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

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

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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

.

Nov em ber 30, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 39 9 . BERNAL v

. THE STATE.

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

Th i s i s t h e s eco n d ap p earan ce o f t h is cas e i n t h i s Co u rt

. In B er n a l v. S t a t e

, 3 5 8

Ga. Ap p

. 6 8 1 (8 5 6 SE2 d 64 ) (2 0 2 1 ) (“ Ber n al I ” )

, w e a ffi rm ed i n part t h e Su p eri o r

Co u rt o f Ch ero k ee Co u n t y ’ s o rd er d en y in g E s t uard o Bern al ’ s m o t io n fo r n ew t ri al as

am en d ed fo l l o w i n g h i s co n v i ct io n s fo r ch i l d m o l es t at i o n

, rap e, an d terro ri s t i c t h reat s

,

b u t v ac a t e d a p o rt i on of t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er in wh i ch a s u cces so r ju dg e fai l ed to

ex erci s e d i scret i on i n t h e rev i ew o f Bern al ’ s “ g en eral g ro u n ds ” arg u m en t

. See OCGA

§ § 5 -5 -2 0

, 5 -5 -2 1

. On rem an d

, th e t ri al co u rt en t ered an o rd er ag ai n den y i n g Bern al ’ s

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

. Bern al ap p eal s

, a rg u i n g th at t h e ev i d en ce was i n su ffi ci en t to

s u p p ort h i s co n v i ct i o n s fo r rap e an d ch i l d m o l es t at i o n an d t hat h e recei v ed i n effect i v e

as s i s tan ce o f co u n s el at s en t en ci n g . Fi n d i n g n o erro r, we affi rm

.1

. Bern al fi rs t co n t en ds

, as h e d i d i n hi s o ri g i n al ap peal

, t h at t h e ev i d en ce was

i n s u ffi ci en t t o su p p ort hi s co nv ict i o ns

. Ho wev er, t h e s u b s t an ce o f Bern al ’ s arg u m en t

i s t hat h e i s en t it l ed t o a new t ri al p u rs u an t t o OC G A § § 5

- 5

- 2 0 an d 5 -5 -2 1

. Th i s

arg u m en t i s wi t h o u t m eri t

.

In Ber n a l I

, we fo u n d

, wh en v i ewed i n a l i g h t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, t h e

ev i d en ce ad d u ced at t ri al rev eal ed t h at

Bern al l iv ed wi t h h i s l o n g -t i m e g i rl fri en d (“ t he ad u l t v ict i m ”), t h ei r t wo

ch i l d ren

, an d t h e ad u l t v i ct im ’ s dau g h t er, J

. G. (“ t h e ch i l d v i ct i m ”), i n

Can t o n

, Ch ero k ee Co u n ty

. Bern al ’ s rel at i o n s hi p w i th th e ad u l t v i ct i m

w a s o ft en tu rb u l en t

, an d t h e ch i l d vi ct i m freq u en tl y h eard t h e p ai r

fi gh ti n g an d her m o t h er cry i n g

. Th e ch il d vi ct i m al s o wi t n es sed Bern al

h i t t h e ad u l t v ict i m rep eat ed l y

. By 20 1 5

, t h e ad u l t v i ct i m at t em p t ed t o

a v o i d Bern al b y ret reat i n g t o th ei r ch i l d ren ’ s ro o m wh en h e arri v e d

h o m e fro m wo rk

. Ho wev er, t h e ad u l t v i ct i m d es cri b e d an in ci den t i n

wh i ch Bern al ch as ed h er d o wn s o m e s t ai rs

, cau g h t h er o n a co u ch

, an d

fo rci b l y h ad s ex u al i n t erco u rs e wi t h h er as s h e fo u g h t h i m an d t o ld h i m

t o s t o p

. Sh e rel ay ed an o t h er o ccas i o n i n wh i ch Bern al s to rm ed th e

ch i l d ren ’ s ro o m

, d rag g ed t h e ad u l t v i c t i m fro m th e ro o m

, an d ag ai n

fo rced h i m s el f o n h er ag ai n s t h er wi l l.

