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RI CKM A N, C. J.

, M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

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C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

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.

Septem b er 7, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 66 7 . BRANCH v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , Pres id i n g J u d g e.

Dem et ri c Bran ch ap p eal s fro m hi s ag g rav at ed s t al k i n g co n v i c t i o n

. He

ch al l en g es t h e su ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce s u p p o rt i n g t h e co n v ict i o n ; b u t t h e t ri al

t ran s cri p t s h o ws t h at t h ere was en o ug h ev i d en ce fro m wh i ch t h e j u ry was au t h o ri zed

t o fi n d g u i l t b ey o nd a reas o n ab l e d o u bt

. H e al s o cl ai m s t h at t h e t ri al ju d g e fai l ed t o

fu l fi l l h i s d u t y t o act as t he “ t hi rt een t h ju ro r” i n rev i ewi ng h i s m o t i o n fo r a n ew t ri al ;

h o wev er, t h e reco rd rev eal s t h at t h e j u d ge d i d i n fact fu lfi l l t h at du t y

. Bran ch fu rt h er

co n ten d s t h a t t h e co urt fai l ed t o ap p ly t h e p ro p er t h ree-p art t es t b efo re ad m i t t i n g

ev i d en ce o f p ri o r d i ffi cu l t i es ; b u t th ere i s n o i nd i cat i o n i n t h e reco rd t hat t h e co u rt d id

n o t k n o w t h e law an d ap p l y i t b efo re al l o wi n g t he ev id en ce. Bran ch ’ s ad d i t i o n al

cl ai m o f i n effect i v e as s is t an ce o f co u n sel fai l s b ecau se h e h as n o t s h o wn t h at t ri alco u ns el ’ s p erfo rm an ce w as d efi ci en t

. An d h is fi n al req ues t t h at w e rev iew th e h arm

o f t h e al l eg ed cu m

ul at i v e erro rs o f t h e t ri al co u rt an d t ri al co u n s el i s w it ho u t m e r i t

s i nce t here are n o t m

u l t ip l e e r r o r s f

r om wh i ch t o as s es s cu m u l at i v e h arm

. W e

t h erefo re affi rm t h e ju d g m en t o f co nv i ct io n

.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.

Sh aq u i t t a Sh ep herd fi l ed a v eri fi ed p et i t i o n fo r a p ro t e c t iv e o rd er ag ai n s t

Bran ch

, al l eg i n g t hat aft er s h e h ad refu s ed t o h av e s ex wi t h hi m

, he s en t h er nu m ero u s

t h reat en in g t ex t m e s s a g e s an d cam e t o h er h o m e, wh ere h e t ri ed t o b reak d o wn a

s creen d o o r an d s p it o n h er. Aft er a h eari n g, t h e s u p eri or co u rt i s s ued a 1 2 -m o n th

p ro t ect i v e o rd er en

j o i n i n g Bran ch fro m t h reat en i n g, h aras s in g

, o r i n t i m i d at i n g

Sh ep h erd an d p ro hi b i t i n g h i m fro m h av i n g an y co n t act o r co m m u n i cat io n wi t h h er.

Th ereaft er, Bran ch s en t n u m ero us t h r e a t e n in g t ex t m es s ag es t o Sh ep h erd an d

co n tact ed h er t h ro u gh a s oci al m ed i a acco u n t

.

Bran ch was in d i ct ed fo r ag g rav at ed s t al k i ng b y co n t act i ng Sh ep h erd fo r t h e

p u rp os e o f h aras s i n g an d i n t i m i d at i n g h er i n v i o l at i o n o f t h e p ro t ect iv e o rd er. Th e

cas e was t ri ed b efo re a ju ry

, wh i ch fo u n d Bran ch g ui l t y o f t h e a g g r a v a t ed s t al k i n g

ch arg e. Th e t ri al co urt s en t en ced Bran ch t o s erv e fi v e y ears i n co n fi n em en t an d fi v e

2y ears o n p ro b at i o n

. Aft er Bran ch ’ s m o ti o n fo r a n ew tri al w as d en i ed

, t h i s a p p eal

fo l l o w ed

.

