In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ju n e 2 9 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A0 5 8 7 . DAILEY v . THE S TATE.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t E a r n e st Ea rl Da ile y

, Jr. wa s c o n v ic te d o f fe lo n y m u rd e r in

c o n n e c tio n with th e d e a th o f Je r ma i n e Li ttle

. Da ile y a pp e a ls, c o n te n din g th a t

th e tria l c o u rt im

p e rm issib ly c o m m e n te d o n th e e v id e n c e a n d e rre d in

e v id e n tia ry ru lin g s a n d i n r e f u sin g to in stru c t th e ju ry o n v o lu n ta ry

m a n sla u g h te r. We fin d n o m e rit in th e se c o nte n tio n s a n d a ffirm

. 1

1

. Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa vo ra b le to th e v e rd i c t

, t h e e v id e n c e

p re se nte d a t tria l sh o we d th a t, on th e a fte rn o on o f F e b ru a ry 1

, 2 0 1 2

, L ittle

wa lk e d to P a

u l’s IGA g ro c e ry sto re to p urc h a se c ig are t t es

. W h i le Little wa s

1 Th e cri m e o ccu rred on Feb r u a r y 1

, 2 0 1 2

. On M ay 2 9

, 2 0 1 2

, Dai l ey was

i n d i ct ed b y a Ri ch m o n d Co u n t y g ran d ju ry fo r m al i ce m urd er an d fel o n y m

u rd er. On

Feb ru ary 2 7

, 2 0 13

, t h e t ri al j u r y f o u n d D ai l ey g u i l t y of fel o n y m u rd er. Th at s am e

d ay

, t h e t ri al co u rt s en t en ced Dai l ey t o l ife i n p ri s on

. On M arch 5

, 2 0 13

, Dai l ey fi l ed

a m o t i o n fo r new tri al

, wh i ch h e am en d ed o n Au gu s t 6, 2 0 1 4

. Fo l l owi n g a h eari n g,

t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered an o rd er o n Au g u s t 1 2

, 2 01 4

, d en y i n g t h e m o t i o n as am en d ed

. Dai l e y f i l e d a ti m el y n o t i ce o f ap p eal

, an d t h e ap p eal was d o ck et ed t o t h e J an u ary

2 0 1 5 t erm

o f t h i s Co urt an d s u b m i t t ed fo r d eci s i o n o n t h e b ri efs

.o u tsid e th e sto re

, Da ile y a p p ro a c h e d Little a n d a rg u e d with h im brie fly

. Da ile y

th e n stru c k Little o n th e b a c k o f th e h e a d with a n o b je c t t h a t r e se m

b le d a

wo o de n ta

b le le g

. Little c o lla

p se d on th e sid e wa lk a n d

, a fte r be in g tra n sp o rte d

to a h o sp ita l, d ie d se v e ra l d a y s la te r. Alt ho u g h Da ile y d o e s n o t c on te st th e

su ffic ie n c y o f th e e v id e n c e

, we c o n c lu de th a t, v ie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le

to th e v e rd ic t, t h e e vid e n c e p re se n te d a t tria l wa s su ffic ie nt to a u th o riz e a

ra tio n a l ju ry to fin d him g u ilty b e y o n d a re a so n a b le do ub t of th e fe lo n y m

u rd e r

o f Little

. Se e Ja c k so n v

. Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U. S

. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 (9 9 SCt 2 78 1, 6 1 LE2 d

5 6 0 ) (1 97 9 ).

2

. Da ile y c on te n d s th a t th e tria l c o u rt im p e rm issib ly c o m m e n te d o n th e

e v id e n c e wh e n h e d isp a ra g e d tria l c o u nse l in th e p re se n c e o f th e ju ry . Du rin g

tria l c o u n se l’s c ro ss-e x a m in a tio n o f Se rg e a n t Willia m Le ise y

, th e su p e rv isin g

in v e stig a t o r

, t

h e p ro se c u to r ob

je c te d th a t “ pre tty m

u c h e v e ry th in g [tria l c o u n se l]

is a sk in g In v e stig a to r Le ise y is a ll h e a rsa y .” Th e tria l c ou rt re sp o n d e d

,

We ll, I m e a n a t so m e p o in t S e rg e a nt Le ise y in d ic a te d th a t he wa s

u ltim a t e ly re sp on sib le fo r th e in v e stig a tio n

. Ho we ve r, I th in k h e

h a s m a d e it c le a r wh a t h e d id a n d d id n o t d o

. S o i f [ t ria l c ou n se l]

w a n t s to m e a n d e r th ro u g h th is I th in k [h e ] h a s th e rig h t to

. Ho w

e ffe c tiv e it is[,] is a n o th e r q u e stio n

. S o I’ll o v e rru le th e o b je c tio n

.

