SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI N, JJ.

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

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

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Januar y 10, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 44 0 . GRIM ES v . THE STATE.

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a ju ry t ri al

, t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f W al k er Co u n t y en t ered a ju d g m en t

o f co nv i ct i o n ag ai n s t Ol l i e Les t er Gri m es fo r fo ur co u n t s o f ag g rav at ed s o d o m y

, fo u r

co u nt s of ag grav at ed s ex u al b at t ery

, t hree co u n t s o f ch i l d m o les t at io n

, t wo co u n t s o f

ag g rav at ed ch il d m o l e s t a ti o n

, o n e co u n t o f rap e, n i n e co u n t s o f sex u al ex p l o i t at i o n

o f ch i l d ren

, an d fo u r co u n t s o f p o s s es s i o n of a fi rearm b y a co n v i ct ed fel o n. Gri m es

ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en ial o f h i s m ot i o n fo r n ew t ri al as am en d ed

, arg u i n g

t h at : (1 ) t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g hi s sp eci al d em urrer; (2 ) th e t ri al co u rt erred

i n ad m i t t in g o t h er act s ev i d en ce b ecau s e i t d i d n o t i den ti fy t h e p u rp o s e fo r wh i ch t h e

ev i d en ce was ad m i t t ed ; an d (3 ) h e recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f t ri al co u n s el

. Fo r

t h e fo l lo wi n g reas o ns , we affi rm

.Vi ewed i n a li g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, 1 th e ev i d en ce ad du ced at t ri al

r e v e a l e d t h at Gri m es res i d ed wi t h h i s fi an cé, K

. D., i n W al k er Co u n t y

. Th ree o f K

.

D.’ s gran d d au g h t ers al s o l i ved wi t h t h e co u p le: ei gh t -y ear-o ld G

., s ev en -y ear-o l d A.,

an d t h ree-y ear-o l d K. On t h e ev en i n g o f J an u ary 3

, 2 01 7 , as K. D. wal k ed fro m h er

b ed ro o m t o t h e d i n i n g ro om fo r a d ri n k

, s h e l o o k ed i n t o G. an d A.’ s b ed ro o m an d s aw

Gri m es faci n g t h e g i rl s ’ bu n k b ed an d “ ki n d of s way i n g, m o v in g s o m et h i n g t h at ju s t

d i d n ’ t l o o k ri g h t.”

As K. D. en tered t h e ro o m t o i n v es t i g at e, Gri m es s a i d

, “ [ n ]o th i n g i s g o i n g

o n [,] ” b u t as K. D. wal k ed pas t h i m t o ward t h e bed

, G ri m es s ai d

, “ I was ju s t ru b b i n g

i t

. ” K. D. t h en s aw G. b en t o v er o n t h e b ed

, n u d e f r o m t h e w ai s t d o wn

, wi t h h er

cl o t h es at h er an k l es ; Gri m es h ad b een s t an di n g ri g h t beh i n d G. wh en K. D

. en t ered

t h e ro o m

. K. D. as k ed G. wh at h ap pen ed an d a s s u r e d h e r th at s h e wo u l d no t b e in

t r o u b l e

, a n d G. t o l d h er t h at G ri m es “ was s t i ck i n g h i s d i ck i n [h er] b u t t

. ” G. al s o

s t at ed t hat Gri m es “ d i d [A.] i n t h e fro n t an d h e r i n t h e b ack ” an d t h at “ he h ad d o n e

i t b efo re[.] ” W h en G. s t at ed t hat t h e ab u s e h ad “ b een g o i n g on fo r a co u p l e of y ears ,”

Gri m es v o lu n t eered t hat “ [i ] t h as n ’ t b een g o i n g o n t hat l o n g .”

1 See, e.g

, Ber n a l v. S t a t e , 3 5 8 Ga. Ap p . 6 8 1 , 6 8 2 (8 5 6 SE2 d 6 4) (2 02 1 ).

