THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

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

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

Septem ber 18, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A1 53 6 . THOM AS v . THE STATE. DO-0 5 3 C

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

In 2 0 1 6

, Ty

reek T h o m a s p l ead ed g u i l t y to t wo co u nt s o f ag grav at ed as s au l t

,

v i o l at i n g t h e Geo rg i a St reet Gan g Terro ri s m an d Prev en t i o n A ct (“ GSGTPA”), 1 an d

o b s t ru ct i on

. He was o n p ro b at i o n fo r t h o s e ch arg e s as a fi rs t o ffen d er wh en h e was

i n d i ct ed on m

u l t i p l e n ew o ffen s es o ccu rri ng i n th ree s ep arat e i n d ict m en t s. Aft er t h e

t ri al co u rt rev ok ed h i s fi rs t o ffen d er s tat u s an d ad ju d i cat ed h i m g u i l t y i n t h e 2 0 1 6

cas e b as ed o n t h e n ew ch arg es , Th o m as fi l ed a p lea in b ar b as ed o n fo rm er jeo p ard y

i n each o f t h e t h ree n ew cas es , a r g u in g t h at he h as al read y b een p ro s ecu t ed

,

co n vi ct ed

, an d s en t en ced fo r t h e o ffen s es ch arg ed i n t h e n ew i n d i ct m en t s . Th e t ri al

1 OCGA § 1 6 -1 5-4 (a).c o u

r t d e n i e d t h e p l e a s i n b a

r , a n d T h o m a s a

p p e a l s

. F or the r e a sons tha t f ollow

, w e a f

f i r m

.

On ap p eal fro m t h e g ran t o r den i al o f a d o u b l e jeo p ard y p lea i n

b ar, we rev i ew th e t r i a l c o u rt ’ s o ral an d wri t t en ru l i ng s as a wh ol e t o

d et erm i ne wh et h er th e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s s up p ort i t s co ncl u s i o n. [If]

t h e ev i d en ce i s u n co n t r o v ert ed an d w i t nes s cred i b i li t y i s n o t an i s su e,

o u r rev i ew o f t h e t r i al co u rt ’ s ap p l icat i o n of t h e l aw t o t h e u n d i sp u ted

fact s i s d e n o v o. 2

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s ho ws t h at on Ap ri l 1 2

, 2 0 1 6

, Th o m as p l ead e d g ui l t y

u n d er t h e Fi rs t Offen d er Act 3 t o t wo co u n t s o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t (Co u n t s 2 an d 3 ),

o n e co u n t o f vi ol at i o n o f t h e G S G T P A ( C o u n t 4), an d o n e co u n t o f o bs t ru ct i o n

(Co un t 5 ). Th e s e nt en ce s h eet s h o ws t h at T h o m as p l ead ed g u i l t y as a fi rs t o ffen d er

wi t h t h e u n d ers t an d i n g t h at i f h e v i o l at ed t h e t erm s o f h i s p ro bat i on , h e co u l d b e

ad ju d i cat ed g u i l t y a n d s en t en ced t o t he m ax i m u m sen t en ce av ai l ab l e fo r t h o s e

ch arg es

. Th o m as was s en t en ced t o fi ft een y ears w i t h t h ree i n co nfi n em en t an d t h e

b al an ce p ro b at ed o n Co u n t 2 ; fi ft een y ears co n cu rren t o n Co u nt 3 ; t en y ears

co n cu rren t o n Co u nt 4 ; an d t w el v e m o n t h s co n cu rren t on Co u n t 5

. A s a g en eral

co n di t i o n o f p ro b at i o n , Th o m as was o rd ered n o t t o vi o l at e an y l aw, an d t h e f i r s t

2 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) S t a te v. Hi l l

, 3 3 3 Ga. Ap p

. 7 8 5 (7 77 SE2 d 2 6 5 ) (2 0 1 5 ),

q u o t i n g S t a t e v. Pr ui et t , 3 2 4 Ga. Ap p. 7 8 9, 7 9 0 (7 5 1 SE2 d 5 79 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

3 OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0

.

