FI RST DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, C. J.

, A NDREWS, P. J.

, and RA Y, 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.

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

Septem ber 15, 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 89 1 . STATE v . W ALLACE

R A Y , J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a t raffi c s t op

, Ch arl es W al l ace w as ch arg e d wi t h p o s s es s i o n o f

m ari ju an a wi t h i n t en t t o d i s t ri b u t e (OCGA § 1 6-1 3

- 3 0 (j) (1 )), d ri v i n g wi t h a

s u s p en d ed l i cen s e (OCGA § 4 0 -5 -1 2 1 (a)), an d i m pro p er l an e ch an g e (OCGA § 4 0 -6

-

4 8 (1 )). W al l ace fi l ed a m ot i o n t o s u p p res s al l ev i d en ce reco v ered d uri n g t h e s earch

o f h i s v eh i cl e, ch al l en gi n g t h e b as i s fo r t h e t raffi c st op an d al l e g i n g t h at l aw

en fo rcem en t l ack ed p ro bab l e cau s e t o d e t ai n h i m an d s earch h i s v eh i cl e. T h e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed th e m o ti o n t o s u p p r es s

, h o wev er, o n t h e b as i s th at t h e St at e fai l ed to

es t ab l i s h v en u e at t h e p re-t ri al s u p p r e s s i o n h eari n g

. Th e St at e ap p eal s, co n t en d i n gt h at t h e tri al co u rt m i s ap p l i ed t h e l aw w h en i t s u p p res s ed t h e ev id en ce o n t h at b as i s

. 1

Fo r t h e reas o n s th at fo l l o w, we rev ers e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t an d rem an d t h i s cas e

fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i n g s co n si s t en t wi t h t h i s o p i n i o n.

“ W h en t h e ev i den c e a t a s up p res s i o n h eari n g i s un co nt ro v ert ed an d t h e

cred i b i l i t y o f wi tn es s es i s n ot i n q u es t i on

, w e co n d uct a d e n o vo rev i e w o f t h e t ri al

co u rt ’s ap p l icat i o n o f t h e l aw t o t h e u n di s p u t ed fact s .” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Jo n es v.

S t a t e , 2 9 1 Ga. 3 5, 3 6 -3 7 (1 ) (7 2 7 SE2 d 4 5 6 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

Th e reco rd s ho ws t h at on Au g u s t 27

, 2 0 1 5, t wo o ffi cers o f t h e At l an ta Po l i ce

Dep art m en t in it i at ed a t raffi c s t o p b ecau s e t he v eh i cl e o p erat ed b y W al l ace m ad e an

ab ru p t an d i m

pro p er l an e ch an g e wi t h o u t u s in g i t s t u rn s i g n a l

. A s th e t wo o ffi cers

ap p ro ach ed W al l ace’ s car, t hey s m el l ed a s t r o n g o d o r o f m ari ju an a co m i n g fro m

i n s i d e t he v eh i cl e. Du ri n g i n i t i al q u es t i o n i n g

, W al l ace s tat ed t h at h e d i d n o t h av e a

d ri v er’ s l i cen s e, an d a co m p u t er ch eck o f t h e i d en t i fi cat i o n in fo rm at io n th at W al l ace

p ro v id ed t o t h e o ffi cers rev eal ed t h at h i s d ri v er’ s li cen s e had b een s u s p en ded

. Bas ed

o n t h e offi cers ’ d et ect i o n o f t h e o d o r o f m ari ju an a, W al l ace’ s veh i cl e was search ed

an d a l arg e v acu u m -s ea l e d b ag an d s ev eral s m al l er san d wi ch b ag s co n t ai n i n g

1 Al t h o u g h w e ex t en d ed t h e t i m e fo r W al l ace t o fi l e an a p p el l ee b ri ef, h e d id

n o t fi le a b ri ef i n res po n s e t o t h e St at e’ s a p p e a l

. Ad d i t i o n al l y

, we n ot e t h at n o

ap p earan ce was m ad e b y ap p el l ee’ s co u n sel at o ral arg u m en t

.

2m ari

ju an a, al o ng wi t h a d i g i t al s cal e, were fo u n d i n a b oo k b ag o n th e p as s en g er s i d e

fl oo rb o ard o f hi s v eh i cl e. W al l ace’ s pers o n wa s a l s o s earch ed

, an d $ 3 65 i n s m al l

d en om i n at i o n s were fo u n d i n h i s fro n t p o ck et

.