2K. D. o rd ered Gri m es t o l eav e i m m ed iat el y

, b u t b efo re he l e ft t h e ro o m

, h e

wal k ed o v er to a co m

p ut er i n t h e g i rl s ’ ro o m “ an d s at d o wn an d d i d s o m et h i n g .” He

t h en p l ead ed wi t h K. D

. n o t t o cal l t h e p o l i ce a nd s ai d

, “ I can ’ t g o t o jai l

. If I g o to

jai l

, I wo n ’ t g et an y h el p i n jai l .” K. D. g at h ered A

. a n d G. an d t o ok t h em t o h er

b ed ro o m wh i l e Gri m es g o t d res s ed an d l eft

. K. D. t h en cal l ed h er d au g h t er, R. D. (t h e

ch i l d ren ’ s m o t her), an d t o l d h er ab o u t Gri m es ’ ab u s e. R. D., wh o was o n h er way to

wo rk , t urn ed aro u n d an d d ro v e b ack t o Gri m es ’ res i d en ce, cal l i n g t he p o l i ce o n t h e

way

. W h en R. D. arri ved

, G. ap o l o g ized fo r n o t rev eal i ng Gri m es ’ ab u s e s o o n er, an d

al s o s t at ed t h at “ s o m et im es [Gri m es ] wo u l d m ak e [K.] s u ck h i s d i ck .”

At s o m e po i n t t hat ev en i n g

, Gri m es cal l ed h i s s o n an d s ai d he “ g o t c a u g ht

m es s i n g wi t h t h e g i rl s .” Th e t wo m et at a gas st at io n an d a fas t fo od res t au ran t

, d u ri n g

wh i ch G r i m e s s h a red m ore d et ai l s o f t he ab u se wi t h h is s o n

, i n cl u d i n g t h at Gri m es

h ad “ b een to u ch i n g t h e g i rl s an d d o i n g pret t y m u ch ev ery th i ng wi t h t h em

, to i n cl u d e

u s i n g l i k e t o y s an d s tu ff o n t h em .” Gri m es was n o t s u re wh en t h e ab us e b e g an

, b ut

t h o u g h t t hat i t was s o m et i m e aft er 2 0 1 4

. Gri m es al s o gav e h is s o n a l ap t o p

, in d i cat i n g

t h at i t had b een wi p ed u s i n g “ t h e s am e th i n g t h at Hi l l ary Cl i n to n u s ed i n h er

em ai l s [,] ” an d t h at it i n cl u ded “ v i d eo s an d pi ct u res o f t h e g i rl s an d o t h er s t u ff o f t h at

n at u re. . . .” G ri m es al s o s i g n ed t h e t i tl e t o h i s t ru ck o v er t o h is s o n

, aft er wh i ch t h e

3s o n d i s co v ered a fl as h d ri v e u n d er t h e d ri ver’ s s eat t h at co n tai n ed ch i l d p orn o g rap h y

.

Gri m es ’ s o n co n t act ed a p o li ce d et ect iv e an d s u rren dered t h e co m p u ter, fl as h d ri ve,

an d Gri m es ’ cel l u l ar tel e p h o n e

. F o ren s i c i n ves t i g at i o n b y th e Geo rg i a Bu reau o f

In v es t i g at i o n fo u nd a cach e o f ch i l d p o rn o grap h y o n each d ev i ce.

Du ri n g fo ren s i c i nt erv i ews t h e n ex t d ay

, G

. a n d A. reco un t ed Gri m es ’ ab u s e

i n grap h i c d et ai l

. Bo t h A

. an d G. u n d erwen t a p h y s i cal ex am ; w h i l e G.’ s ex am i n at i o n

was u nrem ark ab l e, A .’ s ex am i n at i o n rev eal ed b ru i s i n g an d t eari n g o f h er hy m en an d

t eari n g i n t he an u s

. A s a res ul t

, t h e n u rs e wh o p erfo rm ed t h e ex am i n at i on s co n cl u d ed

t h at A.’ s ex am i n at io n “ was s u s p i ci o u s fo r ab u s e.” A n urs e al s o co ll ect ed a rap e k i t

fro m G

., d u ri n g wh i ch G. d es cri b ed Gri m es ’ act s o f an al s o d o m y o n h er, i n cl u d i n g

u s i n g h i s fi n g ers an d a v i b rat or. Sci en ti fi c t es t i n g o f a s w ab o f G .’ s rect u m rev eal ed

b o t h h er DNA an d DNA co ns i st en t wi t h Gri m es

.