2

. S u f f ici en cy o f t h e evi d en ce.

Bran ch ch al l en g es t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce s up p ort i n g h is co n v i ct i o n,

arg u i n g t h at t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e p ro t ect i v e o rd er was l eg al l y i ss u ed o r t h at

i t w as s erv ed u p o n h i m . Bo th arg u m en t s are wi t h o u t m eri t

.

[W ] h en rev i ewi n g a d efen d an t ’ s c h al l en g e t o t he s u ffi ci en cy o f

t h e ev i d en ce, we v i ew t he ev i den ce i n t h e l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e to th e

ju ry ’ s v erd ict

, an d t h e d efen d an t no l o n ger en jo y s t h e p res um

p t i o n o f

i n n o c e n ce. W e d o n ot wei g h t h e ev i d en ce o r d et erm i n e wi t n es s

cred ib i l i t y

, b u t on l y d et erm i n e i f t h e ev i d en ce w as s u ffi ci en t fo r a

rat i o n al t ri er o f fact t o fi n d t h e d efen d an t g u il t y o f t h e ch arg ed o ffen s e

b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d ou b t

.

McAl l i s t er v. S t a t e

, 3 43 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1 3 (1 ) (8 0 7 SE2 d 1 4 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

W i t h reg ard t o t h e l eg a l i t y o f t he p ro t ect i ve o rd er, Bran ch arg u es t h at t h e

s u p eri o r co u rt d i d n ot h av e p ers o n al j u r i s d i c t i o n o v er h i m b ecau s e t h ere was n o

ev i d en ce o f s erv i ce o f p ro ces s o f t h e p et i t i o n o n h im b efo re t h e co u rt i s s u ed t h e o rd er.

Bu t th e tri al t ran s cri p t s h o ws t h at t h e s t at e in t ro d u ced

, w i t ho u t o b ject i o n

, t wo

s h e ri ff’ s en t ry o f serv i ce d o cu m en t s i n d icat i n g t h at Bran ch was pers o n al ly s erv ed

wi t h th e p et i ti o n an d su m m o n s p ri o r t o t h e h eari n g

. See OCGA § 2 4 -8 -8 0 2

3(u n o bject e d t o h ears ay “ s h al l b e l eg al ev i d en ce an d ad m i s s i b l e”). So co n t rary to

Bran ch ’ s cl ai m , t here was ev i d en ce t h at h e was s erv ed n o ti ce p ri o r t o t h e h eari n g

.

A s f o r s erv i ce o f t h e co u rt ’ s p ro t ect iv e o rd er o n Bran ch

, t h e ag grav at e d

s t al k in g s t at u te, OCGA § 1 6 -5 -9 1 (a), d o es no t i n cl ud e s erv i ce as a n eces s ary el em en t

o f t h e o ffen s e. It p ro v i d es :

A p ers on co m

m i t s t h e offen s e o f ag g rav at ed s t al ki n g wh en s u ch p ers o n

, i n vi o l at i on o f a bo n d t o k eep t h e p eace p o s t ed p u rs u an t t o Co d e Sect i o n

1 7 -6 -1 1 0

, tem

p o rary res t rai n i ng ord er, t em p o rary p ro t ect i v e o rd er,

p erm an en t res t rai n i n g o rd er, p erm an en t p ro t ect iv e ord er, p rel i m i n ary

i n ju n ct i o n

, go o d b eh av i o r b o n d

, o r p erm an en t i n ju n ct i o n o r co n d i t i o n o f

p ret ri al rel eas e, co n d i ti o n o f p ro b at io n

, o r co n d i ti o n o f p aro l e i n effect

p ro h i b it i n g t h e b eh av i o r d es cri b ed in t h i s s u b s ect i o n

, fo l l o ws

, pl aces

u n d er su rv ei ll an ce, o r co n t act s an o th er p ers o n at o r ab ou t a p l ace o r

p l aces wi t h o ut t h e co n s e n t o f th e ot h er p ers on fo r th e p u rp os e o f

h aras s i n g an d i n ti m i d at i n g t h e o t h er p ers o n

.

