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

De c id e d: S e p te m

b e r 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

S 1 4 A0 9 0 1 . BROWN v . THE S TATE.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t Ty ro ne Vin c e n t Bro wn wa s c o n v ic te d b y a ju ry o f m u rd e r a n d

re la te d o ffe n se s fo r th e M a rc h 2 0

, 20 0 6 sh o o tin g d e a th s o f S ta nle y Bro wn a n d

No rris De gre e

. Ap pe lla n t a pp e a ls th e de n ia l o f h is a m e n d e d m o tio n fo r n e w

tria l, c o n te n d in g th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rro n e o u sly d e nie d h is m o tio n to su p p re ss.

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

. 1

1 On M arch 2 8 , 2 00 7 , a Cl ay t o n Co un t y g ran d ju ry i n d ict ed Ap p el l an t

, al o n g

wi t h co -d efen d an t s Kev i n M i ch ael Brewi n g t o n an d Gary Hak eem Bro w n, each wi th

t w o c o u n t s of m al i ce m

u rd er, fo u r co u n t s o f fel on y m u rd er, arm ed ro b b ery

, t wo

co u nt s o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t, t wo co u nt s o f p os s es si o n o f a w e a p o n d u r i n g t h e

co m m i s s io n o f a cri m e, d is ch arg e o f a fi rearm n ear a h i g h w ay

, an d d is ch arg e o f a

fi rearm o n t he p ro p ert y o f an ot h er. Th e g ran d ju ry al s o ch arg ed Ap p el l an t wi th

p o s s es s i o n o f a f

i rearm b y a co n v i ct ed fel o n

. Brewi n g t o n an d Gary Bro wn were

i n i t i al l y t ri ed b efo re a ju ry fro m No v e m b e r 1 6

- 2 4

, 2 0 0 9, an d Ap p el l an t 's t ri al was

s ev ered fro m t h at o f h i s co -d efen d an ts

. Th e t ri al o f Brewi n gt o n a n d G a r y Bro wn

res u l ted i n m i s tri al d u e t o a h u n g ju r y. T h e r e a f t er, d u ri ng J u ne 13 -2 2

, 2 0 1 1,

Ap p el l an t an d h i s co -d efen d an t s were t ri ed b efo re a ju ry

. On J u n e 2 2

, 2 01 1

, t h e ju ry

ret u rn ed a v erd i ct o f g u i l t y o n al l co u n t s as t o Ap p el l an t , ex cep t t h at fo r p o s s es s i o n

o f a fi rearm by a co nv i ct ed fel o n

, wh i ch was n ol l e p ro s s ed

. T h e co u rt decl ared a

m i s t ri al o n al l co u n t s as t o co -d efen d an t s Brewi n g t o n an d Gary Bro wn

. On J u n e 2 4,

2 0 1 1

, th e co u r t s e n t e n ced Ap p el l an t t o l i fe i m p ri s o n m en t fo r t h e m al ice m u rd er o fVie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa vo ra b le to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t, t h e e v i d e n c e

a d d u c e d a t tria l e sta b lish e d a s fo llo ws. On Ma rc h 2 0

, 2 0 0 6

, v i c t i m No rris

De g re e to ld h is w ife h e w a s le a vin g th e ir a p artm e n t to pic k u p v ic tim S ta nle y

Bro w n fro m wo rk

. La te r th a t e v e n in g

, De g re e ' s wife

, wh o wa s wa itin g fo r h im

a t th e ir a p a rtm e nt, h e a rd g u n sh o ts in th e d ista n c e

. M o me n t s la te r, De gre e

a b ru ptly e n te r e d h is a

p a rtm e n t a n d to ld his w ife to c a ll fo r an a m b u la n c e

b e c a u se h e a n d S ta n le y Bro wn h a d b e e n sh o t. T h ro u g h h is wife

, D e g re e re la y e d

to th e 91 1 op e ra to r th a t h e a n d S ta n le y B ro w n h a d b e e n sh o t by th re e bla c k m e n

we a r i n g a l l b la c k c lo th in g a n d th a t he d id n o t k n o w th e id e ntitie s of th e m e n

.

