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

De c id e d : Ja n u a ry 1 9 , 2 0 1 6

S 1 5 A1 82 5 . ADAMS v . THE S T ATE.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t Ca rl R a y Ad a m s wa s c o nv ic te d o f m a lic e m u rd e r in c on n e c tio n

with th e sh o o tin g d e a th of h is ro om m a te

, Ra n da ll Jo h n so n , a n d wa s se n te n c e d

to life im p riso n m e n t. Ad a m s n o w a p p e a ls h is c o n v ic tio n o n th e g ro u n d s th a t th e

e v id e n c e wa s in su ffic ie nt a n d th a t tria l c o u n se l wa s i n e f fe c tiv e

. F in d in g n o

e rro r, we a ffirm

. 1

Vie we d in a lig ht m o st fa v o ra ble to th e ju ry ’s v e r d i c ts, th e e v id e n c e

1 In Ja n u a ry 20 0 7

, a La

u re n s Co u n ty g ra nd ju ry r e tu rn e d a n in d ic tm e n t

c h arg in g Ad a m s with m a lic e m u rd e r, fe lo n y m

u rd e r (a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt), a n d

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt. A ju ry tria l wa s h e ld S e p te m b e r 2 1-2 5

, 20 09

, a n d g u ilty

v e rd ic ts we re re tu rn e d o n a ll c o u n ts. Th e fe lo n y m u rd e r c ou n t w a s v a c a te d b y

o p e ra tio n o f la w , se e Ma lc o lm v

. S ta te

, 2 6 3 Ga

. 3 6 9 (4 ) (4 3 4 S E2 d 4 7 9) (1 9 9 3 ),

a n d th e tria l c o u rt c o rre c tly m e rg e d th e a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt c o u n t with th e m a lic e

m u rd e r c o u nt. S e e B e ll v

. S ta te

, 2 8 4 Ga

. 7 90 (1 ) (6 7 1 S E2 d 8 1 5 ) (2 0 0 9 ). Th e tria l c o urt se n te n c e d Ad a m s to life im p riso n m e n t. Ad a m s file d a m o tio n fo r n e w

t ria l o n S e p te m

b e r 30

, 2 0 0 9

, a n d h e la te r a m e n d e d th a t m o tio n th ro u g h n e w

c o u n se l o n Au g u st 6

, 20 10

, a nd a g a in o n Ma rc h 27

, 2 0 1 5

. F o llo win g a he a rin g , th e tria l c o u rt d e n ie d th e m otio n o n Ma y 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 , an d Ad a m s file d h is n o tic e

o f a p p e a l o n Ju ne 18 , 2 0 1 5 . Th is a p p e a l wa s d o c k e te d to th e S e p te m be r 2 0 1 5

te rm o f th is Co u rt a n d wa s th e re a fte r su b m itte d fo r d e c isio n o n th e b rie fs.a d d u c e d a t tria l e sta b lish e d a s fo llo ws. Ad a m s is a Vie tn a m Wa r v e te ra n wh o

h a s b e e n d ia g n o se d a nd tre a te d fo r P o st-Tra u m a tic S tre ss Diso rd e r (P T S D); h e

is a lso a n a lc o h o lic

. Aro u n d th e tim e of th e m u rd e r, Ad a m s sto p p e d ta k in g h is

P TS D -re la te d m e d ic a tio n a n d re la p se d in t o h e a v y d rin k in g

. On th e d a y in

q u e stio n , h e an d Jo h nso n c o n su m e d a lc o ho l, wa tc h e d fo o tb a ll in a c o m m o n

liv in g sp a c e , a nd

, a t so m e p o in t, be g a n a rg u in g a b ou t wh e th e r Ad a m s c a

u se d

Jo h n s o n to b re a k u p with h is g irlfrie n d

. Th e a rg u m e n t c on tin ue d la te r in th e

e v e n in g , a t wh ic h p o in t Ad a m s v isite d th e re stro o m , th e n re trie v e d a p isto l fro m

th e be d ro o m a n d re tu r n e d t o th e liv in g ro o m wh e re h e sh o t Jo h n so n

. Ad a m s

th e re a fte r c a lle d 9 1 1

, a n d

, d u rin g th a t c a ll, Ad a m s to ld th e d isp a tc h e r th a t h e h a d

sh o t Jo h n so n du e to “ m a x im u m a g g ra v a tio n ” fo llo win g a v e rb a l a lte rc a tio n

. In

a su b se qu e n t sta te m e n t to in v e stig a to rs, Ad a m s sta te d th a t h e ju st “ s n a p p e d ”

fo llo win g th e a rg u m e n t a n d th a t h e sh o t Jo h n so n a fte r g o in g “ o v e r t h e e d g e .”