“ [T] h e o nl y ad d it io n al p ro o f req u i r e d b y t h e ag g rav at ed s t al k i n g s t at u te i s t h at t h e

d efen d an t v i ol at ed a co u rt o rd er. [Ci t s

. ] A s a res u l t

, i t wo ul d b e i n ap p ro p ri at e fo r t h i s

co u rt t o en g raft on to t h e s t at ut e an ad d i t i o nal [s erv i c e ] e l e m en t fo r th e o ffen s e.”

Rever e v. St a t e

, 2 7 7 Ga. Ap p

. 3 9 3

, 3 9 5 (1 ) (b ) (6 26 SE2 d 58 5 ) (2 0 06 ) (reject i n g

co n ten t i o n t h at t en d eri n g n o -co n tact o rd er in t o ev id en ce fai l ed t o s at i s fy s t at e’ s

b u rd en of p ro o f f

or ag g rav at ed s tal k i n g co n v ict i o n b ecau s e s t at e was req u i red to

p ro v e t hat d efen dan t recei ved act u al n ot i ce o f t h e o rd er). See g en eral l y W h i t e v. S t a t e

,

43 0 5 Ga. 1 1 1

, 1 1 4 -1 1 5 (1 ) (8 2 3 SE2 d 7 9 4 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (s t at u to ry lan g u ag e i s affo rd ed i t s

p l ai n an d o rd i n ary m ean i n g); P a t t er s on v. St a t e

, 29 9 Ga. 4 9 1

, 4 9 5 (7 8 9 SE2 d 1 7 5 )

(2 0 1 6) (refu s i n g t o en g raft s p eci fi c i nt en t el em en t o n t o pl ai n s t at ut o ry l an gu ag e fo r

an o ffen s e t h at d i d n o t i ncl u d e t h at el em en t an d n o t i n g t h at i t wo u l d b e a m at t er fo r

t h e Gen eral As s em

b l y t o i n cl u d e s u ch an el em en t ).

M o reo v er, i n th is cas e, as i n Rever e

, s up ra, t h e pro t ect i v e o rd er was ad m i t t ed

i n t o ev i d en ce. So “ ev en i f n ot i ce o f t h e o rd er were req ui red

, p ro o f o f t h e wri tt en o rd er

al o n e i s s u ffi ci en t t o p ro v e n o t i ce t o [Bran ch ] b as ed on t he p res u m p t i o n o f reg u l ari t y

i n ju d i ci al p ro ceed i n g s .” Rever e

, s u p ra. An d w e fu rt h er n o t e t h at t h ere was ad d i t i o n al

t es t i m o ny an d d o cu m en t ary ev i d en ce s ho wi n g t h at Bran ch was act u al l y i nfo rm ed o f

an d k n e w a b o u t t h e pro t ect i v e o rd er. Becau s e t here was ev i d en ce “ s h o w[i n g ] t h at

[Bran ch ] was aware t h at a co u rt o r d er was i n p l ace wh i ch p ro h i b i t ed hi m fro m

. . .

co n tact i ng t h e v i ct i m [,]

. . . [a] ny rat i o n al t ri er o f fact co u l d h av e fo u n d [h i m ] g ui l t y

b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d ou bt o f ag g rav at ed s tal k i n g .” Fi el d s v. S ta t e

, 28 1 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 3,

7 3 6 (1 ) (a) (6 3 7 SE 2 d 1 3 6 ) (2 0 0 6 ), o v erru l ed i n p art on ot h er g ro u n d s b y S t a t e v.

La n e

, 3 0 8 Ga. 1 0

, 2 4 (8 3 8 SE2 d 8 0 8 ) (2 0 2 0 ). See al s o L i t t l e j o h n v. S ta te

, 2 2 5 Ga.