A Cla y to n Co u n ty po lic e o ffic e r re sp o n d e d to th e 9 1 1 c a ll a n d fo u n d S t a n l e y

Bro w n d e a d o n th e g ro u n d o u tsid e a n a p a rtm e n t. Th e o ffic e r fo u nd De g re e ly in g

in th e d o o rwa y o f a n a

p a rtm e n t su rro u n d e d b y h is wife a n d th re e c h ild re n a n d

St an l ey Bro wn ; a co n s ecu t iv e l i fe t erm fo r t h e m al i ce m u rd er o f N orri s Deg ree; a

co n cu rren t 2 0 -y ear t e r m fo r arm ed ro b b ery ; t wo co n s ecu t i v e fi v e-y ear t erm s

, t o b e

s erv ed co n cu rren tl y w i t h each o t h er, fo r t h e weap o ns p o s s es s i on co u n t s ; an d a 1 2

-

m o nt h t erm

, s u s p en d ed b as ed o n t i m e s erv ed

, fo r each co u n t o f d i s ch arg e o f a weap o n

n ear a h i g h way an d d is ch arg e o f a weap o n o n t h e p ro p ert y o f an o t h er. Th e rem ai n i n g

co u nt s m erg ed o r were v acat ed as a m at t er of law. Ap p el l an t fi l ed a m o ti o n fo r n ew

t ri al o n J u n e 2 8

, 2 0 11

, wh i ch was am en d ed o n Oct ob er 9

, 2 0 1 2

. Th e t ri al co u rt h el d

a h eari n g o n Ap p el lan t ’ s m o t i on f o r n ew t ri al o n O ct o ber 3 1

, 2 0 1 2, an d d en i ed t h e

m o ti o n i n an o rd er en t ered N o vem b er 2

, 2 0 1 2

. A pp el l an t fi l ed a n o t i ce o f ap p eal o n

No v em b er 1 9

, 2 0 1 2 . Th e ap p eal was d o ck et ed t o t h e Ap ri l 2 0 1 4 t erm of t h i s Co u rt

an d s ub m i t t ed fo r a d eci s i o n o n t h e b ri efs

.

2stru gg lin g to bre a th e

. De g re e d ie d m o m e n ts la te r.

S h a n n o n De a n

, wh o liv e d in sa m e a p artm e n t c o m

p le x a s De g re e

, te stifie d

a t tria l t h a t s h e k n e w Ap p e lla n t, a n d on th e e v e n in g o f th e sh o o tin g

, a ll th re e

c o -d e fe n d a n t s c a m e to h e r a p a rtm e n t lo o kin g fo r m a riju a n a

, with Ap p e lla n t

c a rry in g a g u n

. S h o rtly a fte r th e th re e m e n le ft he r a p a rtm e n t, sh e h e a rd six o r

se v e n g un sh o ts in su c c e ssio n

. De a n te stifie d th a t sh e we n t ou tsid e to a b a lc o n y

a n d sa w a ll th re e c o -d e fe n d a n ts sh o o tin g th e two v ic tim s, wh o we re o n th e ir

k n e e s a nd u n a rm e d

. De a n m a d e d ire c t e y e c o n ta c t with Ap p e lla n t a n d th e n ra n

in to h e r a p a rtm e n t, wh e re sh e sta y e d u n til p olic e a rriv e d. D e a n la te r id e n tifie d

a ll th re e c o -d e fe n d a n ts in p h oto g ra p h ic lin e u p s a s we ll a s a t tria l.