Da ile y a rg u e s th a

t t h e c o m m e n t v io la te d O CGA § 1 7-8 -5 7

, w h ic h p ro v id e d

2th a t “[i] t is e rro r fo r a n y ju d g e in a n y c rim in a l c a se

, d u rin g its pro g re ss o r in h is

c h a rg e to th e j u r y

, t o e x p re ss o r in tim a te his o p in io n a s to wh a t h a s o r h a s n o t

b e e n p ro v e d o r a s to th e gu ilt o f th e a c c u se d

. ” 2 He a sse rts th a t th is c o m m e n t wa s

a c le a r in tim a tio n o f th e ju d g e ’s v ie w th a t tria l c o u n se l wa s wa stin g h is a n d th e

ju ry ’s tim e b e c a

u se th e e v id e n c e wa s c le a rly s u f f i ci e n t to su p p o rt th e c h a rg e s.

Ho we ve r, th e o v e ra ll im

p o rt o f th e ju dg e ’s c o m m e n t wa s a n e x p la n a tio n o f th e

ru lin g o n th e Sta te ’s o b

je c tio n, a n d su c h e x pla n a tio n s c le a rly d o n o t ru n a fo ul o f

§ 1 7

- 8

- 5 7

. S e e Jo h n so n v

. S ta te

, 2 4 6 Ga

. 12 6

, 1 2 8 (V) (2 6 9 S E2 d 1 8 ) (1 9 8 0 )

(“ re m ark s o f a

ju d g e a ssig n in g a re a so n fo r h is ru lin g are n e ith e r a n e xp re ssio n

o f o p in io n n o r a c om m e n t on th e e v id e n c e ” ). Th e ju d g e ’s b rie f mu s i n g a b o u t

d e fe nse c o u n se l’s stra te g y wa s u n n e c e ssa ry

, a nd su c h c o m m e nts sh o u ld b e

a v o id e d , b u t th e ju d g e ’s c o m m e nt h e re in n o way c o n stitu te d th e ty pe o f d ire c t

c o m m e n t o n th e su b sta nc e o r we ig h t o f th e e vid e n c e th a t w e h a v e h e ld to v io la te

§ 1 7 -8 -5 7

. 3 Co m

p a re Mu rp h y v

. S ta te

, 2 9 0 G a

. 45 9, 4 6 0 -4 61 (2 ) (7 2 2 S E2 d 5 1 )

2 Th i s Co d e sect io n w a s a m e n d ed s u b s eq u en t t o t h e t ri al h erei n

. See Ga. L.

2 0 1 5 , Act 1 7 4

.

3 Th e reco rd refl ect s t h at i m m ed i at el y aft er t h e ju d g e m ad e t h i s co m m en t

, t ri al

co u ns el

, aft er th e ju ry h ad b een ex cu s ed

, as k ed t h e ju dg e n o t t o co m m en t o n co u n sel ’ s

m et h o d o f cro s s -ex am i n at i o n

. N o s i m i lar co m m en t s b y t h e t ri al ju d g e ap pear i n t h e

reco rd

.

3(2 0 1 2 ) (tria l ju d g e ’s c o m m e n ts th a t witn e ss w a s a “ g o o d d e te c tiv e ” a n d th a t

th ro u g h “ h is g o o d e ffo rts w e ’re g o i n g t o fin d th e tru th o f th e m a tte r” v io la te d

OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7). Th e re fo re , we d isc e rn n o e rro r.

3

. Da ile y c h a lle n g e s th e tria l c o u rt’s e xc lu sio n o f te stim on y fro m S e rg e an t

Ch ris La n g fo rd

, o n e of th e in v e stig a tin g o ffic e rs, th a t o n e p e rso n h a d fa ile d to

id e n tify Da ile y f

r o m a p h o to g ra

p h ic lin e -u p

, a sse rtin g th a t th e te stim o n y wa s

a d m issib le u n de r O CGA § 2 4 -8 -8 0 1 (d ) (1 ) (C) (p rio r sta te m e n t o f witn e ss is n o t

h e a rsa y if d e c la ra n t t es tifie s a n d is su b je c t to c ro ss-e x a m in a tio n

, a n d if th e

sta te m e n t is o n e o f id e n tific a tio n o f a p e rso n ). He a lso a rg u e s th a t th e te stim o ny

h a d in d ic ia o f re liab ility a n d th a t it wa s e x c u lp a to ry e v id e n c e th a t th e ju r y wa s

e n title d to h e a r. Th e tria l c o u rt, h o we v e r, p ro p e rly su sta in e d th e S ta te ’s h e a rsa y

o b je c tio n to th e d e te c tiv e ’s te stim o ny w h e re it wa s c le a r th a t th e in d iv i d u a l in

q u e stio n wa s n o t g oin g to b e c a lle d to te stify

. S e e

, e .g

., Un ite d S ta te s v

. Bre we r,

3 6 F 3 d 2 6 6 (C) (2 d Cir. 1 9 9 4 ) (n o e rro r to p re c lu d e c ro ss-e x a m in a tio n o f o ffic e r

re g a rd in g n on -te stify in g w itn e sse s’ in a bility to id e n tify de fe nd an t fro m a p h o to

a rra y ). To th e e x te n t th a t Da ile y se e k s to a rg u e th a t th e te stim o ny wa s a d m issib le

u n d e r OCGA § 2 4 -8 -8 07 (re sid u a l e x c e p tio n to h e a rsa y ru le ), h e fa ile d to m a k e

th is a rg u m e n t b e lo w

, in ste a d a rg u in g t h a t t h e te stim o n y w a s a dm issib le to

4e x p la in th e o ffic e r’s c o n d u c t, a n a rg u m e n t n ot m a d e o n a pp e a l.