Ap p

. 9 0 0, 9 0 3 (4 ) (4 8 5 SE2 d 2 3 0 ) (1 9 9 7 ) (s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce fo r ag g rav at ed s t al k i n g

co n vi ct i o n wh ere ev i d en ce s h o wed t hat d efen d an t had b een i n fo rm ed t h at h e was n ot

5al l o wed i n si d e t he v i ct im ’ s h o m e); Ho o p er v. S t a te

, 22 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 5

, 5 1 7 (3 ) (4 7 8

S E 2d 606) ( 1996) (ag g rav at ed s tal k i n g co n vi ct i o n u p h el d wh ere no -co n tact ord er w a s

v erb al l y co m m u n i cat ed t o d efen d an t ).

3

. Th i r t een t h j u r o r

.

Bran ch co m

p l ai n s th at t h e t ri al co u rt fai led t o fu l fi l l i t s d u t y t o rev i ew h i s

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al u n d er th e “ t h i rt een t h ju ro r” st an d ard co d i fi ed at OCGA § § 5 -5

-

2 0 an d 5 -5 -2 1

. Un d er t h i s s t an d ard

, ev en if t here is s uffi ci en t ev i d en ce to s u p p o rt t h e

v e r d i c t

, “ t h e t ri al co u rt m ay [ex erci s e i t s d i scret i o n an d ] o rd er a n ew t ri al i f t h e

‘ verd i ct of a ju ry i s fo u n d co n t rary to ev i d en ce an d t h e p ri n ci p l es of j u s t i ce an d

eq u it y ’ o r i f t h e v erd i ct i s ‘ d eci d ed l y an d s t ro n g l y ag ai n s t t h e wei g h t o f t h e ev i d en ce

ev en t h o u g h t h e re m ay ap p ear t o be s o m e s l i g h t ev i d en ce i n fav o r of t h e fi n d i n g .’ ”

Gr es h a m v. St a t e

, 3 5 4 G a. Ap p

. 8 3 5

, 8 3 8 (1 ) (8 4 1 SE2 d 4 84 ) (2 02 0 ) ( c i t at i on s

o m i t t e d ). “ In ex erci s i n g t h at d i s cret i o n

, t h e t ri al ju d g e m u s t co n s i d er s o m e o f t h e

t h i n g s t hat [h e] can n o t wh en as s es s i n g t h e l eg al s u ffi ci en cy o f th e ev i d en ce, i n cl u d i n g

an y co n fl i ct s i n t he ev i den ce, t h e c red i b il i ty o f wi t n es s es

, an d t h e wei g ht o f t h e

ev i d en ce.” Bu r n ey v. S t a t e

, 2 99 Ga. 8 1 3

, 8 1 5 (1 ) (c) (7 9 2 SE2 d 3 54 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ). “ Bu t t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s di s cret io n t o g ran t a n ew tri al u n d er

t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces sh o u l d b e ex erci s ed wi t h cau t i o n a nd invoke d on l y i n ex cep t i o n al

6cas es i n w h i ch t h e ev id en ce p rep o n d erat es h eav i l y ag ai n st t h e v erd i ct .” Gr es h a m

,

s u p ra (ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i on o m i t t ed ). On ap peal

, we p res u m e, “ i n t he ab s en ce o f

affi rm at i v e ev i d en ce to t h e co n t rary

, th at t h e t ri al c o u r t p ro p erl y ex erci s ed i t s

d i s cret i o n p u rs u an t t o OCGA § § 5 -5 -2 0 an d 5 -5 -2 1

. Ho wev er, wh en t h e reco rd

refl ect s th at t h e tri al co u rt rev i ewed t h e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al o nl y fo r l eg al s u ffi ci en cy

o f t h e ev i d en ce, th e t ri al co u rt h as fai led t o ex erci s e s u ch di s cret i o n .” Ho l mes v. S t a t e

