SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, BROWN and GOSS, 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.

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

Febr uar y 11, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A2 08 8 . RENFRO v . THE STATE. GS-0 6 5 C

G O S S , J u d g e.

On ap p e a l f

r o m h i s co n v i ct io n aft er a b en ch t ri al o n ch arg es o f rap e, i n ces t

,

ag g rav at ed ch i ld m o l es t at i o n an d ch i l d m o l es t at io n

, Kad o Ren fro as s ert s t h at h e was

d ep ri v ed o f h i s ri g h t t o co u n s el wh en t h e t ri al co u rt al l o w ed hi m to rep res en t h i m s el f,

t h at h e recei ved i neffect i v e as s i s t an ce fro m h i s p ret ri al co u n s el

, an d t h a t t h e co u rt

erred i n ad m i t t i n g ev i d en ce o f o t h er act s u n d er OCGA § 24 -4 -4 13

. W e fi n d n o erro r

an d affi rm

.

“ On ap p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i ct i o n

, we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l ig h t m o s t

fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, wi t h t h e d efen dan t n o l o n ger en jo y i n g a p res u m

p t i o n o f

i n n o cen ce.” (Ci tat i o n o m i t t ed .) Rees e v. S t a t e

, 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 2

, 5 2 3 (6 0 7 SE2 d 1 6 5 )

(2 0 0 4). W e nei t h er wei g h t h e ev i d en ce n o r ju d g e t h e cred ib i l i ty o f w i t nes s es

, b utd et erm i n e o n l y wh et h er, aft er vi ewi n g t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l ig h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e

p ro s ecu ti o n

, “ an y rat i o n al t ri er o f fact co u l d h av e fo u n d t he es s en t i al el em en t s o f t h e

cri m e bey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t .” (Em p has i s om i t t ed .) Ja cks o n v. Vi r g in i a

, 4 4 3 U.

S. 3 07 , 3 1 9 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1 , 6 1 LE2 d 5 60 ) (1 9 7 9).

Th u s v i e w e d i n f

a v o r o f t h e j u d gm en t, t h e reco rd s h o ws th at th e v i ct i m

,

Ren fro ’ s b io lo g i cal d au g h t er, was b o rn i n 2 0 0 0 an d s p en t h e r earl y ch i l d h o o d in

Il li n o i s

, wh ere Ren fro b eg an m o l es t i n g h er wh en s h e was fo ur o r fi v e y ears o l d.

Bet ween 2 0 0 5 an d 2 0 1 1

, Il l i n o i s co u rt s b arred Ren fro fro m h av in g an y co n t act wi th

t h e v i ct im

. In 2 01 1

, h o wev er, Ren fro p et i t i o ned fo r an d recei v ed t h e ri g h t t o v i s i t at i o n

wi t h t he v i ct i m an d h er b ro t h er. In J u n e 2 0 1 2

, Ren fro m o v ed t o Du l u t h

, G eo rg i a. In

l at e 2 0 1 2

, Ren fro d ro v e to Il l i n o i s

, p i ck ed u p t h e v ict i m

, an d dro v e h er b ack to

Du l ut h . Du ri n g t h i s t ri p , Ren fro m o l es t ed an d rap ed t h e v i ct i m

.

In earl y Ap ri l 2 0 1 4

, t h e v i ct i m ag ai n v i s i t ed D u l u th

, d u ri n g w h i ch v i s i t Ren fro

fo rced h er t o g iv e an d recei v e o ral s ex an d t o hav e i n t erco u rs e, d uri n g wh ich Ren fro

t o l d t h e v i ct i m

, “ W h en I’ m d o i n g t h i s t o y o u

, y o u ’ re n o t m y d au g h t er, y o u ’r e m

y

l o v er.” Ren fro ev en t u al ly ejacu l at ed o n t o t h e vi ct i m ’ s b ack

, an d t h e vi ct i m s u ffered

fro m b l eed i n g aft erward s

. Th at n i g h t

, Ren fro ad m i t t ed t o h i s wi fe, d au g h ter, an d so n

t h at he h ad b een m o l es t i n g t h e v i c t i m f o r s o m e t i m e. H e ex p l ai n ed t h at h e h ad

2t arg et ed t h e v i ct i m becau s e s h e was t h e p ro d u ct o f a “ s i n fu l ” or “ s at an i c” rel at i o n s h ip

an d t h at sh e an d h er b ro t h er were “ m ad e t o b e s ex sl av es .” On t h ei r ret u rn t o Il l i n oi s

,

t h e bro th er t o ld t h e ch i l d ren ’ s m o t h er ab ou t Ren fro ’ s ad m i s s i o ns

, aft er wh i ch t h e

m o th er cal l ed th e p o l ice an d o b t ai n ed a m ed i cal ex am i n at i o n, wh i ch s h o wed t h at t h e

v i ct i m h ad b l o od i n h er u ri n e co n s i s t en t wi t h a s ex u al as s au l t

.

