FI FTH DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, JJ.

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

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

October 12, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 71 5 . THE STATE v . W ARREN.

P E T E R S O N , J u d g e.

Th e St at e ap p eal s t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord ers g ran t i n g i n p art a m o t i o n to s u p p res s

fi led b y Ch arl es Al bert W arren an d d en y i n g t h e St at e’ s s u b s eq u en t m o t i o n t o reo p en

ev i d en ce i n t h i s DUI cas e. Th e tri al co u rt ru led t hat t h e res u l t s o f a p rel i m i n ary b reat h

t es t perfo rm ed o n W arren w ere i n ad m i s s i b l e b ecau s e th e St at e d id n o t l ay t h e p ro p er

fo u n dat i o n fo r ad m i s si o n of th os e res u l t s

. Th e St at e arg u es t hat i t s fai lu re to l ay t h e

p ro p er fo u n d at i o n fo r ad m i s s i o n o f t h e t es t res ul t s i s d u e t o th e t ri al co u rt ’ s erro r i n

s u s t ai n i n g a n o b

j e c t i o n t o a qu es t i o n o f t he o ffi cer wh o p erfo rm ed t h e b reat h t es t

.

Becau s e t h e St at e d o es n o t p ro ffer th e t es t i m o ny t hat t h e o ffi cer wo u l d hav e g i v en b ut

fo r t h e s u s t ai n ed o b

ject i o n

, we affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g i n p art W arren ’ ss u p p res s i o n m o t i o n

. Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ab u se i t s d i s cret i o n i n d ecl in i n g t o reo p en

t h e ev i d en ce t o al lo w t h e St at e t o as k t h e o b ject ed -t o q u es t i o n ag ai n

.

1

. “ On ap p eal fro m a ru l in g o n a m ot i o n t o s u pp res s

, we co n st ru e t h e ev i d en ce

m o st fav o rab l y t o affi rm in g t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n gs an d ju d g m en t .” Br o o ks

v. S t a t e

, 2 8 5 G a. Ap p

. 6 2 4

, 6 2 6 (6 4 7 SE2 d 32 8 ) (2 0 0 7 ). So vi ewed

, on Ju n e 2 0

, 2 0 1 4,

a s erg ean t wi t h t h e Un i o n Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Offi ce o b s er v e d W arren d ri v i n g a

m o to rcy cl e i n h i s di rect i o n

. Th e s erg ean t s aw W arren

, d ri v i n g at a hi g h rat e o f s p eed

,

p as s a cam

p er in a n o

- p a s s i n g zo n e. Th e s erg ean t act i v at ed h i s b l u e l i g h t s an d

p u rs u ed W arren

. W arren t u rn ed o n t o a d i rt ro ad an d park ed b eh i n d a ho u se, wh ere t h e

s erg ean t fo u nd h i m

s i t t i n g o n h i s m o t o rcy cl e.

Th e s erg ean t no ti ced t hat

, aft er W arren d i s m o u n t ed fro m hi s m o t o rcy cl e, h e

was u ns t ead y o n h i s feet

, h i s ey es were b lo od s h o t

, h i s sp eech was s l u rred

, an d h e h ad

an od o r o f al co h o l

. Wa r r e n as ked wh et her h e was i n No rt h Caro l i n a

– t h e s erg ean t

rep l i ed t h at h e was i n Geo rg i a

– an d at o n e p o i n t ap p eared to b e t al k in g t o h i m s el f.

Th e s erg ean t as k ed a d ep u t y wh o h ad arri v ed t o ad m i ni s t er a p rel i m i n ary b reat h tes t

wi t h h i s h an d h el d d ev i ce. W arren co m p l i ed

, y i el d in g a res ul t p os i t i v e fo r t h e pres en ce

o f al co ho l

. W arren d ecl i ned t h e s erg ean t ’ s req u es t to p erfo rm s o m e fi el d s o b ri et y

t es t s

, ci t i n g a p ri o r i n

ju ry

. T h e s erg ean t i nfo rm ed Wa r r e n t hat h e was u n der arres t

,

2h an dcu ffed h im

, an d pl aced h i m i n a pat ro l car. Th e s erg ean t read W arren t h e i m p l i ed

co n sen t n o t i ce an d req u es t ed t h at h e s u b m i t t o a b l o o d t es t

. W arren d ecl i n ed

.