Ad a m s w a s c le a

r in th is sta te m e n t to in v e stig a to rs th a t Jo h n so n ne v e r th re a te n e d

h im a n d th a t, wh ile h e wa s in a “ d a z e ” a t th e tim e o f th e m u rd e r, h e w a s “ n o t

[in ] a d iffe re n t wo rld ” a nd wa s “ n o t c ra z y

. ” Ju ro rs a lso h e a rd te stim o n y th a t

Ad a m s wa s c a lm

a n d in c o n tro l fo llo win g th e m u rd e r.

In su p po rt o f h is p le a o f n o t g u ilty b y re a so n o f in sa n ity

, Ad a m s p re se n te d

2th e te stim o n y o f T h o m a s S a c h y , M.D, a fo re nsic n e u ro p sy c h ia trist. Dr. S a c h y

te stifie d in de ta il re g a rd in g Ad a m s’ m e n ta l im p a irm e nts

– wh ic h in c lu d e b ra in

d a m a g e , P TS D, a n d d e m e n tia

– a n d he e x p la in e d th a t th e se im p a irm e n ts h a v e

le ft Ad a m s w ith p o o r im p u lse c on tro l, wh ic h c o u ld b e e x a c e rb a te d b y h e a v y

d rin k in g

. Dr. S a c hy o p in e d th a t th e m u rd e r wa s a n im

p ulsiv e a c t, th e re su lt o f

a m o m e n ta ry o u tb u rst, wh ic h w a s c om m itte d with o u t fo re th o u g h t ; h e a lso

o p in e d th a t, a t th e tim e o f th e m u rd e r, A d a m s wa s u n a

ble to d istin g u ish rig h t

fro m wro n g

.

Ad a m s e le c te d to te stify in h is o wn d e fe n se

. In h is te stim on y , Ad a m s

re c o u n te d h is no n -c om

b a t ro le in th e Vie tn a m Wa r, h is d ia g no sis a n d tre a tm e n t

fo r P TS D, a n d h is histo ry o f p a ra n o ia a n d o th e r m e nta l h e a lth d iso rd e rs. Ad a m s

a lso te stifie d, c o n siste n t with h is e a rlie r sta te m e nts, th a t h e sh o t J o h n so n

fo llo win g th e ir a rg u m e n t; h e a lso e xp la in e d th a t h e ju st “ sn a p p e d ” a n d th a t h e

d id n o t k n o w wh y h e h a d sh o t Jo h n so n

.

1

. Th e e v id e nc e a s su m m a riz e d a b o ve wa s su ffic ie n t to e n a ble a ra tio n a l

trie r of fa c t to c o n c lu d e b e y o n d a re a so na b le d o u b t th a t Ad a m s wa s gu ilty o f

m a lic e m u rd e r. Ja c k so n v

. Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U. S

. 30 7 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 8 1

, 61 L E2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9 ). Lik e wise

, th e e v id e n c e in th is c a se a u th o riz e d th e ju ry to c o nc lu d e th a t

3Ad a m s k n e w rig h t fro m wro n g a t th e tim e o f th e c rim e

. S e e D u rre n c e v

. S ta te

,

2 8 7 Ga . 2 13 (1 ) (b ) (6 9 5 S E2 d 2 2 7 ) (2 0 1 0 ). Ad a m s, th o u g h , c o n te n d s th a t h e

d id n o t f o r m t h e m a lic e n e c e ssa ry to c o n stitu te m u rd e r a n d th a t v o lu n ta ry

m a n sla u g h te r wa s th e a

p p ro p ria te re su lt in th is c a se

. Ho we v e r, “ [i] t is fo r a ju ry

to d e te rm in e fro m a ll th e fa c ts a n d c irc u m sta nc e s wh e th e r a k illin g is in te n tio n a l

a n d m a lic io us,” Wh ite v

. S ta te

, 2 8 7 Ga

. 7 1 3

, 7 1 5 (1 ) (b ) (6 9 9 S E2 d 2 91 ) (2 0 1 0 ),

o r “[w] h e th e r th e e v i d e n c e sh o we d o n ly v olu n ta ry m a n slau g h te r.” Jo n e s v

.