2o ffen d er co n d i ti o n s s p eci fi ed t h at h e co u l d b e s en t en ced to t h e m ax i m u m al l o wed by

l aw i f h e v i o l at ed h i s p ro b at i o n :

Up o n v i o l at i on o f t h e t erm s o f p ro bat i on , u p o n co n v i ct i on fo r an o t h er

cri m e d u ri n g t h e p eri o d o f p ro b at i o n , or u p o n t h e Co u rt ’ s d et erm i nat i o n

t h at t h e Defen d an t i s o r was n o t el i g i b l e fo r sen t en ci n g u n der t h e Fi rs t

Of f e n d er Act o r fo r Co n d i t i o n al D i sch arg e, t h e Co u rt m ay en t er an

ad j u d i cat i o n o f g u il t an d pro ceed to sen t en ce t he D efen dan t t o th e

m ax i m u m s en t en ce as p ro v i d ed b y

l aw.

On Oct ob er 1 1

, 2 01 9

, t h e St at e fi l ed a p et i t i o n fo r ad ju d i cat i o n o f gu i l t i n t h e

2 0 1 6 cas e o n t he g ro u n d s t h at Th o m as v io l at ed th e t erm s an d co n d i t i o n s of p ro b at i o n

b y co m m i t t i n g m u l ti p l e n e w o f

f e n s es , h ad co n t act wi t h a k n o wn g an g m em b er an d

a p ers on o n pro bat i o n , fai l ed t o rep o rt t o h i s p r o b at i o n o ffi cer, an d fai l ed to

p art i ci p at e i n h i s su b st an ce ab us e gro u p , al l of wh i ch were p ro h i b i t ed b y t h e 2 0 1 6

s en t en ce. Fo l l o wi n g a h eari n g , t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e p et i t io n , c o n c l u d i n g t h at

Th o m as , b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f t h e e v i d e n ce co m m i t t ed : s tat u t o ry rap e b et ween

Au g u s t 1 0

, 2 0 1 8 an d Au g u s t 1 1

, 2 0 1 8 ; v i o l at i ns o f t h e GSGTPA b et ween J an u ary 3,

2 0 1 9

, an d J an u ary 8

, 2 01 9 ; t h eft b y t ak i n g b et ween J an u ary 7

, 2 0 1 9

, an d J an u ary 8,

2 0 1 9 ; en teri ng an au t o m o b i le, arm ed ro b b ery , p o ss es s i o n o f a fi rearm d u ri n g t h e

co m m i s s io n o f a fel o n y , an d t h ree co u n t s o f ag g rav at ed as s au lt o n o r ab o u t J an u ary

38

, 2 0 1 9 ; an d u n l awfu l act s o f v i o l en ce i n a p en al i n st i tu t i o n

. Th e co urt al s o fo u n d t h at

Th o m as h ad co n t act wi t h g an g m em b ers , fai l ed t o rep ort fo r d ru g screen s, an d fai l ed

t o part ici p at e i n h i s s u b s t an ce ab u s e g ro u p

. T h e co u rt ad ju d i cat ed Th om as g ui l t y an d

res en t en ced h i m t o 3 6 y ears , t o s erv e 3 5 y ears

.

Th o m as was s u b s eq u en t l y ch arg ed i n t h ree sep arat e i n d i ct m en t s , wh i ch fo rm

t h e b as i s fo r t h i s ap p eal

. In Cas e Nu m b er SU1 9CR0 2 5 1

, Th om as was ch arg ed wi th

fo u r co u n t s o f ar m ed ro b b ery , t h eft b y tak i n g , en t eri n g an au t o m o bi l e, t h ree co u n t s

o f ag grav at ed as s au l t

, p o s s es s io n o f a fi r e a r m b y a fi rs t offen d er p ro b at i on er, an d

t h ree co u n ts o f p o s ses s i o n o f a f i rearm d u ri n g t h e co m

m i ss i o n o f a fel o n y , each o f

wh i ch were al l eg ed to o ccu r i n Jan u ary 2 0 1 9

. In Cas e N o. SU1 9 CR0 2 9 5

, Th o m as was

ch arg ed wi t h st at ut o ry rap e, ch i ld m ol es t at i o n , an d en t i c i n g a ch i l d fo r i n d ecen t

p u rp os es , wh i ch were al l eg ed to h av e o ccu rred i n Au g u st 2 0 1 8

. Fi n al l y , i n Cas e No

.