Th e d ay aft er Bern al drag g ed t h e ad u l t vi ct im fro m t h ei r ch il d ren ’ s

ro o m

, s h e wen t t o t h e Can t o n p o l i ce s t at i o n t o rep o rt th e as s au l t

. An

o ffi cer d i rect ed h er t o a l o cal h o s p i t al fo r t es t i n g

, wh i ch rev eal e d t he

p res en ce o f s p erm , b ru i s i n g

, an d a ras h

. Th e nex t d ay

, t h e ad u l t v i ct i m

2v i s i t ed t h e s t at io n ag ai n an d i n d i cat ed s he d i d no t wan t to p u r s u e

ch arg es ag ai ns t Bern al

. Sh e s u g g es t ed t h at s h e d i d n o t wan t t o p ro ceed

b ecau s e a m an wi t h wh o m s h e h ad recen t rel at i o n s was n o l o ng er in th e

co u n t ry an d t h at

, i f Bern al fo u n d o u t ab o u t h i m

, Bern al w o u l d h av e

k i l l ed h er.

In No v em

b er 2 0 1 5

, Bern al m o v ed o ut o f t h e fam i ly ’ s ap art m en t

, b u t

b eg g ed t h e ad u l t v i ct i m

t o r e c o n c i l e i n Feb ru ary 2 0 1 6

. Th e t wo b eg an

d at i n g ag ai n

, an d Bern al s u p erv i s ed t h e ch i ld ren wh en t h e ad u l t v i ct i m

wo rk ed at n i g ht

. Th ereaft er, Bern al twi ce v i s i ted t h e ad u l t v i ct i m at h er

jo b aft er t ak i n g h er ch i l d ren t o her s i s ter’ s h o u s e

. Du ri n g th e s eco n d

v i s i t

, w h i ch o ccu rred aft er t h e ad u l t v ict i m i n fo rm ed Bern al t h at s h e n o

l o n g er wi s h ed t o d at e h i m

, Bern al t o l d h er t h at s h e “ was g o i ng t o d i e an d

... s o m et h i n g was go i n g t o h ap p en t o [h er] in o n e week i f [s h e] d i d n ’ t

g o b ack wi t h h i m .” As t h e ad u l t v i ct i m p l ead ed fo r B e r n al t o ex p l ai n

h i m s el f, h e ret u rn ed t o h i s t ru ck an d s ai d

, “ I’ m go i n g t o k i l l y o u ” as he

d ro v e away

. W h en t h e ad u l t v ict i m wen t t o ret ri ev e th ei r ch i l d ren

, t h ey

ex cl ai m ed , “ dad d y ’ s g o i n g t o k i l l y o u .”

Th at n ig h t

, t h e ad u lt v ict i m ag ai n cal l ed th e p o li ce. As th e ad u l t v i ct i m

ran t o h er d o o r t o ad m it a res p o n d in g po l i ce o ffi cer, t he ch i l d v i ct i m

s t op p ed h er an d s ai d

, “ M o m m y

, I’ v e g o t s o m et h i n g t o t el l y o u.” T he

ch i l d v i ct i m

t h en t o l d t h e ad u l t v i ct im t h at

, o n e ev en i n g wh en sh e w as

s l eep i n g i n t h e s am e b ed a s Bern al

, Bern al b eg an p u ll i ng h er h ead

t o ward hi s p en i s as s h e tri ed t o p u s h h i m a w a y. T h e ch i l d v i ct im al s o

rep o rt ed t h e i n ci d en t t o t h e res p on d i ng o ffi cer.

3(Fo o tn o te o m i t t ed .) 3 5 8 Ga. Ap p . at 6 8 2 -6 8 3

.

As a t h res h ol d m at t er, we d o n o t reach Bern al ’ s “ g en eral g ro u nd s ” arg u m en t

as i t is p res en t ed

. OCGA § 5-5 -2 0 au t ho ri zes t h e t ri al co u rt t o g ran t a n ew t ri al “ [i ] n

an y cas e wh en t h e v erd i ct of t h e ju ry i s fo u n d co n t rary t o ev i d en ce an d th e p ri n ci p l es

o f ju s t ice an d eq u it y [,] ” an d OCGA § 5 -5 -2 1 em p o w ers t h e tri al co u rt t o gran t a n ew

t ri al “ wh ere th e v er d i c t m a y b e d eci d ed ly an d s t ro n g l y ag ai n s t t he wei g h t o f t h e

ev i d en ce ev en t ho u g h t h ere m ay ap p ear t o b e so m e s l i g h t e v i d e n c e i n fav o r o f t h e

fi nd i ng .” Read t o g et her, t h es e s t at u t es p ro v i de

t h e t ri al co u rt b ro ad d is cret i o n t o s it as a t h irt een t h ju ro r an d w ei g h th e

ev i d en ce o n a m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al al l eg i n g [t h e fo reg o i n g ] g en eral

g ro u n d s

. Ou r s o v erei g n, t h e l aw, h as i n effect sai d t o t he t ri al ju d g e: W e

ch arg e y o u t o l et n o v erd i ct s t an d u n les s y o u r co n sci en ce ap p ro v es i t