S ta te

, 2 8 2 Ga

. 47

, 4 8 (1 ) (6 4 4 SE2 d 8 5 3 ) ( 2 0 0 7). Th e e vid e n c e h e re wa s

su ffic ie n t to su sta in th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t. S e e To d d v

. Sta te

, 2 74 Ga

. 9 8 (5 49 S E2 d

1 1 6 ) ( 2 0 0 1 ) (u p h o ld in g m a lic e m u rd e r c o n v ic tio n wh e re a c c u se d c la im e d h e

“ sn a pp e d ” wh e n wife to ld h im sh e wa s le a v in g h im ).

2

. Ad a m s a lso c on te n d s th a t tria l c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e

. Ac c o rd in g to

Ad a m s, tria l c o u n se l fa ile d to re q u e st a c on tin ua n c e a fte r b e in g a p p o in te d

, fa ile d

to a d e q u a te ly a d v ise h im o f h is rig h t to te stify

, an d fa ile d to p ro p e rly in ve stig a te

in pre p a ra tio n fo r tria l. To e sta b lish h is c la im o f i n e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f

c o un se l, Ad a m s m

u st sh o w th a t (1 ) h is tria l c ou nse l’s p e rfo rm an c e wa s

p ro fe ssio n a lly d e f

i c i e n t a n d (2 ) b u t fo r su c h d e fic ie nt p e rfo rm a n c e th e re is a

re a so na b le p ro b a bility th a t th e re su lt o f th e tria l w o u ld h a v e be e n d iffe re n t.

4S tri c k la n d v

. Wa sh in g to n , 46 6 U. S

. 6 6 8

, 6 87

, 6 9 4 (1 0 4 S C t 2 0 5 2

, 8 0 LEd 2 d

6 7 4 ) ( 1 9 8 4 ) ; We sle y v

. S ta te

, 2 8 6 Ga

. 3 5 5 (3 ) (6 89 S E 2 d 2 8 0) (2 01 0). “ On

a p p e a l, th is Co u rt a c c e pts th e tri a l co u r t ’ s fin d in g s o f fa c t, u n le ss th e y a re

c le a rly e rro n e o u s. H o we v e r, th e tria l c ou rt’s le g a l c o n c lu sio n s a re re v ie we d d e

n o v o.” (Qu o ta tio n m a

rk s om itte d .) Wilso n v

. S ta te

, 2 8 6 Ga

. 14 1, 1 4 3 (3 ) (6 8 6

S E2 d 1 0 4 ) (2 00 9 )

. Un d e r th e se we ll-e sta b lish e d p rin c ip le s w e n ow a d d re ss

e a c h o f Ad a m s’ c o n te n tio n s.

(a ) Ad a m s fir s t a r g u e s th a t le a d c o u nse l, w h o wa s a p p o in te d

a p p ro x im a te ly 1 0 -1 4 d a y s b e fo re tria l, sh o u ld h a v e re q ue ste d a c on tin u a n c e o f

tria l b e c a u se “ two we e k s o r le ss is c le a rly i n s u f f i c i e n t tim e fo r a n a tto rn e y to

p ro p e rly p re p a re fo r a m u rd e r tria l.” Asid e f

r o m v a g ue ly a sse rtin g th a t tria l

c o u n se l n e e de d a d d itio n a l tim e to “ g e t u p to sp e e d ,” Ad a m s offe rs n o sp e c ific s

re g a rd in g h o w c o u n se l’ s p e rfo rm a n c e a t tria l wo u ld ha v e b e e n e nh an c e d b y

h a v in g m o re tim e to p re p a re

. I n lig h t o f Ad a m s’ fa ilu re to id e n tify a n y

p a rtic u la r n e e d fo r a c o ntin u a n c e a n d th e fa c t th a t a n y su c h re q u e st wo u ld h a v e

b e e n le ft to th e so un d d isc re tio n o f th e tria l c o urt, se e Gre e n e v

. S ta te

, 2 7 4 Ga

.