SU 1 9 C R0 9 6 0

, T h o m as was ch arg ed w it h u n l awfu l act s o f v io l en ce i n a p en al

i n s t i t u t i o n i n Au g u s t 2 0 1 9

. Th o m as fi l ed p l eas i n b ar o f fo rm er jeo p a rd y i n t h o s e

cas es , arg u i n g t hat h e h ad al read y b een p ro s ecu t ed fo r, co n vi ct ed o f, an d s en t en ced

o n t he co u n t s al l eg ed i n th e 2 01 9 i n d i ct m en t s i n th e ad ju d i cat i o n of gu i l t i n t h e 2 0 1 6

4cas e. Fo l l o wi n g a h eari n g , th e t ri al co u rt d en ied each o f t h e m ot io n s, ci t i n g Zel l n er

v. S t a t e

. 4 Th i s ap p eal fo l l owed

.

On ap p eal

, as h e d i d bel o w, Th o m as co n t en d s t h a t t h e tri al co urt erred by

d en y i n g hi s p l eas i n b ar b ecau s e t he St at e’ s u se o f t h e t h ree 2 01 9 cas es

— th e i n s t an t

cas es

— t o ad

ju d i cat e h i m g u il t y an d i m p o s e a s en t en ce i n t h e 20 1 6 c a s e b ars h i s

p ro s ecu ti o n i n t h e p res en t cas es o n d o u b l e jeo p ard y g ro u n d s

. Bas ed o n t hi s Co urt ’ s

recen t h o l d i ng i n Zel l n er , we d i s ag ree an d affi rm

. 5

“ Fi rs t

, ‘ [t ] h e co n st i t ut i o n al p ro h i b i t i on ag ai n s t ‘ d ou b l e jeo p ard y ’ was d es i g n ed

t o p ro t ect an i n di v i d u al fro m b e i n g s u b je ct ed t o t h e h azard s o f t ri al an d p o s s i b l e

4 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 7 (8 38 SE2 d 61 3 ) (2 0 2 0 ) ( c e r t

. ap p l i ed fo r, Cas e No

. S2 0 C0 88 2 ).

5 T h o m as arg u es th a t Z

e l l n er was “ b as ed o n a fl awed prem is e” an d fai l ed to

g i v e d eferen ce t o th e co ns t i t u ti on al ri g h t s at i s s u e, an d h e “ u rg es t hi s Co u rt t o ret h i n k

i t s recen t creat i on of a n ew ex cep t i o n t o a [c] o n s t i t u t io n al ri g h t i n v ol v i n g s eri ou s d ep ri v at i o n s o f a pers o n ’ s l i b ert y .” Zel l ner i s b i n d i n g p reced en t

, an d t h e ap p el l an t in

t h at cas e h as a p en d i n g p et it i on fo r cert i o rari

. See Co urt o f Ap p eal s Ru le 3 3 (a) (“ If

an ap p eal i s d eci ded by a Di v is i o n , a ju d g m en t i n wh i ch al l t h ree ju d g es fu l ly co n cu r i s a b i n d in g p reced en t

. . . .”). Acco rd i n g l y , w e wi l l fo ll o w t h e ho l d i n g an d an al y s i s

o f t h at cas e. See Ever

g r een Pa cka g i n g

, In c. v. P r a t h er , 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. 44 0

, 44 5 n .1 5 ( 7 3 4 SE2 d 2 0 9 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (“ Su ffi ce i t t o s ay , we are n ev er at l i b ert y t o i g n o re o r d i s reg ard a b i n d i n g p reced en t o f t h i s Co urt

. A un an im ou s d eci s i o n b y a t h ree-ju d g e

p an el of t h i s Co u rt rem ai ns b i n d i n g p reced en t u n t i l s u c h t i m e as i t i s m o d i fi ed o r

rev ers ed b y

t h is Co u rt en b an c o r o u r Su p rem e Co urt .”) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

5co n vi ct i o n m o re t han o n ce fo r an al l eg ed o ffen s e.’ ” 6 Here, as i n Zel ln er , t h e cri m es

al l eg ed i n th e t h ree i n s t an t cas es , wh ich are al l eg ed t o h a v e o c c u r r e d in 2 0 1 9

, are

b as ed o n en t i rel y s ep arat e ev en t s t h an t h at in 2 0 1 6

. “ T h u s , [Th o m as ] is n o t in

jeo p ard y o f b ei n g co n v i ct ed m o re t h an o n ce fo r t he s am e o ffen s e.” 7