On Ma rc h 2 3

, 2 0 0 6

, lo c a l a n d fe d e ra l la w e n fo rc e m e n t o ffic ia ls c o n v e rg e d

o n a p a rtm e n t Z1 a t th e sa m e a p a rtm e n t c o m

p le x w h e re th e sh o o tin g s h a d

o c c u rre d to se rv e a fu g itiv e a rre st w a rra n t o n Bre win g to n. Offic e rs fo u n d

Bre win g to n

, A p p e lla nt, a nd a f e ma le in a

p a rtm e n t Z1 a n d p la c e d Bre win g to n

a n d Ap p e lla n t in c u sto d y

. Offic e rs c o nd u c te d a se c u rity swe e p o f a p artm e n t Z1

,

a n d b a se d o n th e ir ob se rv a tio n s, o f f i c e r s a p p lie d fo r b o th a fe d e ra l a n d sta te

se a rc h wa rra n t. P u r s u a n t to th e se se a rc h wa rra n ts, offic e rs d isc o v e re d se v e ra l

fire a rm s a nd a m m

u nitio n

.

3A fo re n sic p a th o lo g ist d e te rm in e d th a t S ta n le y Bro wn d ie d o f m u ltip le

g u n sh o t wo un d s, in c lu d in g wo u n d s to h i s c h e st an d h e a rt, a n d D e g re e d ie d o f

a gu n sh o t wo u n d t o h is b a c k

, wh ic h p ie rc e d h is lu n g

. Bu lle t fra g m e n ts

re c o v e re d fro m e a c h o f th e v i c tim s we re fire d fro m a T a u ru s nin e m illim e te r

p isto l, a n d o th e r bu lle t fra g m e n ts re c o v e re d so le ly fro m v ic tim S ta n le y Bro wn

we re fire d fro m a S m ith a n d W e sso n .3 8 c a lib e r re v o lv e r a n d a Ro ssi .3 8 sp e c ia l

re v o l v e r. Am o n g th e fire a rm s fo u n d in a

p a rtm e n t Z1 o n Ma rc h 2 3 we re a

Ta u ru s n in e m illim e te r p isto l, a S m ith a n d W e sso n .3 8 c a lib e r re v o l v e r

, a n d a

Ro ssi .3 8 sp e c ia l re v o lv e r.

1

. Th o u g h Ap pe lla n t h a s n o t e n u m e ra te d th e g e n e ra l gro u n d s, we fin d

th a t th e e v id e n c e a s su m

m a riz e d a b o ve wa s su ffic ie nt to e n a b le a ra tio n a l trie r

o f fa c t to c o n c lu d e be y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t th a t Ap p e lla n t wa s g u ilty o f th e

c rim e s o f wh ic h h e wa s c o n v ic te d

. Ja c k so n v

. Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U. S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 S Ct

2 7 8 1, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ); se e a ls o Ve g a v

. S ta te

, 2 8 5 Ga

. 3 2

, 3 3 (1 ) (6 7 3

S E2 d 22 3 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (“ ‘It wa s fo r th e ju ry to d e te rm in e th e c re d ib ility o f th e

witn e sse s a nd to re so lv e a n y c o n f l i c t s o r in c o n siste n c ie s in th e e v id e n c e .’” )

(c ita tio n o m itte d ).

2

. P rio r to tria l, th e c o u rt d e n ie d Ap p e lla n t’s m o t i o n s to su p p re ss a ll

4e v id e n c e a lle ge d ly ille g a lly o b ta in e d b y la w e n fo rc e m e n t a g e n ts d u rin g th e

se a rc h o f a

p a rtm e n t Z 1 o n Ma rc h 2 3

. On a p p e a l, Ap p e lla n t a r g u e s th e c o urt

e rro n e ou sly d e n ie d h is m o tio n s to su p p re ss b e c a u se th e Sta te fa ile d to p ro v e th a t

th e a rre st wa rra n t fo r Bre win g to n e x iste d a n d fa ile d to sh o w th a t th e p ro te c tiv e

swe e p o f a

p a rtm e n t Z1

, wh ic h le d to th e se a rc h w a r r a n ts, wa s le g a lly

p e rm issib le

. As a re su lt, Ap pe lla n t c o nte n d s th a t a ll o f t h e e vid e n c e o b ta in e d

th ro u g h th e e x e c u tio n o f th e se a rc h warra n ts sh o u ld h a v e b e e n e xc lu d e d

.