,

3 0 6 Ga. 5 2 4

, 5 2 8 (2 ) (8 3 2 SE2 d 3 9 2 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Her e

, Bran ch h as ci ted no affi rm at i v e ev id en ce s h owi n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

fai l ed t o ex erci s e it s d i s cret i o n as t h e t h i rt een t h ju ro r an d t h e reco rd do es n o t refl ect

t h at t h e t ri al co u rt rev i ewed Bran ch ’ s m o t i o n fo r new t ri al o n l y fo r l eg al s u ffi ci en cy

o f t h e ev i d en ce. On t h e co n t rary

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g t he m o t io n p l ai n l y

s h o ws t h at t h e co urt fi rs t rev i ewed t h e l eg al s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce an d t h en

, in

a s ep arat e d i v i si o n

, ex pres s ly n o t ed i t s d i s cret io n u n d er OCGA § § 5 -5 -2 0 an d 5 -5 -2 1,

fo u n d th at “ t h i s i s n o t an ex cep t i o n al cas e i n w h i ch t h e ev i d en ce p rep o n d erat es

h eav il y ag ai n s t t h e v erd i ct ,” an d d ecl i ned t o ex erci s e i t s d is cret i o n t o o rd er a n ew

t ri al

. Becau s e i t i s cl e a r fro m t h e reco rd “ t hat th e tri al co u rt ex erci s ed i t s d i s cret i o n

as t h e t h i rt een t h ju ro r in den y i n g [t h e] m o t i o n fo r a n ew t r i a l [

, t ]h i s cl ai m o f erro r

7fai l s .” Bl a cks h ea r v. S t a t e

, 3 0 9 Ga. 4 7 9

, 4 8 6 (2 ) (8 47 SE2 d 3 17 ) (2 02 0 ) (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

4

. Pr i o r d i f fi cu l t i es evi d

en ce.

Bran ch co n t en d s t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n ad m i t ti n g ev i d en ce o f p ri o r

d i ffi cu l t i es bet ween h i m an d t h e v i ct i m wi t h o ut ap p l y i n g t h e th ree

- p art t es t fo r

d et erm i n i n g t h e ad m i s s i bi l i t y o f s u ch ev id en ce u n der OCGA § § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3 an d 2 4 -4

-

4 0 4 (b ). See Fl o wer

s v. S t a t e

, 3 0 7 Ga. 6 1 8

, 6 2 1 (2 ) (8 3 7 SE2 d 8 2 4) (2 0 2 0 ) (“ Th e t ri al

co u rt m u s t fi n d t h at : (1 ) t h e o t her act s ev i d en ce i s rel ev an t t o an i ss u e o t h er t h an t h e

d efen d an t ’ s ch aract er, (2 ) t h e p ro b at i v e v al u e i s n o t s u b s t an t ial l y o u t wei g h e d by

u n d u e p reju d i ce u n d er OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3

. . . , an d (3 ) t h ere i s su ffi ci en t p ro o f t h at a

ju ry co u l d fi n d b y a p rep o n d eran ce of t h e ev i den ce t h at t h e d efen dan t co m m i t t ed t h e

act s .”) (ci t at io n o m it t ed ). Bu t Bran ch h as ci t ed n o th i ng i n t h e reco rd s h o wi n g t h at t h e

t ri al ju d g e d id n o t ap p l y th e t es t b efo re ad m i t t i n g th e ev i d en ce; i n s tead

, he s i m p l y

ci t es to t h e p o rt i o n o f t h e tran s cri p t w h ere t h e j u d ge, aft er h eari n g t h e arg u m en t s o f

co u ns el , o v erru l ed h is o b ject i o n t o t h e ev i d en ce.

“ Th e t ri al ju d g e i s p r es u m ed t o k n o w t he l aw an d p res um ed t o fai t h fu l l y an d

l awfu l l y p erfo rm t h e d u t i es d ev o l v i n g u p o n (h i m ) b y l aw. Th i s co u rt wi l l n o t p res u m e

t h e t ri al co u rt co m

m i t ted e r r o r wh ere t h at fact d oes n o t affi rm at i v el y ap p ear.”