A se a r c h of G r i m es ’ res i den ce rev eal ed an o th er co m p u t er an d s e ve r a l f

ir e a r m s. 2

In s i d e G. an d A.’ s b ed ro o m

, d et ect i v es fo u nd a han d gu n

, en erg y dri n k s

, s ev eral p en i s

ri ng s

, an d an em

p t y b l i s t er p ack o f g en eri c Vi ag ra. Det ect i ves al s o fo u n d o t h er ad u l t

2 Gri m es p rev i ou s ly pl ed g u i l t y t o a ch arg e of ch i l d ab u se i n Ham i l to n Co u n t y

, Ten nes see an d ad m it t ed o n cro s s -ex am i n at i o n t h at h e co u l d n o t p o s s es s fi rearm s as

a co n vi ct ed fel o n.

4t o y s in t h e res i den ce, i n cl ud in g a v i brat o r an d a di l d o t hat ap p eared t o h av e b een u s ed

i n v i d eo s fo u nd o n Gri m es ’ co m p u t er.

Gri m es t es t i fi ed at t r i a l an d d en i ed t h at h e ev er t o uch ed t h e v i ct i m s

i n ap p ro p ri at el y

, d i s p l ay ed ad u l t t o y s t o t h em

, o r v i ewed ch i l d p o rn o g rap hy

. 3 A ju ry

fo u n d Gri m es gu i l t y o f each co u n t ag ai n s t h i m

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en ied Gri m es ’ m o t i o n

fo r n ew t ri al as am en d ed , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

. 4

1

. In h i s fi rs t en u m erat i o n

, Gri m es co n ten d s t hat th e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g

h i s s p eci al d em

urrer. G ri m es arg u es t h at : (1 ) d es p i t e t es t i m o n y t h at t h e o ffen s es

ch arg ed i n Co u n t s 2, 4

, an d 5 o ccu rred o n a s p eci fi c d at e, t h e i nd i c t m e n t f o r t h o s e

o ffen s es co n tai n ed a d at e ran g e o f o v er t w o y ears ; an d (2 ) Co u nt s 9 t h ro u g h 1 3 o f t h e

i n d i ct m en t s h o u ld h av e b een qu as h ed

. Becau s e Gri m es fai led t o i n cl u d e a tran s cri pt

o f t h e h eari n g o n t h e d em u rrer, h o w ev er, we m

us t affi rm

.

In i t i al l y

, Gri m es fi l ed a g en eri c s p eci al d em u rrer arg u i n g t h a t t h e i n d i ct m en t

was d efect i v e b ecau s e i t “ fai l [ed ] t o fu l l y i n fo rm h i m o f t h e ch arg e ag ai n s t h i m s o t h at

h e m ay p ro p erl y p rep are h i s d efen s e.” In an am en d ed s p eci al d em u rrer, Gri m es n o t ed

3 Ho wev er, i n res p o n s e t o a qu es t i o n du ri n g cro s s -ex am in at io n

, G ri m es s t at ed

,

“ I d i d n ’ t t rad e m

y ch il d p o rn .”

4 Gri m es d o es n o t co n t es t t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce.

5t h at t h e d at e ran g e fo r Co u n t s 1 t h ro u g h 8 an d Co u n t s 9 th ro u gh 1 3 was g i v en as

“ b et ween t he 1 s t d ay o f J an u ary 2 0 1 5 an d t h e 3 rd d ay o f J an u ary 2 0 1 7

, th e ex act d at e

b ei n g u n k n o w n t o t h e G ran d J u ro rs [; ] ” He arg u ed t h at th e d at e ran ge, wh i ch

en co m p as s ed “ a v ari et y o f di fferen t o ffen s es i n v o l v i n g t h ree d i fferen t v ict i m s ” an d

en d ed “ o n t h e d at e of [h i s ] arres t ,” was arb i t rary . “ [A] ft er h eari n g ev i den ce an d t h e

arg u m en t o f co u n s el ,” t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed Gri m es ’ d em u rrer.

“ It i s wel l es t ab l i s h ed t h at t h e b urd en i s o n th e ap p el l a n t t o a rran g e fo r t h e

p rep arat i o n an d fi l i n g o f t h e t ran s cri p t o f t h e l o wer co u rt p ro ceed i n g s .” (Ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Hen s l ey v. Y o u ng , 2 7 3 Ga. Ap p . 6 8 7 (6 1 5 SE2 d 7 7 1 ) (2 0 0 5 ).

“ M oreo v er, wh ere an o m i t ted t ran s cri p t i s n eces s ary fo r t h i s Co u rt t o rev i ew t h e

al l eg ed erro r, we are req ui red t o p res u m e t h at t h e l o w er co u rt ru led co rrect l y an d t h at

t h e ev i d en ce p res en t ed at t h e h eari n g s u p p o rt ed t h at co urt ’ s ju d g m en t .” Id

.

