white and one black) and the black male fled the scene. The black male is supposed to be my friend, who is not even a little tan. The white male is the codefendant, who, according to the police statement, was claiming he was Jesus, son of God. He had to of been pretty high on drugs. Nothing was stolen. This is all regarding a commercial burglary at an apartment complex leasing office in the middle of the night. Personally I believe that my friend was around people he didn't know well (it may have been drug related, but that doesn't sound too good in court). He has a history of drinking and drugs and has a mouth on him, so I don't doubt someone pistol whipped him, leaving his blood there on the ground. My friend also has a long list of priors, with theft by shoplifting being his most severe conviction.
There are a lot of factors going against him, but in your professional opinion, is there sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed this crime? I don't think there is, but the county he's dealing with is known for being harsh with convictions, not to mention it's Georgia.