4

. D a ile y c o n te n d s th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in a d m ittin g a u to p sy

p h o to g ra p h s. Ho we v e r, th e m e d ic a l e x a m in e r te stifie d th at th e p h o to g ra p h s

sh o we d th e in te rn a l in

ju rie s th a t c a

u se d th e v ic tim ’s d e a th an d th a t we re n o t

e v id e n t fro m th e p re -in c isio n p h o to g ra p h s. Th is te s t i mo n y e sta blish e d th e

re le v a n c e o f th e p h o to g ra p h s. S e e OCGA § 24 -4 -4 0 1; se e a lso Bro wn v

. S ta te

,

2 5 0 G a

. 8 62

, 8 6 7 (5 ) (3 02 S E 2 d 3 4 7 ) (1 9 8 3 ) (h old i n g

, u n d e r fo rm e r e v id e n c e

c o d e

, th a t “ [a ] p h o to g ra

p h wh ic h de p ic ts th e v ic tim a fte r a u to p sy in c isio n s a re

m a d e

. . . will n o t be a d m issib le u n le ss n e c e ssa ry to sh o w so m e m a te ria l fa c t

wh ic h b e c o m e s a

p p a re n t o n ly b e c a

u se o f th e a

u to psy ” ). Th e fa c t th a t Da ile y

m a y n o t h a v e d isp ute d th e c a u se o f d e a th d id n o t d im in ish th e re le v a n c e o f th e

p h o to g ra p h s. S e e B ro wn e r v

. S ta te

, 2 9 6 G a

. 1 3 8 (3 ) (7 6 5 S E2 d 3 4 8 ) (2 01 4 ) (fa c t

th a t c a use of d ea t h w a s u n d isp u te d d id n o t re n de r a u to p sy p h o to g ra

p h s

u n n e c e ssa ry ). Ad d it i o n al ly

, p rio r to a d m ittin g th e p h o to gra ph s, th e tria l c o u rt

c o n sid e re d wh e th e r th e p ro b a tiv e v al u e o f th e p h o to g ra p hs w a s su b sta n tia lly

o u twe ig h e d by th e d a ng e r o f u n fa i r p r e ju d ic e

. S e e OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3

.

Th e re fo re

, th e tria l c ou rt d id n o t a b u se its d isc re tio n in a d m ittin g th e

p h o to g ra p h s.

55

. F in a lly

, Da ile y c ha lle n g e s th e tria l c o u rt’s re fu sa l to g iv e h is re q u e ste d

c h a rg e o n v o lu n ta ry m a n sla u gh te r. Ho we v e r, a re v ie w o f th e re c o rd su p p o rts th e

tria l c o u rt’s c o n c lu sio n th a t th e re wa s n o e v id e nc e th a t th e a tta c k w a s “ so le ly a s

a re su lt o f a su d d e n

, v i o le n t, a n d irre sistib le p a ssio n re su ltin g fro m se rio u s

p ro v o c a tio n su ffic ie n t to e x c ite su c h p a ssio n in a re a so na b le p e rso n ,” OCGA §

1 6 -5 -2 (a ). A t mo st, th e e v id e nc e sh o we d th a t Da ile y a n d th e v ic tim a rg u e d

b rie fly a fte r Da ile y a c c u se d th e v ic tim o f be in g a th ie f. It is w e ll-se ttle d th a t su c h

a n g ry wo rd s a lo n e g e ne ra lly a re in su ffic ie n t to in c ite “ se rio u s p ro v o c a tio n ”

with in th e m e a nin g o f § 1 6 -5 -2 (a ). S e e M e rritt v. S ta te

, 2 9 2 Ga

. 3 2 7

, 3 3 1 (2 )

(7 3 7 S E2 d 6 7 3) (2 0 13 ) (“ [a ] s a m a tte r o f la w, a n g ry sta te m e n ts a lo n e ord in a rily

d o n o t a m o u n t to ‘se rio u s pro v o c a tio n ’” ); Rig g in s v

. S ta te

, 2 7 9 Ga

. 4 0 7 (2 ) (6 14

S E2 d 70 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (e v id e n c e th a t de fe n d a n t a n d v ic tim arg ue d wa s in su ffic ie n t to

a u th oriz e a c h a

rg e o n v o lu n ta ry m a n sla u gh te r). Th e re fo re

, th e tria l c o u rt d id n o t

e rr in d e c lin in g to g iv e th e re q u e ste d in stru c tio n

.

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

6