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

De c id e d: Oc to b e r 6 , 2 0 14

S 1 4 A 1 4 2 2 . S CRUGGS v . THE S TATE.

THOMP S O N, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t P h illip S c ru g g s wa s c on vic te d o f m a l i ce mu rd e r a n d o th e r

c rim e s in c o n n e c tio n with th e to rc h in g a n d b urn in g o f h is lo n g tim e g irlfrie n d

,

Elis a D a v e n p o rt. 1 He a p p e a ls, a sse rtin g , in te r a lia

, th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in

a d m ittin g sim ila r tra n sa c tio n e v id e n c e

. F in d in g n o e rro r, we a ffirm

.

1

. A p p e lla n t a n d th e v ic tim liv e d to g e th e r in a n a p artm e n t. Ne ig h b o r s

c o u ld h e a r t h e m fig h t with o n e a n o th e r a lm ost e v e ry d a y

. On th e d a y in

q u e stio n , a

p p e lla n t p o u re d a m e d iu m p e tro le u m d istilla te o n th e vic tim a n d se t

1 T he crim es occurred on August 18, 2009; t he victim died on August 29. Appellant

was indicted on July 15, 2 0 1 0

, a n d c harged with m alice m u rder, three counts of f

elony

m urder, a rson in the f

irst d egree, aggravated assault with intent to m urder and aggravated
assault. Trial com m enced on February 1 4, 2011; t he jury returned its verdict o n February 22
f inding appellant guilty on all c ounts. The tr i a l c o u r t sentenced appellant to lif e without parole f or m alice m

urder; it vacated and m erged the r em aining counts. S ee Malcolm v. State,

263 Ga. 369 (4 3 4 S E2d 479) (1993). Appellant’s tim ely f iled m otion f

or a n ew trial was denied on May 2 9

, 2013. A n o t i c e o f a p p e a l w as f iled o n June 26, 2013. The case was d ocketed in this Court f

o r the S eptem

ber 2014 Term and subm itted f or a d ecision on t h e brief s.h e r o n fire b e c a u se he b e lie v e d sh e wa s “c h e a tin g ” o n h im

. He a lso b u rn e d

d o wn th e vic tim ’ s a p a rtm e n t b u ild in g w ith a Mo lo to v c o c kta il fille d w ith th e

sa m e ty p e o f d istilla te

. Em e rg e n c y p e rso n n e l, in c lu d in g p o lic e o ffic e r Eric

Ho g an , a rriv e d a t th e sc e n e a n d fo u n d th e v ic tim

, w h o w a s c ritic a lly b u rn e d o n

h e r n e c k

, to rso , u p p e r a rm s a n d th ig h s, ly in g in th e d irt a t th e b a c k o f th e

a p a rtm e nt b u ild in g. T h e v i c t i m to ld th e o ffic e r an d a n e ig h b o r th a t “ P h illip

S c ru g g s” “ p ou re d k e ro se n e o n m e .” S h e to ld a n E MT th a t h e r b oy frie nd b u rn e d

h e r. S h o rtly th e re a fte r, a p p e lla n t wa s a rre ste d a t a ne a rb y co n v en i e n ce sto re

.

He h a d m in or b u rn s o n h is fa c e

. Tra c e s o f a m e d iu m p e tro le u m d istilla te we re

fo u n d o n h is sh o rts, b e lt a n d sh irt. Th e v ic tim d ie d 1 1 d a y s la te r.

Th e e v id e nc e w a s su ffic ie n t to e n a ble a n y ra tio n a l trie r o f fa c t to fin d

a p p e lla n t g u ilty b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o ub t o f m a lic e m

urd e r. Ja c k so n v

.

Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U. S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 SCt 27 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) ( 1 9 7 9 ); S ha rp e v

. S ta te

,

2 9 1 Ga . 1 48 , 1 4 9 (1 ) (7 2 8 S E2 d 2 1 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

2

. Ap p e lla n t a sse rts th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in p er m ittin g th e S ta te to

in tro d u c e sim ila r tra n sa c tio n e v id e n c e d e m o n stra tin g th a t, in 1 9 9 5

, fo llo win g a n

a rg u m e n t w ith h is siste r, a p p e lla n t a tte m

p te d to b u rn d own his siste r’s h o use

with a M o lo to v c o c k ta il fille d with a m e d iu m p e tro le u m d istilla te

. We re v ie w

2th e tria l c o u rt’s d e c isio n u sin g a n a b u se o f disc re tio n sta nd ard

. Le slie v

. S ta te

,

2 9 2 Ga . 3 68 , 3 7 0 (7 3 8 S E2 d 4 2 ) (2 0 13 ).