“ On a p p e lla te re v ie w o f a ru lin g on a m o tio n to su p p re ss, ‘th e tria l c o u rt' s

fin d in g s o n d isp u te d fa c ts will b e u p h e ld u n le ss c le a rly e rro n e ou s, a n d i ts

a p p lic a tio n o f th e la w to un d isp u te d fa c ts i s s u b je c t to d e n o v o re v ie w.’”

Re g iste v

. S ta te

, 2 9 2 Ga

. 1 5 4

, 1 5 5 -1 5 6 (7 3 4 SE2 d 1 9 ) (2 0 1 2 ). Up o n re v ie w, we

c o n sid e r b o th th e tra nsc rip t o f th e h e a rin g o n Ap p e lla n t’s m o tio ns to su p p re ss

a s we ll a s th e tria l tra n sc rip t. S e e Wh ite v

. S ta te

, 2 63 Ga

. 9 4 (5 ) (4 2 8 S E2 d 7 8 9 )

(1 9 9 3 ).

Th e F o u rth Am e n d m e n t p r o h i b its u n re a so n a ble se arc h e s a n d se iz u re s.

U.S . Co n st. Am e n d . IV; se e Ga . Co n st. o f 1 9 8 3 , Art. I, S e c . I, P a r. XIII.

“ In o rd e r to c la im th e p ro te c tio n o f th e Fo u rth Am e nd m e n t [a g a in st

u n re a so na

b le se a rc h a n d se iz u re ]

, a d e f e n d a n t m u s t d e m o n s t

r ate th a t

h e p e rso n a lly h a s a n e x p e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y in th e p la c e se a rc h e d

,

5a n d th a t h is e x p e c ta tio n is re a so n a ble

. . . . ” A p e rso n h a s a

le g itim a te e xp e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y in h is or h e r ho m e a n d m ay h a v e

a le g itim a te e x p e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y in a h o u se in wh ic h th e p e rso n

is a n o ve rn ig h t g u e st; h o we v e r, “ o n e wh o is m e re ly pre se n t with th e

c o n se n t o f th e h o u se h o ld e r m a y n o t [c la im th e p ro te c tio n o f th e

F o u rth Am e nd m e n t] .”

S m ith v

. S ta te

, 2 8 4 Ga

. 1 7

, 2 1 (3 ) (6 6 3 S E2 d 1 4 2 ) (2 0 08 ) (c ita tio n s o m itte d )

(b ra c ke ts in o rig in a l) (q u o tin g Min n e so ta v

. Ca rte r, 5 2 5 U. S

. 8 3

, 8 8

, 8 9 -9 0 (1 1 9

S Ct 4 6 9

, 1 4 2 LE 2 d 3 7 3 ) (1 99 8 )). “ A p e rso n w h o is a g g rie v e d b y a n ille g a l

se a rc h a n d se iz u re o n ly th ro u g h th e in tro d u c tio n of d a m a g in g e vid e n c e se c u re d

b y a se a rc h o f a th ird p e rso n ' s p re m ise s or p ro p e rty ha s n ot h a d a n y of h is F o u rth

Am e n dm e n t rig h ts in frin g e d .” Ra k a s v

. Illin o is, 43 9 U. S

. 1 2 8

, 1 3 4 (II) (A) (9 9

S Ct 42 1

, 5 8 LE2 d 3 8 7 (1 9 7 8 )). “ ‘Th e b u rd e n is o n th e d e fe n da n t to sh o w th a t

h e h as sta n d in g to c o n te st th e a lle g e d vio la tio n

, i.e

., th a t h e h a s a le g itim a te

e x p e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y in th e p re m ise s se a rc he d .’” Sta te v. C a rte r, 2 9 9 G a

. Ap p

.

