FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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

June 10, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 20 8 . COOPER v . THE STATE.

C O O M E R , J u d ge.

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

, Fran k Co o p er was co n v i ct ed o f on e co u nt o f ag g rav at ed

b at t ery (OCGA § 1 6

- 5

- 2 4 )

, o n e co u n t o f fel on y o b s t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer (OCGA §

1 6 -1 0-2 4 (b )), an d t wo co u n t s o f m is d em ean o r o b s t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer (OCGA § 1 6

-

1 0 -2 4 (a)). On ap p e a l

, h e a r g u es t h at th e tri al co u rt erred b y fai l i n g to co n d u ct a

Fa r et t a heari n g aft er h e m ad e a req u es t t o rep res en t h i m s el f. H e al s o arg u es t h at t h e

t ri al co urt co m

m it t ed erro r b y fai l i n g t o s u a sp o nt e i n s t ru ct t h e ju ry o n h i s s o l e

d efen s e of ju s t i fi cat i o n as t o fel o n y o b st ru c t i o n o f an o ffi cer. Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at

fo l l o w

, we affi rm Co o p er’s c o n v i ct i o n s

, bu t v acat e co u nt 2 b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt

s h o u ld h av e m erg ed i t wi t h co u n t 1 fo r s en t en ci ng p u rp o s es

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

, w e v i ew t h e ev i d en c e i n a l i g h t m o s t

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

. W h al ey v. S t a t e

, 3 3 7 Ga. A p p

. 5 0

, 5 0 (7 8 5 SE2 d 6 85 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at i n No v em b er 2 0 1 4

, Co o per an d an o t h er i n m at e in

t h e Hal l Co u n t y J ai l

, Ti m o t h y Th o rn t o n

, tam p ered wi t h t h ei r l o ck s

, en ab li n g t h em to

l eav e t h ei r cel l s at an u n au th o ri zed t i m e. Offi cers ap p ro ach ed

, an d a fi g h t en s u ed wi th

Th o rn t on

.

Aft er s eei n g Offi cer Yo u n g p u n ch T ho rn to n i n t h e g ro i n

, Co o per ju m p ed i n to

t h e fi g h t, t ack l i ng Offi cer Yo un g

. Th e t ack l e i m m ed iat el y b ro k e Offi cer Yo u n g ’ s

an k le. At t h at p o in t

, t h e fi gh t es cal at ed an d t h e s cen e b ecam e ch ao ti c. H o wev er,

p o l i ce ev en t ual l y res t rai n ed an d h an d cu ffed Th o rn t on

. Th e y a l s o d ep l o y ed p ep p er

s p ray ag ai n s t Co o per. As Th o rn t o n an d Co o p er were l ed away fro m t h e s cen e, Offi cer

Yo u n g s ou g h t m ed i cal t reat m en t fo r h i s i n ju red an k l e.

Co o per was ch arg ed wi t h ag g rav at ed b at t ery

, fel o n y o bs t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer,

an d t wo co u nt s o f m i s d em ean or o b s t ru ct i o n of an o ffi cer. H e was co n v i ct ed o f al l

ch arg es

. Aft er th e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, Co o p er t i m el y fi l ed a m o t i on fo r n e w t ri al

.

Fo l l o wi ng a h eari n g , t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h at m o t i o n , res u l t i n g i n t hi s ap p eal

.

1

. In h i s fi rs t en u m erat i o n, Co o p er as sert s t h at h e m ad e an un eq ui v o cal req u es t

t o rep res en t h i m s el f, an d t h erefo re, t h e t ri al co u rt was o b l i g at ed t o ho l d a Fa r et ta

2h eari n g pri o r t o t ri al

. S ee Fa r et t a v. Ca l i

f o r ni a

, 4 2 2 U. S. 8 0 6 (9 5 SCt 25 2 5

, 4 5 LEd

2 d 5 6 2 ) (1 97 5). W e d i sag ree.

Bo t h t h e fed eral an d s t at e co n s t i tu t i o n s g u aran t ee a cri m i n al d efen d an t

b o t h t h e ri g h t t o co u n s e l a n d th e ri g h t t o s el f-rep res en tat i o n

. See

Fa r et t a

, 4 2 2 U. S. at 8 1 9

– 8 2 0 (III) (A); Ga. Co n s t

. o f 1 98 3

, Art

. I, Sec.