In t h i s cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i ng G r i m e s ’ d em u rrer s t at es t h at i t

co n du ct ed an ev id en t i ary h eari n g, an d G r i m e s ’ no t i ce o f ap p eal req u es t ed t h at a

“ [t ] ran s cri p t o f ev id en ce an d pro ceed i n g s i n i ts en t i ret y

, i n cl u d i n g t ran s cri p t an d

reco rd wi t h i nd ex fro m p re-t ri al

, t ri al

, sen t en ci n g an d h eari n g o n t h e M o ti o n fo r New

Tri al

, . . . b e tran s m it t ed t o t h e Co u rt o f Ap p eal s

. . . .” Ho w ev er, n o t ran s cri p t o f s u ch

a h eari n g was recei v ed b y t h is Co u rt

, an d n ei t h er p art y has m o v ed t o s u p p lem en t t h e

6reco rd t o i n cl u d e th e t ran s cri p t

. “ [ I ]t was [Gri m es ’ ] b u rd en t o en s u re t h at t h e

t ran s cri p t was i ncl u d e d i n th e reco rd t ran sm i t ted o n ap peal .” Ca r r o l l v. Pi ed mo nt

Med i ca l Ca r e Co r

p

., 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p. 3 4 8

, 3 50

, n

. 5 (8 3 4 SE2 d 8 6 8 ) (2 0 1 9 ). “ In t h e

ab s en ce o f t h e t ran s cri p t

, to t h e ex t en t t h at an y ad d i t i o n al ev i d en ce was p res en t ed at

t h e h eari n g

, w e pres u m e t h at ev i d en ce s up p ort ed t h e t r i a l co urt ’ s ru l i n g .” Id

.

Th erefo re, we m

u s t affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g Gri m es ’ s p eci al d em u rrer.

2

. Nex t, Gri m es as s ert s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n al l o wi ng o t h er act s ev i d en ce

wi t h o u t s p eci fy in g t h e p u rp o s e fo r wh i ch t h e ev i d en ce h ad b een a d m i t t ed

. Th i s

en u m erat i o n p res en t s n o t h i n g fo r o u r rev iew. Al t h o u g h Gri m es en u m erat ed t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s ru l i n g as erro r, h i s o p en i n g b ri ef co n t ai n s n o arg u m en t o r ci tat i o n o f au t h o ri t y

i n s u pp o rt o f t h e en um erat i o n

. See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (c) (2 ) (“ An y

en u m erat i o n o f erro r th at i s n o t s u p p o rt ed in t h e b ri ef b y c i t a t i o n o f au t h o ri t y o r

arg u m en t m ay b e d e em ed ab an d on ed .”). Th erefo re, t h i s en u m erat i o n i s d eem ed

ab an do n ed

. See, e.g

., Pa t t er s on v. S t a t e

, 32 7 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 5

, 6 9 8 (3 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 1 0 1 )

(2 0 1 4) (d eem i n g cl ai m s ab an do n ed t h at were n o t “ s u p p o rt ed wi t h an y

. . . arg u m en t

,

ci t at i o n s t o t h e reco rd , o r l eg al au t h o ri t y ”).

3

. Fi nal l y

, Gri m es arg u es t h at h e recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f t ri al co u n s el

d u e t o co u n s el ’ s fai l u re t o o b ject t o cro s s -ex am i nat i o n q u es ti o n s t h at referred t o h i s

7co n vers at i on s wi t h a no n -t es t ify i n g i n fo rm an t

, wh i c h “ dep ri ved [Gri m es ] o f h i s

[S] ix t h Am en d m e n t r i g h t t o co n fro n t t he ev id en ce b ei n g o ffered ag ai n st h i m [.] ”

Ho wev er, a rev i ew o f t he reco rd rev eal s t h at Gri m es di d no t as s ert t h i s g ro u n d “ i n h i s

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

, h i s am en d ed m o t io n fo r new t ri al

, o r at t h e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

h eari n g .” Ki r

kl a n d v. S t a t e

, 3 1 5 Ga. Ap p . 1 4 3 , 1 5 0 (8 ) (7 2 6 SE2 d 6 4 4 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