3 , 4 (6 8 1 S E2 d 6 8 8 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

Th e e v id e n c e sh ows th a t a p a rtm e nt Z 1 wa s le a se d to a th ird p arty

, a n d

th e re wa s n o e v id e n c e o f ho w lo n g A p p e l la nt h a d b e e n in th e a p a rtm e n t o r

wh e th e r h e wa s a n o v e rn ig h t g u e st. 2 T h e re wa s a lso n o e vid e n c e o f a n y o f

2 Th e affi d av i t p rep ared b y o ne o f t h e o ffi cers i n s u p po rt o f h i s ap p l i cat i o n fo r

a s earch warran t s t at es t h at t h e fem al e fo u n d i n ap art m en t Z1 t o l d t he o ffi cer t h at

6Ap p e lla n t’s p e rso n a l be lo n g in g s in th e a p a rtm e n t. Th e on ly p o ssib le e x c e p tio n

i s t h a t o n e offic e r te stifie d th a t h e fo u n d “ p a pe rwo rk ” in th e a

p a rtm e n t w i t h

Ap p e lla n t’s na m e o n it, b u t th e o ffic e r d id n o t e la b o ra te fu rth e r. T h e re wa s n o

e v id e n c e p re se nte d to sh o w wh a t th is p a p e rwo rk c on siste d of a n d wh y it wa s a t

th e a p a rtm e nt. Th e m e re p re se n c e o f m isc e lla n e o u s p a p e rs b e a rin g Ap p e lla n t’s

n a m e

, with o u t a ny fu rth e r e v id e n c e c o nn e c tin g Ap p e ll a n t to th e a p a rtm e n t, is

in su ffic ie n t to c re a te a le g itim a te e x p e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y fo r Ap p e lla n t to c o n te st

th e se a rc h

. C f. Mo se s v. S ta te

,

_ _ _ Ga

. Ap p

.

_

_ _ , 7 6 0 SE2 d 21 7 (2 ) (a ) (2 0 1 4 )

(th e d e fe n d a n t h a d a n e x p e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y in th e h o u se wh ic h h e o wn e d

,

wh e re h e re c e iv e d m a il, a n d w h e r e h e k e p t p e rso n a l p ro p e rty in c lu d in g

id e n tific a tio n a n d p e rso na l p a p e rs). We fin d th a t Ap pe lla n t h a s n o t m e t h is

b u rd e n to d e m o n stra te th a t h e h a d a n y l e g itim a te e x p e c ta tio n o f priv a c y in

a p a rtm e nt Z1

, a

n d th e re fo re

, h e m a y n o t c la im t h e p ro te c tio n s o f th e F o u rth

Am e n dm e n t to c h a lle n g e th e se a rc h

. S e e S ta te v

. Ca rte r, 3 05 Ga

. Ap p. 8 1 4 (1 )

(7 0 1 S E2 d 2 0 9 ) (2 01 0) (n o le g itim a te e x pe c ta tio n o f p riv a c y to c on te st a se arc h

wh e re th e re wa s n o e v id e n c e o f h o w lo ng th e d e fe n d a n ts h a d b e e n a t th e h o u se

,

Ap p el l an t l i ved i n t h e ap art m en t

. Th i s i s i n ad m i s s i b le h ears ay . See fo rm er OCGA

§ 2 4-3 -1

, n o w co d i fi ed at OCGA § 2 4 -8 -8 01 u nd er t h e n ew Geo rg i a Ev i d en ce Co de.

7th a t th e re n te r h a d a uth o riz e d d e fe nd an ts to b e th e re

, or th a t th e y we re ov e rn ig h t

g u e s t s ) ; To d d v

. S ta te

, 2 7 5 Ga

. Ap p

. 4 5 9 (1 ) (6 2 0 S E2 d 6 6 6 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (n o

le g itim a te e xp e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y wh e re th e d e fe n d a n t c o n c e d e d th a t th e m o b ile

h o m e wa s o wn e d b y a frie n d a n d h e fa ile d to c o m e fo rwa rd with a n y e v id e n c e

to su g g e st th a t h e h a d a le g itim a te e x p e c ta tio n o f p riv a c y in th e m o b ile h o m e ).

Ac c o rd in g ly

, th e tria l c o u rt d id n ot e rr in d e n y in g A p p e l la nt’s m otio n s to

su p p re ss.

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

8