Ren fro was arres t ed an d ch arg ed wi th rap e, i nces t

, two c o u n t s o f ag g rav at ed

ch i l d m o l es t at i o n

, an d o ne co un t o f ch i l d m ol es t at i o n

, al l ari si n g fro m h i s Ap ri l 2 0 1 4

co n t act wi t h t h e v i ct i m

. Befo re tri al

, t h e St at e fi l ed n o t i ces o f i ts i n t en t i o n to

i n t ro du ce ev i d en ce th at Ren fro h ad p rev i o u s l y m o l es t ed o r rap ed t h e v i ct i m ’ s b ro t h er

an d s t ep s i s t er as wel l as t wo d au g h t e r s o f f a m i l y fri en d s fro m Il l i n o i s

. At t ri al

, t h e

v i ct i m

, h er b ro t h er, an d t he t wo o t h er g i rl s t es t i fi ed as t o t h e d et ai l s o f t hes e i n ci d en t s

.

At t h e co n cl u s io n o f t h e b en ch t ri al

, Ren fro was fo u nd g u i l t y o n al l ch arg es

,

co n vi ct ed , an d s en t en ced t o l i fe i n p ri s o n . Hi s m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al was d en i ed

.

1

. Al t h o ug h Ren fro d o es n o t d i s p u te t h e s u ffi ci en cy of t h e ev i d en ce ag ai n s t

h i m

, we h av e rev i ewed t he reco rd an d co ncl u d e t h at t h e ev i d en ce i s i nd eed su ffi ci en t

t o s u s t ai n h i s co n v i ct i o n

. See O CGA § § 1 6

- 6

- 1 ( d e fi n i n g rap e); 1 6 -6 -2 2 (d efi n i n g

i n ces t ); 16 -6 -4 (a), (c) (d efi n i n g ch i l d m o l es tat i o n an d ag g rav at ed ch i l d m o les t at i o n );

Ja cks o n

, s u p ra.

32

. Ren fro fi rs t as sert s t h at h i s ri g h t t o co u n s el was vi o l at ed w h en t h e t ri al co u rt

al l o wed hi m

t o rep res en t h i m s el f at t ri al . W e d i s ag ree.

A l t h o u g h a cri m i n al d efen d an t h as a Si x t h Am en d m en t ri g h t t o

as s i s t an c e o f co u n s el at t ri al

, t h e d efen d an t al s o h as th e co n s t i t u t i o nal

ri gh t t o rep res en t h i m s el f, as l o n g as h e v ol u nt ari l y

, k no wi ng l y

, an d

i n t el l i g en tl y el ect s t o wai v e t h e ri g h t t o c o u ns el

. To es t ab li s h a v al i d

w ai v er, t h e t ri al co urt m

u s t ap p ri s e t h e d efen dan t o f t h e d an g ers a n d

d i s ad v an t ag es i n h eren t i n rep res en ti n g h i m s el f s o t h at t h e r e co rd wi l l

s h o w t h at h e k n o ws wh at h e i s d o i n g an d h i s ch o i ce i s m ad e w i t h ey es

o p en

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at io n o m i t t ed .) Da vi s v. S t a t e

, 3 04 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 5

, 3 5 9 ( 2 ) (a)

(6 9 6 SE2 d 3 8 1 ) (2 0 1 0 ); s ee al s o Fa r et t a v. Ca l i fo r n ia , 4 2 2 U. S. 8 0 6 , 8 0 7

, 8 3 5 (V)

(9 5 SCt 2 5 2 5

, 4 5 LE2 d 5 6 2 ) (1 9 7 5 ). “ [A] d efen d an t ’ s wai ver o f hi s ri g ht t o co u n s el

i s val id i f t h e r e c o r d r e fl ect s th at t h e d efen d an t was m ad e aware o f t h e d an g ers o f

s el f-rep res en t at i on an d n ev ert h el es s m ad e a k n o wi n g an d in t el l i gen t w a i v er.”

(Ci t at i o n

, p u nct u at i o n an d f o o t n o t e o m i t t ed .) S t a t e v. Eva n s

, 2 85 Ga. 6 7, 6 9 (6 7 3

SE2 d 2 4 3) (2 0 0 9).