In t h e h eari ng o n Gri m es ’ m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al , p o s t -ju d gm en t co u n sel s t at ed

d u ri n g h i s cl o s i n g arg u m en t th at tri al co u n sel “ fai l [ed ] t o en t er an o b ject i o n t o wh at

was a c l ev er way o f g o i n g aro u n d h ears ay fo r t h e s t at em en t s co n cern i n g [t h e

i n fo rm an t ] .” Al t h o u gh G ri m es ’ p o s t -ju d g m en t co u n sel arg u ed t hat t ri al co u n s el

“ fai l [ed ] t o o b

ject t o hears ay ev i d en ce/ i m p each m en t ev i d en ce,” t h e s p eci fi c g ro u n d

t h at t ri al co u n s el fai led t o ob ject b as ed u p o n a v i o l at i on o f Gri m es ’ Si x th Am en d m en t

ri gh t of co n fro n t at i on was n o t rai s ed u n ti l G ri m es ’ op en in g b ri ef i n th i s Co u rt

. As a

res u l t, t h i s al l eg at i o n of ine f fect i v e as s i s t an ce i s “ deem ed wai ved becau s e a d efen d an t

i s o bl i g at ed t o rai se al l a l l e g a t i o n s o f i n effect i v en es s o f co u n s el at t h e earl ies t

p ract i c a b l e m om en t .” (Ci tat i o n s an d p u n ct uat i on o m it t ed .) Ki r kl a n d

, 3 1 5 Ga. Ap p.

at 1 5 0 (8 ); s ee al so No r t o n v. St at e

, 3 2 0 G a. Ap p

. 3 27

, 33 3 (3 ) (7 3 9 SE2 d 7 8 2 ) (2 0 1 3 )

8(“ W h ere s p eci fi c g ro u n d s fo r an i n effect i ve as s i s t an ce cl ai m are n ot rai s ed an d ru l ed

o n i n t h e t ri al co u rt , t h ey

are wai v ed an d can no t b e co n s i d ered o n ap p eal

. ”). 5

In s u m

, we co n cl u d e t h at Gri m es fai l ed t o s u p p ort h i s arg u m en t th at t h e t ri al

co u rt erro n eo u s l y d en i ed h i s s p eci al d em u rrer b y i n cl u d i n g a t ran s cri p t o f an

ev i d en t i ary h eari n g

. Fu rt h erm o re, Gri m es ab an d o n ed h i s a r gu m en t co n cern i n g t h e

ad m i s s i o n of ot her a c t s e v i d en ce b ecau s e h e d i d n o t s u pp o rt t h e en u m erat i o n wi th

arg u m en t an d c i t at io n o f au t h o ri t y

. Fi n al l y

, Gri m es wai v ed t h e sp eci fi c g ro u n d o f

i n effect i v e as s i s tan ce o f t ri al co u n s el h e n o w a s s e r t s d u e t o h i s fai l u re t o rai s e t h at

g ro u nd i n t he t ri al co urt

. Th erefo re, we affi rm t h e tri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g Gri m es ’

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al as am en d ed

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Pi p ki n, J., co n cu r

.

5 G r i m e s al s o referen ces “ [a] n o t h er i n t eres t i n g l in e o f qu es t io n i n g ” t o wh i ch

t ri al co un s el fai l ed t o ob

ject

, i n wh i ch t h e p ro s ecu t i ng at t o rn ey referen ced Gri m es ’

s i len ce d u ri n g a po l i ce i n t erv i ew. Ho wev er, t h is i s n ei t h er en u m erat ed as s u b s t an t i v e

erro r n o r as a s ep arat e g ro u n d o f i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f t ri al co u ns el

. A s a res u l t

,

we d o n o t co n s i der G ri m es ’ arg u m en t o n th i s p o i n t

. See Do l e v. S ta t e

, 2 5 6 Ga. Ap p.

1 4 6

, 1 4 8 (2 ) (5 6 7 SE2 d 7 5 6 ) (2 0 0 2 ) (“ [M ] at t ers n o t en u m erat ed as erro r wi l l n o t b e

co n si d ered o n ap p eal ” becau s e “ [t ] h i s [C] o urt h as n o ju ri s di ct io n t o co n s i d er g ro u nd s

wh i ch t ho u g h arg u ed are n o t en u m erat ed as erro r acco rd i n g t o O.C.G.A. § 5-6 -4 0 .”)

(ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

9