W arren w as ch arg ed b y accu s at i o n wi th DUI l es s s afe, d ri vi n g wi th an ex p i red

l i cen se, s p eed i n g

, an d im p ro p er p as s i n g

. W arren fi l ed s ev eral m o t i o n s s eek i n g

ex cl u s i o n o f vari o us ev i d en ce, i n cl u d i n g t h e res u l t s o f t h e p rel i m i n ary b reat h t es t

. Th e

t ri al co u rt h el d a s u p p res s i on heari n g at wh i ch b o t h t h e s erg ean t wh o s t op p ed W arren

an d t h e d ep u ty

wh o ad m i ni st ered t h e b reat h t es t t es ti fi ed

.

To b e co n s i dered v al id fo r u s e i n a DUI cas e, a ch em i cal an al y s i s o f a

d efen d an t ’ s b reat h

s h al l hav e b een p erfo rm ed acco rd i n g t o m et ho d s ap pro v ed b y th e

Di v i si o n o f Fo ren s i c Sci en ces o f t h e Geo rg i a Bu reau of In v es t i g at i o n o n

a m ach i ne w h ich was o p erat ed wi t h al l i t s el ect ro n i c an d op erat i n g

co m p on en t s p res cri b ed b y i t s m an u fact u rer p ro perl y at t ach ed an d i n

g o o d wo rk i n g o rd er an d b y an in d i vi d u al p o s s es s i n g a v al i d p erm i t

i s s u ed b y t h e Di v i s i o n o f Fo ren s i c Sci en ces fo r th i s p u rp os e. T he

Di v i s i o n o f Fo ren s i c Sci en ces o f t h e Geo rg i a Bu reau of In v es t i gat i o n

s h al l ap p ro v e s at i s fact ory t ech n i q ues o r m et h od s t o as cert ai n th e

q u al ifi cat i o n s an d co m

pet en ce o f i n d i v i d u al s t o co n du ct an al y s es an d t o

i s s u e p erm it s

, al o n g wi t h req u i rem en t s fo r p ro perl y op erat i ng a n d

m ai n t ai n i n g an y t es t i ng i n s t ru m en t s

, an d t o i s s u e cert i fi cat es cert i fy i n g

t h at i n st r u m e n t s hav e m et t h o s e req u irem en ts

, wh ich cert i fi cat es an d

3p erm i t s s h al l b e s u b ject to t erm i n at i o n o r rev o cat i o n at t h e d i scret i o n o f

t h e Di v i s i o n o f Fo ren s i c Sci en ces

.

OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 2 (a)(1 )(A).

At t h e s up p res s i o n h eari n g

, t h e St at e at t em pt ed t o s h o w t hat t h e p rel i m i n ary

b reat h t es t s at is fi ed t h es e req ui rem en t s t h ro u g h t h e t e s t i m o n y o f t h e d ep u t y wh o

ad m i n is t ered t h e b reat h t es t t o W arren

. Aft er th e d ep u ty t es t ifi ed t h at W arren h ad

p e r f o r m ed t h e t es t o n h i s han d h el d Al co -Sen s or, t h e p ro s ecu t or b eg an t o as k t h e

d ep ut y

, “ An d was t hat dev i ce, th e h an d h el d Al co -Sen s or, au t h o ri zed b y t h e Di v i s i o n

o f Fo ren s i c Sci en ces

– “ Befo re t h e p ro s ecu t o r co u l d co m p l et e h er q u es t i o n

, d efen s e

co u ns el o b

ject ed t o th e qu es t i o n as l ead i n g

. T h e t ri al co u rt s us t ai n e d t h e o b ject i o n.

Th e p ro s ecu t o r t ri ed t o refram e h er q u es t i o n, b ut ap paren t l y d id n o t g et t h e an s wer

s h e was l o o k i ng fo r:

Q. Hav e y o u u s ed t hat d ev i ce b efo re?

A. Yes

.

Q. An d i s i t i s s u ed t o y o u b y y o u r d ep art m en t ?

A. Yes

.