[It i s n o t ] req ui red t hat th e t ri al co urt p ro b e t h e d efen d an t ’ s cas e an d

a d v i s e t h e d efen d an t as t o l eg al s t rat eg i es t o en s ure t hat a wai v e r i s

i n t el l i g en tl y m ad e. In d eed

, t he d efen d an t ’ s t ech n i cal l eg al k n o wl ed g e i s

i rrel ev an t t o t h e q u es t i o n o f w h et h er h e v al i d l y wa i ves h i s ri g h t to be

4rep res en t ed b y co u n s e l

. Th e t es t i s n o t wh et h er t h e accu s ed i s cap ab l e

o f g o o d l awy eri n g [,] b ut w h et h er he k no wi n g l y an d i n tel l i g en t l y wai v es

h i s ri g h t t o co u n s el

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Id

. Al t h ou g h t he St at e h as t h e b u rd en o f s h o wi n g

t h at a d efen d an t “ recei v ed s uffi ci en t i n fo rm at io n an d gu i d an ce fro m t h e tri al co u rt to

m ak e a k n o wi n g an d i n t el l ig en t wai v er” of t h e ri g h t t o tri al co u n s e l

, a t r i a l co urt ’ s

ru l i n g o n t h i s i s s u e i s rev i ewed o n l y fo r an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

. (Fo o tn o t es o m i t t ed .)

Co x v. S t at e , 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p. 6 5 4 , 6 5 4 -6 5 5 (7 3 2 SE2 d 3 2 1 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

Th i s reco rd s h ows t h at aft er l earn i n g t h at Ren fro i n t en d ed t o rep res en t h i m s el f,

t h e t ri al co u rt dev o t ed s u b s t an t i al t i m e an d effo rt t o en su ri n g t hat h e u n d ers t o o d t h e

d an gers o f p ro ceed i ng t h u s. Sp eci fi cal l y

, t h e t ri al co u rt w arn ed R e nf ro fro m t h e o u ts et

t h at s e l f

- rep res en tat i o n was “ al way s a bad i d ea,” t h at Ren fro s h o u ld n o t rep res en t

h i m s el f, an d t h at d efen d an t s wi th s o -cal l ed “ s o v erei g n ci t i zen ” bel i efs s uch as h i s h ad

n e v er b een s u cces sfu l ; p ro v i d ed Ren fro wi t h a co p y o f t h e i nd i ct m en t, t o w h i c h

Ren fro res po n d ed t h at he h ad “ fam i l i ari zed [h i m s el f] wi t h t h e s t at u t o ry el em en t s

n eces s ary t o p ro v e al l ” t he ch arg es ; as k ed wh et her Ren fro u n d ers t o o d t h e l es s eri n cl u d ed o ffen s es o f t h e ch arg ed cri m es

, an d sp eci fi cal l y s u g g e s t e d th at h e s h o u ld

ex am i n e t h e l es s er-i n cl u d ed o ffen s es t o rap e an d ag g rav at ed ch i l d m o les t at i o n ; an d

5co n fi rm ed th at Ren fro d id n o t s u ffer fro m an y m en tal d i s ab i l i ti es o r i m p ai rm en t s an d

h ad s o m e ex p eri en ce rep res en t in g h i m s el f. Th e reco rd al s o s h o ws t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

au t h o ri zed Ren fro t o k eep h i s p rev i o u s l y ap p o i n t ed co u n s el as st an d -b y co u ns el

, an d

t h at Ren fro av a i l e d h i m s el f o f t h i s res o u rce t hro u g h ou t t h e t ri al

. Un der t h es e

c i r c u m s t a n ces

, th e t ri al co urt d i d n o t ab us e i t s di s cret io n wh en i t co n cl ud ed t h at

Ren fro h ad k n o wi ng l y an d i nt el l i g en t l y wai v ed h i s ri g h t to t ri al co u ns el

. Co x

, 3 1 7 Ga.

Ap p

. at 65 6 -6 5 7 (n o ab u s e o f d i s cret i on i n t ri al co u rt ’ s det erm in at i o n t h at d efen d an t

h ad k n o wi n g l y

an d i n t el l i g en t l y

wai v ed h i s ri g h t t o co u n sel wh en t h e reco rd am p l y

s u p p ort ed t h at d et erm i n at io n ).