Un d e r Willia m s v

. S ta te

, 2 6 1 Ga

. 64 0, 6 4 2 (4 0 9 S E2 d 64 9) (1 9 91 ), p rio r

c rim e e v id e nc e is a dm issib le if th e sta te c a n m a k e th re e a ffirm a tiv e sh o win g s:

(1 ) it is in tro d u c in g e v id e n c e o f th e in d e p e n d e n t a c t f o r a p ro p e r p urp o se , (2 )

th e re is su ffic ie n t e v id e nc e to e sta b lish th a t th e a cc u s e d c o m m itte d th e

in d e pe n d e n t a c t, a n d (3 ) th e re is su ffic ie n t c o n n e c tio n o r sim ila rity be twe e n th e

in d e pe n d e n t a c t a n d th e c rim e c h arg e d so th a t p ro of o f th e fo rm e r te n d s to p ro v e

th e la tte r. 2 Th e S ta te m a d e th e se a ffirm a tiv e sh o win g s b e lo w. Th e si mi la r

tra n sa c tio n e v id e nc e wa s in tro d u c e d fo r th e pro p e r p u rp o se o f sh o win g

a p p e lla n t’s in te n t, b e n t o f m in d

, c o urse o f c o n du c t a n d id e ntity

. S e e E v a n s v

.

S ta te

,

_ _ Ga

. Ap p

.

_

_ (1 ) (

_ _ S E 2 d

_ _ ) (A1 4 A0 5 1 3

, d e c id e d Ju ly 8, 2 0 1 4 ).

Ap p e lla n t’s id e n tity a s th e p e rp e tra to r o f th e 1 9 9 5 in c id e n t w a s e sta b lish e d b y

a c e rtifie d c op y o f h is g u ilty p le a a n d c o n v i c tio n fo r te rro ristic th re a ts. S e e

Ma tth e ws v

. S ta te

, 29 4 G a

. 5 0

, 5 2 -5 3 (7 5 1 S E 2 d 7 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ). Th e re is a

2 Because appellant was tried in 2011, we d o not apply t he n ew E vidence Code, which
becam e ef

f ective on January 1, 2013, and which allows admission of “[ e]vidence of other

c r i me s , w rongs, or acts” f o r purposes “including, but not lim ited to, proof of m o t i v e , opportunity

, i ntent, pre p a r ation, plan, knowledge, identity

, or absence of m istake or accident.” OCGA § 24-4-404 (b).

3su ffic ie n t c o n n e c tio n b e twe e n th e 1 9 9 5 in c id e n t an d th e c rim e s c h a rg e d so th a t

p ro o f o f th e fo rm e r te n d s to p ro v e th e la tte r. S e e g e n e ra lly Mo o re v

. Sta te

, 2 8 8

Ga . 1 87 , 1 9 0-1 9 1 (7 0 2 S E2 d 1 7 6 ) (2 0 10 ).

Ap p e lla n t a sse rts th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in a d m ittin g th e sim ila r tra n sa c tio n

e v id e n c e b e c a

u se it d iffe re d fro m th e c rim e c h a r g e d in se v e ra l re sp e c ts.

Ho we ve r, th e in d e pe n d e n t a c t n e e d n o t b e id e ntic a l t o t h e c r i m e c h a rg e d

.

Ra t h e r , w h e n c o n sid e rin g th e a d m issib ility o f sim ila r tra n sa c tio n e v id e n c e , a

re v ie win g c o u rt fo c u se s o n th e sim ila ritie s, n o t th e d iffe re n c e s b e twe e n th e

c rim e s. Jo h n so n v

. S ta te

, 2 8 9 Ga

. 2 2

, 2 4 (7 0 9 S E2 d 2 1 7 ) (2 0 1 1 ). T h e r e a re

c le a r sim ila ritie s h e re : th e v ic tim s w e re w o m e n with w h o m a p pe lla n t ha d a c lo se

re la tio nsh ip ; in b o th c a se s, a p p e lla n t a c te d o u t of a ng e r; a n d th e c h o ic e o f a

u n iq u e we a

p o n, a Mo lo to v c oc k ta il, wa s th e sa m e

. F in a lly

, we n ote th a t th e tria l

c o u rt in stru c te d th e ju ry with re ga rd to th e l i mi t e d p u rp o se of th e sim ila r

tra n sa c tio n e v id e n c e b o th b e fo re th e e v id e n c e wa s in tro d u c e d a n d in its c h arg e

to th e ju ry

. In su m , t h e tria l c o u rt d id n o t a b u se its disc re tio n in a llo win g th e

S ta te to in tro d u c e e v id e n c e th a t a p p e l l a n t a tte m p te d to b u rn d o wn his siste r’s

h o u se

.

3

. Th e v ic tim ’s d a

u g h te r an d two of th e v ic tim ’s sib lin g s we re p e rm itte d

4to te stify th e v ic tim to ld th e m on se v e ra l o c c a sio n s th a t a p p e lla n t p h y s i c a lly

a b u s e d h e r d u rin g th e c ou rse o f th e ir re la tio nsh ip

. Ap p e lla n t c o n te n d s t h e s e

sta te m e n t s w e re in a dm issib le h e a rsa y b e c a u se , a lth o u g h th e y we re a d m itte d

fro m n e c e ssity

, th e y we re n o t su rro un de d b y p a rtic ula riz e d g ua ra nte e s o f

tru stwo rth in e ss. We disa g re e

.