Q. An d wh at ap p ro v al o r cert i fi cat i o n d oes t h at d ev i ce h av e?

4A. I’ m n o t s u re ho w to an s w er th at q u es ti o n

. It was

— it was h an d ed

o u t fro m ch ai n o f co m

m an d fo r u s e fo r t h o se t y p es o f t es ts

.

Th e p ro s ecu t o r co nt in u ed o n l at er:

Q. As a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer, wh o

, if an y o ne, i s res p o n s i b l e fo r

es t ab l i sh i ng pro to co l s fo r p r el i m i n ary b reat h tes t s

, t o y o ur k n o wl ed ge

an d ex p eri en ce?

A. No rm al l y i t ’ s t h e i n v es ti g at in g offi cer, t h e o ffi cer th at fi rs t m ad e

co n t act w it h t he s ub

ject

.

Q. M ay

b e I as k ed it w ro n g

. As a l aw en fo rcem en t [o ffi cer] , i n y o u r

k n o w l e d g e an d ex peri en ce, wh o

, i f an y on e, i s res p o n s i b l e fo r

au t h ori zi n g t h e u s e o f cert ai n d ev i ces fo r p rel i m i n ary b reat h t es t s ?

A. An y o n e t h at act ual l y was g i v en a h an d h el d Al co -Sen s o r an d t h ey

k n o w i t s fu n ct i o n s an d ho w t o u s e i t

. No t ev ery o ne i n t h e d ep art m en t

h as o n e.

Q. Ri g h t

. Do y o u k n o w wh o au t h o ri zes

— i n y ou r ex peri en ce as a

l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer, wh o

, i f an y [o n e]

, au t h o ri zes p art i cu l ar d ev i ces

t o b e u s ed ?

A. Th at wo u ld b e t h e s h eri ff.

Q. W h o au t h o ri zes t he s h eri ff t o u s e cert ai n d ev i ces ?

5A. I wo u l d i m ag i ne GBI.

No fu rt h er ev id en ce reg ard i n g t h e p e r m i t t in g o r cert i fi cat i o n o f t h e b reat h t es t i n g

d ev ice was p res en t ed

.

At t h e s up p res si o n h eari ng

, d efen s e co u n s el arg ued t h at t h e b reat h t es t res u l t s

s h o u ld b e ex cl u d ed fo r t h e St at e’ s fai l u re to l ay a fo u n dat i o n . In res p o n s e, t h e St at e

co m p l ai n ed t h at i t h ad t ri ed t o a l ay a fo un d at io n b u t h ad been s t y m i ed b y t h e d efen s e

o b ject i on

, arg ui n g t h at t h e St at e m a y a s k l ead in g qu es t i o n s wh en l ay i n g t h e

f o unda tion fo r s ci en ti fi c ev i d en ce an d rep o rt s

. Th e p ro s ecu t o r ad ded th at a fo un d at ion

wo u l d b e l ai d at t ri al

.

Th e t ri al co urt d en i ed m o s t o f W arren ’ s m o t i on s

, bu t ex cl u d ed th e res u l t s o f t h e

p rel i m i n a r y breat h tes t

. Th e t ri al co urt co n cl u ded th at t h e St at e d i d n o t l ay a

fo u n dat i o n t h at t h e d ev i ce u s ed fo r t h e t es t was ap p ro v ed by t h e Di v i s i o n o f Fo ren s i c

Sci en ces o f t h e G eo rg ia Bu reau o f In v es t i gat i on s fo r u s e as a p rel i m i n ary s creen i n g

d ev ice. “ Th e o ffi cer ju s t d i d n’ t h av e i t [,] ” t h e t ri al co u rt s ai d at t h e h e a r i n g

. “ He

d i d n ’ t h av e t h e k n o wl ed g e.” Th e St at e fi l ed a m ot i o n t o reco n s i d er an d a m o t i o n to

reo p en t h e ev i d en ce. Bo t h were d en i ed aft er a h eari n g

.

6Th e St at e fi l ed an in terl ocu t o ry ap p eal

. On ap p eal

, t h e St at e arg u es t h a t t h e

o b ject ed -t o q u es t i o n was n o t l ead i n g b ecau s e i t cal l ed fo r a “ y es ” o r “ n o ” an s we r

.