W al l ace’ s wri tt en m o t io n t o s u p p res s was p rem i s ed o n t h e g ro u nd s t h at t h e

o ffi cers l ack ed a r e a s o n ab l e b as i s fo r t h e t raffi c s t o p an d lack ed p ro b ab l e cau s e to

d et ai n hi m an d s earch h is v eh icl e. At t h e p r e

- t r i a l h eari n g o n t h e m o t i o n

, th e St at e

p res en t ed ev i d en ce t h at was n arro w l y t ai lo red fo r t h e t ri al co u r t ’s c o n si d erat i o n o f

t h e s e i s s u es

. Al t h o u g h t h e St at e es t ab l i s h ed th at th e t raffi c s t o p an d t h e res u l t i n g

s earch an d s ei zu re occu rred i n At l an t a o n M art i n Lu t h er Ki n g

, Jr. Dri v e, i t i s

u n d i s p u t ed t h at t h e St at e d i d n o t at t em p t t o es t ab li s h v en u e i n Fu l to n Co u n t y

.

At t h e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e pre-t ri al h eari n g

, W al l ace m o v ed t o h av e t h e ev i d en ce

s u p p res s ed o n t h e g ro u n d t h at t h e St at e d i d no t es t ab l i s h v en u e. Ap p aren t l y wi t h o ut

ad d res s i n g t h e i s s u es rai s ed i n t h e wri t t en m o ti o n t o s up p res s, t h e t ri al co u rt

s u p p res s ed t h e ev i d en ce an d d i s m i s s ed t h e cas e on t h e n arro w bas i s t h at t h e St at e

“ fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h v en u e o f t h i s cas e wi t hi n Fu l t o n Co u nt y .” Th is ap p eal en s u ed

.

1

. Th e St at e arg u es t h at v en u e is a ju ri s d ict i o n al fact to b e p ro v en at t ri al

, an d

t h at i t has n o b eari n g o n t he rel ev an t i s s ues o f wh et her t h e o ffi cers h ad a reas o n ab l e

b as i s fo r t h e t raffi c s to p o r wh et her t h e w arran t l es s s earch o f t h e v eh i cl e was

3s u p p ort ed b y p ro b ab l e cau se. Acco rd i ng l y

, t he St at e co n t en d s t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred

i n g ran t i n g t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p res s o n t h e b as i s o f v en u e. W e ag ree.

Geo rg i a’ s ex cl u s i on ary ru l e, co d i fi ed at O C G A § 1 7 -5 -3 0

, p ro v i d es fo r t h e

s u p p res s i o n of ev i d en ce ob t ai n ed fro m an un l awfu l s earch

. See OCGA § 1 7 -5 -3 0 (a);

Ha r vey v. S t a t e

, 2 6 6 G a. 6 7 1

, 6 7 2 (4 6 9 SE2 d 1 76 ) (1 99 6 ); Bo a t r i g h t v. S t at e

, 2 2 5 Ga.

Ap p

. 1 81

, 1 8 3 (2 ) (4 8 3 SE2 d 6 5 9 ) (1 9 9 7 ). Th e ex cl u s i o n o f ev i d en ce i s n o t a

co n st i t u t io n al ri g h t ; i t i s a ju d i ci al l y creat ed rem ed y 2 wh i ch act s as a d et erren t to

s afeg u ard a p ers o n ’ s Fo u rt h Am en d m en t ri gh t ag ai n s t un reas o n ab l e s e a rch es an d

s ei zu res

. See U. S. CONST. am en d

. IV; Bl a ck v. W i g i n g t o n

, 81 1 F.3 d 1 25 9

, 1 2 6 7 (III)

(B) (1 1 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 6 ); Ha r vey

, s u p ra at 6 7 1; S ta t e v. Y o u ng

, 2 3 4 Ga. 4 8 8

, 4 9 1 (1 ) (2 1 6

SE2 d 5 8 6) (1 9 7 5).

Ven u e rel at es t o t h e p l a ce o f t h e t r i a l b ecau s e cri m i n al act i o n s are req u i red to

b e t r ied i n t h e co u n t y wh ere th e cri m e o ccu rred

, u nl es s o t h erwi s e p ro v i d ed b y l aw. 3

See Ga. Co n s t . o f 1 9 8 3 , Art . VI, Sec. II, Par. VI; OCGA § 1 7 -2 -2 (a). Acco rd i n g l y

,

v en ue i s a j u ri s d i ct i on al fact an d an el em en t o f th e cri m e wh i ch t h e St at e m u s t p ro v e

2 W e n ot e, o f co u rs e, th at i n Geo rg i a t he ex cl u s i o n ary ru l e h as b een s t at u t o ri l y

ad o pt ed b y

t h e Gen eral As s em

b l y

.

3 W e n o te t h at t h e fo rm al accu s at i o n ch arg i n g W al l ace wi t h t he s t at ed o ffen s es

al l eg es t h at t h e o ffen ses o ccu rred i n Fu l t o n Co un t y

.