,

al t h o u g h t h ere m ay

b e s om e s l i g h t ev i d en ce t o s u pp o rt i t

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) W a l ker v. S t a te

, 2 9 2 Ga. 2 62

, 2 6 4 (2 ) (7 3 7 SE2 d

3 1 1 ) (2 0 1 3 ). Im

p o rt an tl y

,

[ t ] h e d eci s i o n t o g r a n t a new t r i al o n g r o u n d s t h at th e ver di ct is st ro n gl y

a g a i n s t th e evi d

en ce i s o n e t h a t i s s o l el

y i n t he d i scr e t i o n o

f th e t r i a l

co u r t

. W h et h er an ap p el lan t i s as k i n g t h i s co u rt t o rev iew a lo w er co u rt ’ s

refu s al t o g ran t a n ew t ri al o r i t s r e f u s a l t o g ran t a m o ti o n fo r d i rect ed

v erd ict

, t h i s co u rt can o n l y rev i ew t h e cas e u n der th e s t an d ard es p o u s ed

i n Ja cks o n v. Vi r

g i n ia

, 4 4 3 U. S. 3 07 (9 9 SC 2 7 8 1

, 61 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 )

4t o d et erm in e i f t he ev id en ce, wh en v i ewed i n t h e l i gh t m os t fav o rab l e t o

t h e p ro s ecu t i o n, s u p p o rt s t he v erd i ct

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s s u p p l i ed ). Ba t t en v. St a te

, 2 9 5 Ga. 4 4 2,

4 4 4 (1 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 7 0) (2 0 1 4), ci t i ng W i l l i s v. S t a t e

, 2 6 3 Ga. 59 7 (1 ) (4 36 SE2 d 2 0 4 )

(1 9 9 3). Becau s e OCGA § § 5 -5 -2 0 an d 5 -5 -2 1 o ffer rem ed i es res erv ed t o t h e t ri al

co u rt

, we rev i ew Bern al ’ s ins uffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce arg u m en t p u rs u an t t o Ja cks o n

v. Vi r g i n i a o n l y

. 1

Un d er t h i s wel l -reco g n i zed s t an d ard

, we “ v i ew t he ev id en ce i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd ict [,] ” an d “ [w] e i n q u i re o n ly wh et h er an y rat i o n al t ri er o f fact

m i g h t fi n d b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t fro m t h at ev i den ce t h at t h e d efen d an t i s g ui l t y

o f t h e cri m es o f wh i ch [h e] was co n v i ct ed .” (Ci t at i on o m i tt ed .) B r o wn v. S t a t e , 3 5 6

Ga. Ap p

. 51 6

, 51 9 (1 ) (8 4 8 SE2 d 1 2 6 ) (2 0 2 0 ). H ere, B e r n al ’ s s o le arg u m en t in

s u p p ort o f t h is en u m erat io n i s t h at “ t h ere were m an y i n co n s i s t en ci es i n t h e t es t i m o n y ”

an d t h at t h es e u n id en t i fi ed i n co n s i s t en ci es “ s ho u l d h av e b e e n wei g h ed i n fav o r o f

[Bern al ] .” Ev en as s u m in g t hat t h i s s i n g u l ar s t at em en t i s s u f f i c i en t t o p res erv e

1 In co n tras t t o h i s o r i g i n a l a p p eal

, Bern al h as no t id en t i fi ed an y t h i ng i n t h e

reco rd s u g g es t in g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o ap p l y t h e p ro p er s t an d ard o f rev i ew o n

rem an d. See, e.g

., Co

p el a n d v. S t a te

, 3 2 5 Ga. Ap p. 6 6 8

, 6 7 2 ( 3 ) ( 7 5 4 SE2 d 6 3 6 )

(2 0 1 4). Fu rt herm o re, t h e reco rd d o es n o t i n d i c a t e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ap p l i ed an

i n co rrect s t an d ard o f rev i ew.