8Ha r ri s o n v

. S t a te

, 3 30 Ga. Ap p

. 5 7 0

, 5 7 2 (1 ) (7 6 8 SE2 d 7 62 ) (2 0 15 ) (ci tat i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). See al s o Ho l m es v. S t a t e

,

_ _ _ Ga.

_ _ _ (3 ) (8 5 9 SE2 d 4 7 5 )

(2 0 2 1) (“ Tri al ju d g es

. . . are p res u m ed t o k n o w t h e law an d ap p l y i t in m ak i n g t h ei r

d eci s i o n s

, ab sen t s o m e i n di cat i o n in t h e reco rd s u g g es t i n g o t herwi s e.”) (ci t at i o n an d

p u nct uat i o n o m i t ted ). G i v en t he ab s en ce o f an affi rm at i v e i n d i cat i o n i n t h e reco rd

s u g g es t i n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t k n o w t he l aw an d ap p ly i t

, we wi l l no t p res u m e

erro r.

An d t o t he ex t en t Bran ch s u g g es t s t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred i n fai l i n g t o ex p l ai n

o n t h e reco rd h o w i t d e t e r m i n e d t h e ad m i s si bi l i t y o f t h e pri o r d i ffi cu l t i es ev i d en ce

u n d er O CGA § § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3 an d 24 -4 -4 0 4 (b ), h e “ d i d n o t o b j ect t o t h e fai l u re t o m ak e

Ru l e 4 0 3 an d Ru l e 4 0 4 fi n d i n gs o n th e reco rd

, an d s u ch a fai l ure was n o t p l ai n erro r.”

Jo r d an v. S t a t e

, 3 0 7 Ga. 4 5 0, 4 5 3 (2 ) n

. 6 (8 3 6 SE2 d 8 6 ) (2 01 9 ). See al s o Br ewn er

v. St a t e

, 3 0 2 G a. 6

, 1 5 (III) (8 0 4 SE2 d 9 4 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (n o req ui rem en t fo r o n -t h e-reco rd

fi nd i ng s i n s u p p o rt of ad m i ss i o n o f ev i d en ce u n der th e th ree p ro n g s o f Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ),

s o n o p l ai n erro r wh ere co u rt fai l ed t o m ak e s u ch fi nd i ng s o n t h e reco rd ).

5

. In ef f ect i ve a s s i s t a n ce o

f co u n s el

.

Bran ch cl ai m s th at h i s t ri al co u ns el was i n effect i v e i n fai l i n g t o o b j e c t to

ev i d en ce o f t ex t m es s ag es an d Faceb o o k m es s ag es s en t b y h i m t o t h e v i ct i m as

9h ears ay t h at was n o t pro perl y au t h en t i cat ed

. To p rev ai l o n t h i s cl ai m

, Bran ch “ m u s t

s h o w b o t h t h at h i s co u ns el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was p ro fes si on al l y d efi ci en t an d t h at

, b ut

fo r t he u n p ro fes s i on al perfo rm an ce, t h ere is a reas o n ab l e p ro bab i l i t y t h at t h e o u t co m e

o f t h e p ro ceed i n g wo u l d h av e b een d i fferen t . W e n eed n o t rev i ew b ot h p art s o f t h i s

t es t i f [Bran ch ] fai ls t o p ro v e o n e o f t h em .” S t . Ger ma in v. S ta t e

, 3 5 8 Ga. Ap p . 1 6 3

(1 ) (8 5 3 SE2 d 3 9 4 ) (2 0 2 1 ) (c i t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ). Bran ch h as fai l ed to

p ro v e t h at t ri al co u ns el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was d efi ci en t

, s o w e n e ed n o t reach t h e

p reju d i ce p ro n g o f t h e t es t.