4b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o ub t at t ri al

. See Twi t t y v. St a t e

, 2 9 8 G a. 2 0 4

, 2 0 6 (2 ) (7 7 9

SE2 d 2 98 ) (2 0 1 5); Gr ah a m v. S t a t e

, 2 7 5 Ga. 2 90

, 2 9 2 (2 ) (5 6 5 SE2 d 46 7 ) (2 0 0 2 );

S t a t e v. H a ss on

, 3 3 4 Ga. A p p

. 1, 4 (1 ) (7 7 8 SE2 d 1 5 ) (2 01 5 ); Mo ck v. S t a t e

, 3 0 6 Ga.

Ap p

. 93

, 9 6 (1 ) (7 01 SE2 d 56 7 ) (2 0 1 0 ). Ul t i m at el y

, i t is u p to t h e t ri er o f fact at t ri al

t o d et erm i n e wh et h er v en u e has b e e n s u ffi ci en t l y es t ab l i s h ed

. 4 See G r a h am

, s u p ra.

Th e St at e d i d no t n eed t o es t ab li s h v en u e at t h e p ret ri al h eari n g o n W al l ace’ s m o t i o n

t o s u p p res s as i t was n o t rel ev an t t o t h e i ss u es rai s ed i n h i s wri t t en m ot i o n

.

As t h e i ss u e o f v en u e has n o b eari ng o n wh et h er t h e offi cers h ad a reas o n ab l e

b as i s fo r t h e t raffi c s t o p o r wh et h er t h e res u l t i n g search o f Wa l l ace an d hi s v eh i cl e

were s up p o rt ed b y p ro b ab l e cau s e, we fi n d t h at i t was erro n eo u s fo r t he t ri al co u rt to

s u p p res s t h e ev id en ce o n t h e b as i s o f v e n u e

. “ [W ] h ere i t i s ap p aren t t h at t h e co u rt

res t s i t s ju d g m en t o n reas o n s wh i ch are erro n eo us o r u p o n an erro n eo u s l eg al t h eo ry

,

i t co m m i t s rev ers i b l e erro r.” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) S ta t e v. W il l i s

, 1 8 4

Ga. A p p

. 6 3 9

, 64 1 (2 ) (3 6 2 SE2 d 4 4 4 ) (1 9 8 7 ). In reach i n g i t s d eci s i o n o n t h e n arro w

g ro u nd s st at ed i n i t s wri t t en o rd er, i t i s ap p aren t th at t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ad dres s t h e

4 N o t ab l y

, ev en t h e St at e’ s f a i l u r e t o es t ab l i s h v en u e a t t r i a l wi l l no t b ar t h e

ret ri al o f a cri m i n al d efen d an t fo r t h e s am e o ffen s e becau s e t h e fai l u re to es t ab l i s h

v en ue i s a p ro ced u ral d efect wh i ch m ay b e cu red b y t h e St at e up o n ret ri al

. S t o cka r d

v. S t at e

, 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 18 4

, 1 8 8 -1 8 9 (2 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 3 5 1 ) (2 0 1 4 ); Hu d s on v. S t a t e

, 2 9 6

Ga. Ap p

. 7 5 8

, 7 6 0 (1 ) (6 7 5 SE2 d 6 0 3 ) (2 0 0 9). Acco rd Twi tt y

, su p ra at 2 0 7 -2 0 8 (2 ).

5m eri t s o f t h e i s s u es rai s ed i n W al l ace’ s wri t t en m ot i o n t o su p pres s

. Acco rd i n g l y

, we

rev ers e th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t a n d r e m a n d t h e cas e wi t h d irect i o n t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt m ak e a d et erm i n at i o n o n wh et h er th e o ffi cers h a d a reas on ab le b as i s fo r t h e

t raffi c s t o p an d wh et h er t he res u l t i n g s earch was s u p p o rt ed b y p ro b ab l e cau s e, aft er

co n si d erat io n o f t h e ev i d en ce t hat w as p res en t ed at t h e h eari ng

. See g en eral l y

, S t a t e

v. Ho ga n s

, 3 01 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 1

, 2 64 (2 ) (6 8 7 SE2 d 2 3 0 ) (2 0 0 9); S ta te v. W i l l i s

, 2 0 7 Ga.

Ap p . 7 6 , 7 7 (4 2 7 SE2 d 3 0 6 ) (1 9 9 3 ).

2

. Th e St at e al s o arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g t h e m o t i o n to

s u p p res s o n th e b as i s o f v en u e b ecau se W al l ace d i d n o t rai se t h e i s s u e i n h i s wri t t en

m o ti o n to s u p p res s an d, t h u s

, t h e St at e was n o t p ro perl y p l a c e d o n n o ti ce t h at t h e

i s su e o f v en u e wo u l d b e rai s ed at t h e h eari n g . In l i g ht o f o u r h o l d i n g in Di vi s i o n 1,

we n eed n o t ad d res s t h i s arg u m en t

.

Ju d g men t rever

s ed a n d ca se rema n d

ed wi t h d i r ect i o n

. Do

yl e, C. J., a n d

An d rews , P. J., co n cu r

.

6