5Bern al ’ s arg u m en t, 2 t h es e m at t ers cl earl y “ co ncern t h e wei g h t o f th e ev i d en ce an d t h e

cred i b i l i t y o f t h e wi t n es ses

, an d

, as s u ch

, t h ey p ro v i d e n o b as i s fo r rev ers al .”

Ch a u n cey v. St a t e

, 2 83 G a. Ap p

. 2 1 7

, 2 1 9 (1 ) (6 4 1 SE 2 d 2 2 9 ) (2 0 0 7) (“ Res o l v i n g

ev i d en t i ary co nfl ict s an d i n co n s i s t en ci es

, an d as s es s i n g wi t n es s cred i b i l i t y

, are t h e

p ro v in ce o f t h e fact fi n d er, n o t t h i s Co u rt

. As lo n g a s t h e r e i s s o m e ev i d en ce, ev en

t h o u g h co n t rad i ct ed

, to s u p p o rt each n eces s ary el em en t o f t h e s t at e’ s cas e, t h i s Co u rt

wi l l u p h o l d t h e v erd i ct .”) (ci t at io n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); s ee al so W r ig h t v. S t a t e

,

3 1 9 Ga. Ap p . 7 2 3 , 7 2 7 (1 ) (7 38 SE2 d 3 1 0 ) (2 0 1 3).

W e co n cl u de t h at

, w hen v i ewed i n a l i g h t m o s t fav ora b l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, t h e

ev i d en ce w a s s u f

f i ci en t fo r a rat io n al t ri er o f fact t o fi n d Bern al g u i l t y b ey o n d a

reas on ab l e d o u b t o f t he cri m es fo r wh i ch h e was co n v i ct ed

. See Br o wn

, 3 5 6 Ga. Ap p.

at 5 1 9 (1 ); OCGA § § 1 6-6 -4 (ch i l d m o l es t at i o n ), 1 6 -6 -1 (rap e), 1 6-1 1 -3 7 (t erro ri st i c

t h reat s ).

2

. Nex t, Bern al co n t en d s t h at h e recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f tri al co u n s el

d u e t o co u n s el ’ s fai l u re to ad vi s e h i m o f hi s ri g h t t o p res en t ev i d en ce at sen t en ci n g.

2 See g en eral ly Br i t ta i n v. S t a t e

, 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p

. 68 9

, 7 0 4 (4 ) (a) (7 66 SE2 d 1 0 6 )

(2 0 1 4) (“ [M ] ere co n cl u s ory s t at em en ts are no t t h e t y pe o f m ean i n g fu l arg u m en t

co n tem p l at ed b y o u r ru l es .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); Co u r t o f Ap p eal s

Ru l e 2 5 (c) (2 ) (“ An y en u m erat i o n o f er ro r th at i s n o t s u p p o rt ed i n t h e b ri ef by

ci t at i o n o f au t h o ri t y

o r arg um en t m ay

b e d eem ed ab an do n ed .”).

6In p art i cu l ar, Bern al as s ert s t h at t ri al co u n s el fai l ed t o : (1 ) s p eak wi t h h i m co n cern i n g

a sen t en ci n g p lan o r h av e a m ean i n g fu l co nv ers at i o n wi t h h i m ; (2 ) req ues t ad d i t i o n al

t i m e t o cal l w i t n es s es fo r s en t en ci n g ; an d (3 ) p erm i t h i m an o pp o rt un i t y to rev i ew

v i ct i m i m p act s t at em en t s . Th is arg u m en t i s u n pers u as i v e.