As an i n i t i al m at ter, w e n o t e t h at Bran ch h as n o t ci ted an y cas e l aw t h at

s u p p ort s h i s ev i d en t i ary cl ai m o r s h o ws t h at s u ch an o b jec t i o n a t t ri al wo ul d h av e

b een m e r i t o r i ou s

. In s t ead

, h e h as s i m p l y i n cl u d ed a s t ri n g ci t e to g en eral co d e

s ect i on s c o n cern i ng h ears ay an d s el f-au t h en t i cat i o n

, wi t h o u t p res en ti n g an y l eg al

arg u m en t ab ou t wh i ch part i cu l ar s ect i o ns o f t ho s e l en g t hy s t at u t es s u p p o rt h i s cl ai m

o f erro r. See O CGA § § 2 4-8 -8 0 1 t o 2 4 -8 -8 0 4, an d 24 -9 -9 02

. W h i l e Bran ch m ay h av e

t ech n i cal l y co m

pl i ed wi th t he req u i rem en t t h at h e i n cl u d e s u p p o rt i n g au t ho ri t y fo r t h e

i s su e p res en t ed in h i s b r i ef, s ee Co urt o f Ap p eal s Ru le 2 5 (a) (3 ), we rei t erat e t h at

“ [i ] t i s n o t t h i s co u rt ’ s ro l e t o sp ecu l at e ab o u t [o r fo rm u l at e] t h e leg al b as i s f

o r an

ap p el l an t ’ s arg u m en t [.] ” Eva n s v. S t a te

,

_ _ _ G a. Ap p.

_

_ _ (1 1) (a) (8 5 9 SE2 d 5 9 3 )

10(2 0 2 1). Nev ert h el es s

, we wi l l ad d res s Bran ch ’ s arg u m en t t o t he ex t en t we u nd ers t an d

i t fro m h i s b ri ef. W

i mb u sh v. S t a t e , 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p . 5 4 , 6 0 (8 1 2 SE2 d 4 8 9 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

Th ere are no s p eci al req u i rem en t s fo r au t h e n t i cat i o n o f t ex t m es s ag es an d

Faceb o ok m es s ag es

.

Reg ard i n g au t h en ti cat i o n of ev i d en ce, OCGA § 2 4 -9 -9 01 (a) an d

(b ) (1 ) p ro v id e: Th e req u i rem en t o f au t h en t i cat i o n o r i d en t i fi cat i o n as a

c o n d i ti o n p reced en t t o ad m i ss i b il i t y s h al l b e s at i s fi ed b y ev i d e n c e

s u ffi ci en t t o s up p o rt a fi n d i n g t h at t h e m at t er i n q u es t i o n i s wh at i t s

p ro p o n en t cl ai m s an d t h e fo l l o wi n g i s an ex am pl e of au t h en t icat i o n o r

i d en ti fi cat i o n co n fo rm i n g wi t h t h e r eq u irem en t s o f t h is Co d e s ect i o n :

Tes t im o ny o f a wi t n es s wi t h kn o wl ed g e t hat a m at t er i s wh a t i t i s

cl ai m ed t o be. Recen t l y

, t h e Su p r e m e C o u rt o f Geo rg i a rei t erat ed t hat

d o cu m en t s fro m el ect ro n i c so u rces s u ch as t h e p ri n t o ut s fro m a w eb s i t e

l i ke Faceb o o k are s u b

ject t o t h e s am e r u l e s of au t hen ti cat i o n as o t h er

m o re t rad i t i on al d o cu m en t ary ev i d en ce an d m ay b e au t h en t i cat ed

t h ro ug h ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce. In d eed

, as we h av e ack n owl ed g ed

,

t h ere are n o s p eci al ru l es u n d er Geo rg i a l aw g o vern i n g th e

a uthen t i cat i o n o f el ect ro n i c doc um e nts or c om m u nic a tions. F ina lly

, o nc e

t h e p art y s eek i n g t o au t h en t i cat e a d o cu m en t p res en t s a p ri m a faci e cas e

t h at t h e p ro ffered ev i d e n ce i s wh at i t p u rp o rt s t o b e, th e ev i d en ce i s

ad m i t t ed an d t h e u l t i m at e q u es t i o n o f au t h en t i ci t y i s d eci d ed b y t h e ju ry

.