Al t ern at i v el y

, t h e St at e a r g u e s t h at ev en i f t h e q u es t i on were l ead i n g

, t h e d ep u t y

s h o u ld h av e b een p erm i t t ed t o an s wer b ecau se t he q ues t i o n was n e c e s s a r y to

d ev el o p in g h i s tes t i m o n y

. Th e St at e s eek s rem an d s o t h at i t m ay as k t h e o b j ect ed -t o

q u es ti o n ag ai n in o rd er t o l ay th e p ro p er fo un d at io n fo r t h e ad m i s si on o f t h e b reat h

t es t res u l t s

.

Reg ard l es s o f wh et h er th e qu es t i o n w as lead i ng

, h o wev er, we m u s t affi rm

.

“ Th i s co u rt i s n o t an ex p o un d er o f t h eo ret i cal l aw,” an d i t “ co rrect s o n ly s u ch erro rs

as h av e pract ical l y wro n ged t he co m p l ai n i n g p art y .” H

a l l v. S ta te

, 20 2 Ga. 61 9

, 6 2 0

-

2 1 ( 2 ) ( 4 4 SE2 d 2 3 4 ) (1 9 47 ). A ju d g m en t wi l l n o t be rev ers ed o n t he b as i s t h at t h e

t ri al co u rt refu sed t o al l o w a wi t n es s t o tes t ify “ wh ere t h e reco rd d o es n o t s h o w wh at

t es t i m o ny t h e wi t n es s w as ex p ect ed t o g i v e.” W i l l i a ms v. Ri cks

, 1 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 5,

5 5 8 (2 ) (2 6 3 SE2 d 4 5 7 ) (1 9 7 9). Here, t h e p ro secu t o r d id n o t t el l th e t ri al co u rt wh at

t h e d ep u t y ’ s an s wer t o t h e p ro s ecu t o r’ s q ues t i o n w o u l d h a v e b een had h e b een

al l o wed t o an s w er. In s t ead

, in res po n d i n g t o t h e defen s e co u ns el ’ s arg u m en t t h at t h e

b reat h t es t res u l t s s h o u l d be ex cl u d ed d u e t o t h e St at e’ s fa i l u r e t o l ay a fo u n d at i o n,

t h e St at e m erel y arg u ed t hat t h e o ffi cer h ad t es ti fi ed t h at h e b el iev ed t h e b reat h t es t i n g

7d ev ice “ was au t h ori zed fo r t h e u s e b y t h e s h eri ff, b y t h e GBI,” co m p lai n ed t h at t h e

St at e’ s at t em

p ts t o l ay a fo u nd at i o n h ad b een fru st rat ed b y t h e d efen s e ob ject i o n

, an d

rep res en t ed t hat an y ad d i t i o nal s t ep s n eed ed t o lay a fo u n d at i o n wo u l d b e t ak en at

t ri al

. Th erefo re, th e ru li n g o n th e d efen s e o b ject i o n t o t he qu es t io n i s n o t a b as i s fo r

rev ers al

. S

ee Ha l l

, 20 2 Ga. at 6 2 0 (2 ) (n o b as i s fo r rev ers al i n tri al co urt ’ s refu s al to

al l o w d efen d an t t o cal l p ro s ecu t o r t o t es t i fy ; g i v en th at defen s e co u n sel “ fai l ed ev en

s o m u ch as t o i n ti m at e t o t he co u rt wh at h e ex p ect ed t o p ro v e b y t h e wi t n es s ”);

Mu r p h y v. Mi l o

, 2 7 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 0 0

, 2 0 2 (3 ) (6 1 2 SE2 d 5 6 ) ( 2 0 0 5 ) (affi rm i n g ci v i l

v erd i ct d es p i t e ap p el lan t ’ s arg u m en t t h at h i s at t o rn ey w as n o t p erm i t t e d t o as k h i m

l ead i ng q u es t i o ns

, as ap p el l an t “ fai l [ed ] to ci t e a p ro ffer of an y ev i den ce t h at t h e

co u rt ’ s i ns tru ct i o n p recl u ded h im fro m pres en t i n g to t h e ju ry ” o r “ ev en arg ue h o w t h e

ex cl u s i o n o f t h e u n id en t i fi ed ev i d en ce h arm ed h i m ”); W i ll i ams

, 1 52 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 5 8

(2 ) (reject i ng ap p eal b as ed o n t ri al co u rt ’ s refu s al t o al l o w a part i cu l ar q u es t i o n o f a

wi t n es s ; ap p el l an ts ab an d o n ed l i n e o f q ues t i o n i ng an d at t o rn ey d i d n o t “ m ak e an o ffer

as t o wh at h e t ho u g h t t h e wi t nes s ’ an s wer m ig h t b e”).