2 2 0 (3 ) (5 52 S E2 d 8 3 4 ) (2 0 0 1 ), A d a m s c a n n o t e sta b lish in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e

in c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to m a k e su c h a re q ue st.

5(b ) Ad a m s n e xt a rg u e s th a t tria l c ou nse l f a i le d to p ro pe rly a d vise h im

re g a rd in g h is rig h t to te stify a n d fa ile d to p ro pe rly p re p are h im to te stify . Th e

g ra v a m e n o f th is c la im is th a t th e d e c isio n a s to wh e th e r A d a m s w o u ld te stify

wa s re a c h e d fo llo win g a 1 5 -m in u te c o n fe re n c e c o n d u c te d d u rin g a b re a k in th e

tria l an d th a t, a c c o rd in g to Ad a m s, th is wa s a n in su ffic ie n t win d o w in wh ic h to

a d v ise Ad a m s a n d p re p a re h im to te stify

. As th e tria l c o u rt c o rre c tly c o n c lu d e d

,

h o we v e r, th is a rg u m e n t is with o u t m e rit.

It is we ll se ttle d th a t “ [d ] e fe n se c ou nse l b e ars th e p rim a ry re sp o n sib ility

fo r a d v isin g th e d e f

e n d a n t o f h is rig h t to te stify o r no t to te stify

, th e stra te g ic

im p lic a tio n s o f e a c h c h o ic e , a n d th a t it is u l t i ma t e ly fo r th e d e fe n d a n t h im se lf

to d e c id e .” Mo b le y v . S ta te , 2 6 4 Ga . 8 5 4 , 8 56 (2 ) (4 5 2 S E2 d 5 0 0) (1 9 9 5 ). In

its o rd e r d e n y in g Ad a m s’ m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, th e tria l c o u rt fo un d th a t,

so m e tim e d urin g tria l, Ad a m s c o n su lte d with b o th tria l c o un se l a n d Dr. S a c h y

o n th e issu e o f h is te stim o n y ; th a t Ad a m s h a d su ffic ie n t tim e to c o n sid e r

wh e th e r h e wo uld te stify ; th a t it wa s A d a m s wh o u ltim a te ly d e c id e d to te stify ;

a n d th a t Ad a m s’ d e c isio n w a s fre e ly an d v o lu n ta rily m a d e

. Th e tria l c o u rt a lso

d e te rm in e d th a t, e v en i f tria l c o u n se l h a d p e rfo rm e d d e fic ie ntly

, th e re wa s n o

e v id e n c e th a t Ad a m s wa s p re ju d ic e d b y a n y su c h d e fic ie n c y

. Th e tria l c o u rt’s

6fin d in g s a re su p p o rte d b y th e tria l tra n sc rip t a nd th e te stim o n y p re se n te d a t th e

m o tio n fo r n e w tria l h e a rin g

.

Ad a m s a c k n o wle d g e d d u rin g th e m o tio n fo r n e w tria l he a rin g th a t h e wa s

sp e c ific a lly a d v ise d b y tria l c o u n se l th a t his te stim o n y m ig h t b e b e n e fic ia l a n d

th a t h e re a c h e d h is d e c isio n fo llo win g th a t d isc ussio n. F u rth e r, th e tria l

tra n sc rip t re fle c ts th a t th e tria l c o u rt e n g a g e d in two o n -th e -re c o r d c o llo q u ie s

with Ad a m s re ga rd in g h is rig h t a n d d e c isio n to te stify ; Ad a m s, wh o h a d b e e n

swo rn in

, a rtic ula te d th a t h e u n d e rsto o d th e tria l c o u rt’s a d v i c e re g a rd in g h is

rig h t to te stify

. Ad d i t i o n a l l y , th e tria l c o u rt e n g a g e d in an on -th e -re c o rd

c o llo qu y with tria l c o u n se l re g a rd in g Ad a m s’ d e c isio n

. Du rin g th a t c o llo q u y ,

tr i al c o u n se l e x p lic itly sta te d th a t A d a m s h a d be e n a d vise d o f h is rig h ts b y