To p rev ai l o n a cl ai m o f i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n sel d u ri n g sen t en ci n g,

a defen d an t “ m

u s t s h ow t h at hi s t ri al co u ns el ren d ered co n s t i t u t i o n a l l y d efi ci en t

p erfo rm an ce an d t hat act ual p reju d i ce o f co n s t it u t i o nal p ro p o rt i o ns res ulte d. ” Per ki n s

v. H a l l

, 2 8 8 Ga. 8 1 0

, 81 1 (II) (7 0 8 SE2 d 3 35 ) ( 2 0 1 1 ), o v erru l ed on ot h er g ro u n d s

,

S t a t e v. La n e

, 3 0 8 Ga. 1 0 (8 3 8 SE2 d 8 0 8 ) (2 0 2 0 ). To t h at en d, “ [t ] o sh o w su ffi ci en t

p reju d i ce t o prev ai l o n hi s i n effect i v e as si st an ce cl ai m

, [Bern al ] m u s t s h o w t h at t h ere

i s a reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i l it y (i .e., a p ro b ab i l i t y

s uffi ci en t t o u nd erm i n e co n fi d en ce i n

t h e o u t co m e) t h at

, b u t fo r co u n s el ’ s u n p ro fes si o n al erro rs

, t h e res u l t o f t h e pro ceed i n g

wo u l d h av e b een d ifferen t .” (Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) P er ki n s

, 2 88 Ga. at

8 1 1 -8 1 2 (II). Of co u rs e, b o t h “ [e] rro r a n d p reju d i ce m u s t b e s h o wn in ord er t o p rev ai l

o n a cl ai m o f i n effect i ve as s i s tan ce o f co u n s el .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ;

em ph as i s s u p p l i ed .) Zel l me r v

. S t a t e

, 2 5 7 Ga. Ap p. 34 6

, 3 4 8 (2 ) (5 7 1 SE2 d 1 7 4 )

(2 0 0 2).

7Pret erm it t i n g w h et h er t ri al co u n s el p erfo rm ed d e f i c i e nt l y i n t he m an n er

cl ai m ed b y Bern al

, Bern al h as fai l ed t o s ho w t h at h e was p reju d i ced b y co u n sel ’ s

a l l e g e d i n act i o n

. Du ri n g t h e h eari n g o n h i s m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, Bern al d i d n o t

i n t ro du ce an y ev i d en ce co n cern i n g t he wi t n es ses h e wo u ld hav e cal l ed at sen t en ci n g,

wh at t h e wi t n es s es ’ t es ti m o n y m i g h t h av e i n cl u d ed

, wh at h i s res p on s e wo u l d h av e

b een t o t he v i ct i m im

p act s t a t e m e n t s p res en t ed d u ri n g sen t en ci n g

, or, i n deed

, wh at

b en efi ci al effect

— i f an y

— s u ch ev id en ce m i g h t h av e h a d o n h i s s en t en ci n g

. Cf.

Da vi s v. S t a t e

, 2 8 6 Ga. 7 4, 7 8 (4 ) (6 8 6 SE2 d 2 4 9 ) (2 00 9 ) (h o l d i n g t h at d efen d an t

fai l ed t o s h o w p reju di ce res u l ti n g fro m i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el at s en t en ci n g

w h e r e d efen dan t d id n o t “ s ug g es t wh at ev i d en ce m i g h t h av e s erv ed t o m i t i g at e h i s

s en t e n c e ; h e o f

fered n o wi t n es s es an d p ro ffered n o affi d av i t s o n t hi s i s s u e at t h e

h eari n g o n t h e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al ”); Ha r ri s v. S t a t e

, 3 4 5 G a

. A p p

. 8 0

, 82 (1 ) (d )

(8 1 2 SE2 d 34 2 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (s am e). In s h o r t

, B e r n al d i d n ot s at is fy h i s b u rd en to

d em o n s t r at e a “ reas o n ab le p ro b ab i l i t y

. . . th at

, b u t fo r co u n s el ’ s u n p ro fes s i o n al

erro rs

, t h e res u lt o f th e p ro ceed i n g wo u l d hav e been d i fferen t .” ( C i t a t i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n om it t ed .) Per ki n s

, 2 8 8 Ga. at 8 1 2 (II). Hav i ng fai l ed t o s h ow p reju d i ce,

i t n eces s ari l y fo l l o ws th at Bern al h as n o t p ro v en t h at h e recei v ed i n e f f e ct i v e

as s i s tan ce o f t ri al co un s el at s en t en ci n g

.

8In s um

, we co n cl u d e t h at t h e ev i d en ce was s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt Bern al ’ s

co n vi ct i o n s

. W e fu rt h er co n cl u d e t h at Bern al h a s f a i l e d t o s at i s fy h i s b u rd en to

d e m o n s trat e i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f tri al co u ns el

. Th erefo re, we affi rm t h e tri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g Bern al ’ s m o t i on fo r n ew t ri al as am en ded

.

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

.

9