Jo h ns o n v. St at e

, 3 4 8 Ga. Ap p

. 6 6 7

, 6 7 4 -6 7 5 (1 ) (b ) (8 2 4 SE2 d 5 6 1 ) (2 0 1 9 )

(ci t at i o n s , p u nct u at io n , an d em p h as i s o m i t t ed ).

H ere, t h e st at e m ad e a p ri m a faci e s h owi n g th at t h e t ex t an d F a c e b o o k

m es s ag es were wh at t h ey p u rp o rt ed t o b e t h ro u g h t h e t es t i m o ny o f t h e v i c t i m w h o

i d en t i fi ed t h e v ari o u s m es s ag es s en t b y Bra nch t o h er. See Un i t ed S ta t es v. Ar n o l d

,

116 9 6 Fed

. Ap p x

. 90 3

, 9 0 6 -9 0 7 (II) (A) (2 ) (1 0t h Ci r. 2 0 1 7 ) (fi n d i n g t h at g o v ern m en t

p ro p erl y au t h e ntic a te d e vide nc e thr ough te stim ony of w itne s s ide ntif y i ng sc r een -s h o t s

o f t ex t m es s ag es s av ed t o hi s cel l p h o n e). So co n t ra ry t o Bran ch ’ s arg um en t s

, t h e

ev i d en ce was p ro p erl y ad m i t t ed an d th e u l t i m at e q u es ti o n o f i t s au th en t i ci t y was a

m at t er fo r t h e j u r y t o d eci d e. An d s i n ce an au t h en t i cat i o n o bject io n t o t h e ev i d en ce

wo u l d h av e b een m eri t l e s s

, t h e l ack o f s u ch an o b ject i o n p ro v i d es n o g ro u n d s fo r

fi nd i ng i n effect i v e as si s t an ce o f t ri al co u n sel

. See Ivey v. S t a te

, 3 0 5 Ga. 1 56

, 1 6 2 (2 )

(c) (8 24 SE2 d 2 42 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (fai l u re t o rai s e a m eri t l es s o b ject i o n d o es n o t co n s t i t u t e

d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce). Th e t ri al co u rt th erefo re di d n o t err i n d en y i n g t he m o t i o n fo r

n ew t ri al o n t h i s g ro u n d.

6

. Cu mu l a t i ve er r o r

.

Bran ch co n ten d s t h at t h e p u rp o rt ed cu m u lat i v e erro rs o f t h e t ri al co u rt an d h i s

t ri al co u n s el m

u s t b e ad d res s ed u n d er S ta t e v. La n e

, 3 0 8 Ga. 1 0, 1 7 -1 8 (8 3 8 SE2 d

8 0 8 ) (2 0 2 0 ). Bu t as ex p l ai n ed ab o v e, “ t h ere are no t m u l t i p l e erro rs f

ro m wh i ch to

as s es s cu m

u l at i v e harm

. See Co x v. S t a t e

, 3 0 6 Ga. 7 3 6

, 7 43 (8 3 2 SE2 d 3 5 4 ) (2 0 1 9 )

(‘ [W ] e ev al u at e o n l y t h e effect s o f m at t ers det erm i n ed t o b e erro r, n o t t h e cu m u l at i v e

effect o f n o n -erro rs

. ’ (ci tat i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed )).” Hu g h es v. St a t e

,

_ _ _ Ga.

_ _ _ (3 ) (Cas e No . S2 1 A0 7 3 0 , d eci d ed J u l y 7 , 2 0 2 1 ).

12Ju d

g men t a f f i rmed

. R i ckma n

, C. J., a n d S en i or Ap p el l a t e Ju d

g e H er b er t E.

Ph i p ps co n cu r

.

13