In o rd e r fo r h e ar s a y to b e a d m itte d u n d e r th e n e c e ssity e x c e p tio n , two re q uire m e nts m

u st b e sa tisfie d: “ n e c e ssity ” a n d “p a rtic u la riz e d

g u a ra nte e s o f tru stwo rth in e ss.” [Cits.] “ Ne c e ssity ” is d e m o nstra te d
wh e n th e d e c la ra n t is d e c e a se d

, wh e n th e sta te m e n t is sh o wn to b e

re le v a n t to a m a te ria l fa c t, a n d wh e n th e sta te m e n t is m o re p ro b a tiv e

o f th e m a te ria l fa c t th a n o th e r e v id e n c e th a t m a y b e p r o d u c e d a n d

o f f e re d

. [Cit.] Th e re q u ire m e n t o f “p a rtic u la riz e d g u a ra n te e s o f

tru stwo rth in e ss” is sa tis f

i e d wh e n th e d e c la ra tio n is c o u p le d w ith

“ c irc u m sta n c e s w h ic h a ttrib u te ve rity to [t h e d e c la ra tio n] .” [Cit.]

Th e d e te rm in a tio n of tru stwo rth in e ss is “ in e sc a p a b ly su b je c t i v e”

a n d th e tria l c ou rt' s d e te rm in a tio n of th e issu e w ill n o t be d istu rb e d

a b se n t a n a

b u se o f d isc re tio n . [Cit.]

Wa tso n v . S ta te , 2 7 8 Ga . 7 6 3 , 7 65 (2 ) (a ) (6 0 4 S E 2d 8 0 4 ) (2 00 4).

Wh e th e r a sta te m e n t is tru stw o r t h y is a m a tte r fo r th e tria l c o u rt’s

d isc re tio n

. Cu lm e r v

. S ta te

, 2 8 2 Ga

. 3 3 0

, 3 3 1 (6 4 7 S E 2 d 3 0 ) (2 0 0 7 ). Th e tria l

c o u rt d id n o t a

b u se its d isc re tio n in th is c a se

. Th e sta te m e nts e x h ib ite d

p a rtic u la riz e d g u a ra n te e s o f t r u stwo rth in e ss g iv e n th e c lo se , p e rso n a l, fa m ily

re la tio nsh ip s be twe e n th e v ic tim a n d th e witn e sse s. Wa tso n v. Sta te

, su p ra , 2 7 8

5Ga

. a t 7 6 5 -7 66

. T h e witn e sse s we re n o t c a s u a l a c q u a in ta n c e s o f th e v ic tim

.

Th e y we re th e v ic tim ’s o n ly c h ild

, h e r b ro th e r a n d he r siste r. Th e v ic tim sp o k e

with he r c h i l d a n d b ro th e r a lm o st d a ily ; sh e sp o k e with h e r siste r fo u r o r fiv e

tim e s a we e k

. T h e vic tim c o n fid e d in th e wi t n e s s e s an d th e y c o n fid e d in he r.

S e e Ja c k so n v

. S ta te

, 2 8 4 Ga . 8 2 6 , 8 2 7 (6 7 2 S E2 d 6 4 0 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (sta te m e n ts b y

v ic tim to h is f

at h e r a n d b ro th e r, wh o m v ic tim wa s c lo se to

, c on fid e d in a n d

tru ste d , b o re g u a ra n te e s o f tru stwo rth in e ss).

4

. Du rin g th e tria l, a n in te rn with th e d istric t a tto rn e y ’s o ffic e o b se rv e d

a ju ro r g o to th e a

u to r e p a ir sh o p wh e re a

p p e lla n t w o rk e d a n d sp e a k w ith th e

o wn e r o f th e s h o p , w h o h a d te stifie d a t tria l. Wh e n th e ju ro r’s c o n d u c t wa s

b ro u g h t to th e tria l c o u rt’s a tte n tio n , th e tria l c o u rt re m o ve d th e ju ro r fro m th e

p a n e l an d re p la c e d h im with a n a lte rn a te ju ro r. Ap pe lla n t a sse rts th e tria l c o urt

a b u se d its d isc re tio n in re m o v in g th e ju ro r. Ho we ve r, a pp e lla n t d id no t o b

je c t

to th e re m o v a l o f th e ju ro r. In fa c t, a pp e lla n t jo in e d in th e p ro se c u to r’s m o tio n

to h a v e th e ju ro r re m o v e d

. He c a n n o t n o w b e h e a r d to c o m p la in th a t th e tria l

c o u rt c o m

plie d with h is re q u e s t

. N o r t o n v

. S ta te

, 2 9 3 Ga

. 33 2, 3 3 6 (5 ) (7 4 5

S E2 d 6 30 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

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

6