c o u n se l in th e p re se n c e of Dr. S a c h y , th a t Ad a m s a p p e a r e d to un de rsta n d h is

rig h ts a nd o p tio n s, a n d th a t Ad a m s h a d b e e n a d v ise d th a t it wa s u ltim a te ly h is

d e c isio n wh e th e r to te stify

. Th e re c o rd s up po rts th e tria l c o u rt’s fa c tu a l

fin d in g s, a n d th ose fin d in g s su p p o rt th e c on c lu sio n th a t tria l c o u n se l a de q u a te ly

a d v ise d A da m s re g a rd in g h is rig h t to te stify

. Se e P o tte r v

. S ta te

, 27 3 Ga

. 3 2 5

,

3 2 7 (5 4 0 S E2 d 1 8 4 ) (2 0 0 1 ) (re c o g n iz in g th a t “ ‘wh e th e r o r n o t to te stify in o n e ’s

o wn de fe n se is c o n sid e re d a ta c tic a l d e c i s i o n to b e m a de b y th e d e fe n d a n t

7h im se lf a fte r c o n su lta tio n with h is tria l c ou n se l’” ).

Mo re ov e r, th e re c o rd a lso su p p o rts th e tria l c o u rt’s fin d in g th a t th e re is n o

e v id e n c e o f p re

ju d ic e h e re

. W h ile Ad a m s su gg e sts th a t tri a l c o un se l b e lie v e d

th a t A d a m s’ te stim o n y “ d id n o t g o a s we l l a s he wo u ld h a v e lik e d ,” Ad a m s

p o in ts to n o th in g th a t de m o n stra te s h o w th e la st-m in u te d e c isio n im p a c te d h is

tria l o r wh e th e r a d d itio na l c o n su lta tio n o r p re p ara tio n wo uld h a v e sig n ific a n tly

a lte re d Ad a m s’ tria l te stim o n y o r d e c isio n to te stify

.

(c ) Ad a m s n e x t c o nte n d s th a t tria l c ou n se l fa ile d to a d e q u a te ly p re p a re fo r

tria l. Ac c o rd in g to Ad a m s, h e re c e iv e d m e n ta l he a lth tre a tm e n t a t two Ve te ra n

Affa irs h o sp ita ls, a nd tria l c o u n se l sh o u ld ha v e re v ie we d th o se r ec o r d s a n d

in te rv ie we d th e re le va n t m e d ic a l p e rso n ne l; Ad a m s m a in ta in s th a t th o se re c o rd s

wo u ld ha ve su p p o rte d th e d e fe n se th e o ry th a t h e su ffe re d fro m PTS D a n d

p a ra n o ia

. As a n in itia l m a tte r, we n o te th a t no th in g in th e m a te ria ls b e fo re th is

Co u rt in d ic a te th e n a tu re o f th e in fo rm a tio n th a t m a y b e c o n ta in e d in th e m e d ic a l

re c o rd s o r k n o wn to th e m e d ic a l p e rso n n el

. W ith o ut su c h re c o rd s, Ad a m s

c a n n o t e sta b lish th a t tria l c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e

. S e e De v e ga v

. S ta te

, 2 8 6 Ga

.

4 4 8 (4 ) (a ) (6 8 9 S E2 d 2 9 3 ) (2 0 1 0 ). F u rth e r, a s th e tria l c o u rt fo un d b e lo w, th e re

wa s e x te n siv e te stim o n y a t tria l c o n c e rn in g Ad a m s’ m e n ta l h e a lth

, in c lu d in g h is

8P TS D

, fro m b o th Dr. S a c h y a n d Ad a m s; in lig h t o f th e sim il a r t e s t im o n y

p re se nte d a t tria l, Ad a m s wa s n o t pre ju d ic e d by tria l c o u n s e l ’ s fa ilu re to

in v e stig a te th e VA re c o rd s th a t, b y A d ams ’ o wn a c c o u n t, in c lu d e th e sa m e

in fo rm a tio n

. S e e He a d v

. Hill, 2 7 7 Ga

. 2 5 5

, 2 67 (VI) (A) (5 8 7 SE2 d 6 1 3 )

(2 0 0 3 ).

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

9