3

. Al t h o u g h Ren fro as s ert s t h at h i s p ret ri al an d s t an d -b y co un s el was

i n effect i v e d u ri n g t h e cas e ev al u at i o n an d i nv es t ig at i o n ph as e, th e reco rd sh o ws t h at

co u ns el m o v ed fo r a co n ti n u an ce at t h e ou t s et o f t ri al o n t h e g ro u n d t h at Ren fro was

i n co m pet en t

. Ren fr o “ o bject ed ” t o t h e m o t i o n

, w h i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed aft er

d et erm i n i n g t h at Ren fro h a d n o t recei v ed an y di ag n o s i s o r treat m en t fo r m en t al

i l ln es s

. As we hav e h el d i n Di v is i o n 1

, t h e tri al co u rt d i d n o t ab us e it s d i s cret i o n wh en

i t au t ho ri zed Ren fro t o p res en t h i s o wn d efen se. As t h e Su p rem e Co urt o f Geo rg i a h as

l o n g h el d , m o reo v er,

6wh en a cri m i nal d efen d an t el ect s t o rep res en t h i m sel f, ei t her s o lel y o r i n

co n ju n ct i o n w i t h rep res en t at i o n o r as si st an ce b y an at t o rn ey

, h e wi l l n o t

t h ereaft er b e h eard t o as s ert a cl ai m o f i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el

wi t h res p ect t o an y s tag e o f t h e p ro ceed i n g s wh erei n h e was co u n s el

.

Mu l li n s v. La vo i e

, 2 49 Ga. 4 1 1

, 4 12 (2 9 0 SE2 d 4 7 2 ) ( 1 9 82 ). Un d er t h es e

ci rcu m s t an ces

, wh i ch i n cl u d e Ren fro ’ s reject i o n o f s t a nd- by c o unse l’ s a d v i ce t o d el ay

t h e tri al an d th e t ri al co u rt ’ s rep eat ed warn i n g s th at h e s h o u l d n o t rep res en t h i m s el f,

Ren fro i s b arred fro m as s ert in g hi s o w n i n effect i v en es s on ap p eal

. Id .; s ee al s o Keg l er

v. S t a t e , 2 6 7 Ga. 1 4 7 , 1 4 8 (2 ) (4 7 5 SE2 d 5 9 3 ) (1 9 96 ).

4

. Ren fro al s o as s ert s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred wh en it ad m i t t ed ev id en ce as to

h i s p ri or s ex u al o ffen s es as au t h o ri zed b y OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 13 1 b ecau s e t he ev i d en ce

o f i n t en t i n t h e ca s e

- i n -ch i ef was s o o v erwh el m i ng t h at n o ad d it i o n al pro o f o n t h at

s u b ject was req u i red . W e can n o t ag ree.

Al t h ou g h R e n f

r o h as p ro v i d ed ci t at i o n s t o t h e St at e’ s n o t i ces o f i n t en t to

i n t ro du ce th es e as ad d it i on al ev i d en ce, h e h as fai l ed t o p r o v i d e ci t at io n s t o an y

1 OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 3 (a) p ro v i d es i n rel ev an t p art : “ In a cri m i nal p ro ceed i n g in

w h i ch t h e accu s ed i s accu s ed o f an offen s e o f s ex u al as sau l t

, ev i d en ce o f t h e

accu s ed ’ s co m

m i ss io n o f an o t h er o ffen s e o f sex u al as s au l t s h a l l b e a d m i s s i b l e an d

m ay b e co n s i d ered fo r i ts b eari n g o n an y m at t er t o wh i ch i t i s rel ev an t .” (Em p h as i s

s u p p li ed .)

7rel ev an t po rt io n o f t h e t ri al t ran s cri p t o r r e c o r d

, a s h e i s req u i red t o d o i n o rd er to

m ak e a s h o wi n g t hat t h e t ri al co u rt e r r e d w h e n i t ad m i t t ed t h e ev i d en ce at i s s u e, o r

t o an y l aw co n s t ru i n g OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 3

. W e rem in d co u n s el t h at “ [e] ach en u m erat ed

erro r s h al l b e s u pp o rt ed i n th e b ri ef by s p eci fi c referen ce t o t h e reco rd o r t ran s cri p t

.

In t h e ab s en ce of a sp eci fi c refe r e n ce, t h e Co u rt wi l l no t s earch fo r an d m ay n ot

co n si d er t hat en u m erat i o n .” Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru le 25 (c) (2 ) (i ). Un der t h es e

ci rcu m s t an ces

, we d eem

t hi s as s ert i o n o f erro r ab an d on ed . Id

.

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

, P. J., a n d

Br o wn , J., co n cu r

.

8