W i t h o u t k n o wi n g ho w t h e d e p u t y m i g h t hav e an swered t he p ro s ecu to r’ s

q u es ti o n

, we d o n ot k n o w wh et h er t h e St at e was h arm ed b y an y erro n eo u s ru l i n g o n

t h e defen s e o b

ject i o n

. W e can n o t as s u m e th e an s wer t o t h e p ro s ecu t o r’ s q u es t i o n

8wo u l d hav e b een “ y es ,” an d

, i n d eed

, t h e St at e m erel y req u es t s t h at i t b e gi v en a n ew

ch an ce t o as k i t o n rem an d

. An d t es t i m o n y b y t he d ep ut y s t ro n g l y s u g g es t s t h at h e d id

n o t k n o w t h e an s wer t o t h e q u e s t i o n : W h en h e fi n al ly th o u g h t o f t h e GBI as a

p o t en t i al s u s p ect i n th e p ro s ecu t o r’ s q u es t fo r an an s w e r a s t o wh o au t h o ri zed t h e

p rel i m i nary screen i n g d e v i c e, h e m erel y sai d h e “ w ou l d i m ag i n e” t h at ag en cy was

res p o n s i b l e. Becau se t h e St at e d i d n ot o ffer a co n t rary p ro ffer as t o h o w t h e d ep u t y

m i g h t hav e an s wer ed th e o b ject ed -t o q u es t i o n

, we affi rm th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n

t h e s u p p res s i o n m o t io n.

2

. Th e St at e al s o in cl u d ed i n i t s No t i ce o f Ap p eal a ch al l en g e t o t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s d en i al o f i t s m o t io n t o reo p en t h e ev id en ce.

W h et h er t o reo p en t h e ev i d en ce i s a m at t er wh i ch res t s wi t h i n th e s o u n d

d i s cret i o n o f t h e t ri al co u rt

. A t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g i n t h i s reg ard wi l l n o t

b e rev ers ed i n t h e ab s en ce o f an ab u se of d is cret i o n

. W h et h er t h ere h as

b een a re v e rs i b l e ab us e o f d i s cret i o n req u i res a co n s id erat i on of th e

t o t al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s tan ces

.

Ca r r ut h v. S t a t e

, 2 6 7 Ga. 2 2 1

, 2 21 -2 2 (4 7 6 SE2 d 7 3 9 ) (1 9 9 6 ) ( c i t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

H e r e

, t h e t ri al co u rt ru l ed t h at i t wo u l d n o t reo p en t h e ev i den ce b ecau s e t h e

s u p p res s i o n h eari n g “ was t he day t o g et [t h e fo u n d at i o n al ev i d en ce] i n” an d

, i f t h e

co u rt were t o g ran t t h e m o t i o n, i t “ wo u l d b e i n vi t i n g ev ery o ne t o as k t o o p en ev i d en ce

9ev ery t i m e [t h e co u rt ] ru l ed ag ai n s t t h em .” Th e St at e h as n o t ch al l en g e d t h i s

reas on i n g o n ap p eal

, o r ev en arg u ed s p eci fi cal l y in i t s b ri ef t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred

i n d en y i n g t h e m o t i on to reo p en ev i d en ce. T h e St at e o n ap p eal m erel y as ks t h at i t b e

g i v e n a n e w o p p o rt u ni t y t o as k t h e o b ject ed -t o q u es ti o n becau s e i t was im p ro p erl y

d eem ed a l ead i n g q u es t io n

. W e can n o t s ay t h e t ri al co urt ab u s ed i t s d is cret i o n in

d en y i n g t h e St at e’ s req u es t t o reo pen t h e ev i d en ce.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ph i

p p s , P. J., a nd

Di l la r d , J., co n cu r

.

10