Nex t

, as w e h av e prev i o u s l y ex p lai n ed

, t h e u s e o f t h e 2 0 1 9 cri m es as a b as i s

fo r h i s g u i l t ad

ju d i ca t i o n in t h e 2 0 1 6 cas e i s p erm i t ted b y t h e fi rs t o ffen d er s t at u t e,

wh i ch p ro v i d es t h at “ [t ] h e [t ri al ] co u rt m ay en ter an ad ju di cat i o n o f g u il t an d p ro ceed

t o s en t en ce t h e d efen d an t as o t h erwi se p ro v id e d b y l aw wh en t h e

. . . [d ] efen d an t

v i o l at es t h e term s o f h i s o r h er fi rs t o ffen der pro b at i o n .” 8 Th o m as w a s a c c u s ed

, in

p a r t

, o f v i o l at in g h i s fi rs t o ffen d er p ro b at i on i n t h e 2 0 16 cas e b y v io l at i n g cer t a i n

cri m i n al s t at u t es

.

W h et h er su ch a v io lat i o n o ccu rred i s d et erm i n ed b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f

t h e ev i den ce. Th u s, i n d eci d i n g wh e t h e r t o rev o k e [Th o m as ’ ] fi rs t

o ffen d er s t at u s i n t h e 2 0 16 cas e an d ad ju d i cat e h im g u i lt y

. . . , t h e t ri al

co u rt o n l y d et erm i n e d b y a prep o n d eran ce of t h e ev i d en ce th at he h ad

co m m i t t ed th e 2 0 1 [9 ] cri m es

. He was n o t co nv i c t e d o f t h os e cri m es

6 Id

. at 5 3 9

, q u o t in g Un i t ed S t a t es v. Di Fr a nces co , 4 4 9 U

. S. 1 1 7

, 1 2 7 (III) (1 0 1

SCt 4 26 6 6 LE2 d 3 2 8 ) (1 9 8 0 ).

7 Zel l n er , 3 53 at 5 2 9

.

8 Id ., q uo t i n g OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0 (d ) (1 ).

6wh en t h ey were u sed i n t hat m an n er, an d h e w as n o t sen t en ced fo r t h o s e

cri m es at t h e t im e. Th u s , t h e p res en t act i on [s d o ] n o t s u b ject [Th om as ]

t o . . . p o s s i b l e [s u b s eq u en t ] co n v i ct i o n [s ] o n t h e 2 0 19 ] . . . ch arg es

. 9

Fina lly

, w e f

ind m eri t l es s Th o m as ’ arg u m en t th at h i s p ro s ecu t i o n fo r t h e i n s t an t

cri m es i s b arred by OCGA § 16 -1 -8 (b ) (1 ), w h i ch pro v i des i n rel ev an t p art t h at “ [a]

p ro s ecu ti o n i s b a r r ed i f t h e accu s ed was fo rm erl y p ro s ecu t ed fo r a d i fferen t cri m e

.

. . i f s u ch fo rm er p ro s ecu t i o n

. . . [r] es u l t ed in

. . . a co n v i ct i o n

. . . an d t h e s u b s eq u en t

p ro s ecu ti o n

. . . i s fo r

. . . cri m e[s ] wh ich i n v ol v e[] t h e s am e co n du ct [.] ” As we

ex p lai n ed i n Zel l n er , t h e 2 0 1 9 cri m es i n v o lv e di fferen t co n d u ct t h an t h e cri m es fo r

wh i ch h e was co n vi ct ed i n t h e 2 0 1 6 cas e. 1 0 An d , co n t rary t o Th o m as ’ arg u m en t , h e

w as n o t co n v i ct ed o f t h e in s tan t cri m es in t h e 2 0 16 cas e; i n s t ead

, h i s fi rs t o f f e n d e r

s t at u s was rev o k ed an d h e was ad ju di cat ed gu i lt y an d co n v i ct ed o f th e cri m es al l eg ed

i n t he 2 0 1 6 i n d i ct m en t

.

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

d en , C. J., a nd

Ho d g es , J., co n cu r

.

9 Id

., ci t i n g OCGA § 4 2 -8 -3 4 .1 (b ); Y o u n g v. S ta t e , 2 6 5 Ga. Ap p

. 4 2 5

, 4 2 6 (5 9 4

SE2 d 6 6 7) (2 0 0 4).

1 0 Id . at 53 0

.

7