I, Pars

. XII, XIV; Ta

yl o r v

. R i cket t

s

, 2 3 9 Ga. 5 0 1, 5 0 2 (2 3 8 SE2 d 5 2 )

(1 9 7 7 ) (“ A s tat e m ay no t fo rce a l awy er u p o n an ap p el l an t wh en he

i n s i s t s t hat he wan t s to co n d u ct h i s o wn defen s e. [Ci t .] ”). If a d efen d an t

ma k e s a p r e

- t r i a l

, u n e q u i v o c a l a s s e r t i o n o f t h e r i g h t t o

s el f-rep res en t at i on

, t h e req u es t m u s t b e fo l l o w ed b y a h eari n g t o en su re

t h at t h e d efen d an t kn o wi n g l y an d i n t el l i g en t ly wai v es t h e “ t rad i t i o nal

b en efi t s as s o ci at ed wi t h t h e ri g h t to co u n sel ” an d u n d ers t an d s th e

“ d i s ad v an t ag es o f s el f-rep res en t at i o n s o t h at t he r e c o rd w i l l es t ab l i s h

t h at he k n o ws wh at h e i s d o in g an d h i s ch o i ce is m ad e wi th ey es o p en .”

Fa r et t a , 4 2 2 U. S. at 8 3 5

– 8 3 6 (Ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). See

Th a xt o n v. S ta t e

, 2 60 Ga. 1 4 1, 1 4 2 (2 ) (3 9 0 SE2 d 8 4 1 ) (1 99 0 ). If th e

as s ert i on o f t h e ri g h t t o p ro ceed w i t ho u t t h e b en efi t o f co u ns el i s

eq u i vo cal

, th ere is n o r e v ers i b l e erro r i n req ui ri n g t h e d efen d an t t o

p ro ceed wi th co u ns el

. See McCl a r it y v. S ta t e

, 23 4 Ga. Ap p

. 3 48 (1 ) (5 0 6

SE2 d 3 9 2 ) (1 9 9 8).

W i g gi n s v. S t a t e , 2 98 Ga. 3 6 6 , 3 6 8 (2 ) (7 8 2 SE2 d 3 1 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

Here, p ri o r t o t ri al

, Co op er’ s co u n sel ad dres s e d t h e t ri al co u rt an d s ai d

, “ M r.

Co o p er h as rai s ed t h e p o s si b i l i ty b ack i n t h e h o l d i n g cel l t h at h e m ay h av e wan t ed to

3as k th e co u rt if h e co ul d rep res e n t h i m s e l f wi t h m e s it t in g at t h e t ab l e. I h av e n o

o b ject i on t o ei t h er.” Co o p er i n d i cat ed t h at he b el i ev ed h i s co un s el h ad n o t h ad

s u ffi ci en t t i m e t o p rep are fo r t ri al

. He s ai d t h at i f h e d i d rep res en t h i m s el f, h e wan t ed

a c o n t in u an ce t o rev i ew h i s cas e. W h en t h e t ri al co u rt t o l d h i m t h at t h e tri al w o u l d

p ro ceed t h at d ay

, Co o p er res p o n d ed “ Al l ri g h t

. Th at ’ s fi n e.” Co o p er n ev er m ad e an y

ad d it i o n al s t at em en t s ab o u t h i s co u n s el o r h i s d es i re t o p ro ceed p ro s e.

Th i s b ri ef co l l o q u y wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt d i d no t am o u n t t o an u n eq u i v o cal

r e q u es t fo r s el f-rep res en t at i o n

. S ee B et t i s v. S ta t e

, 32 8 Ga. Ap p

. 1 6 7

, 1 6 9 (1 ) (7 6 1

SE2 d 5 7 0 ) (2 0 14 ) (“ [T] o i n v o ke t h e ri g h t o f s el f rep res en t at io n

, t h e d efen d an t m u s t

m ak e an u n eq u i v o cal as s ert i on of h i s ri g h t t o rep res en t h i m s el f p ri or t o t h e

co m m e n cem en t o f h is t ri al .” (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed )). Th ro u g h o u t t h e

d i s cu s s i o n wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt

, Co o p er n ev er cl earl y an d d e f i n i t i v e l y s ai d t h at h e

wan ted t o rel iev e co u n s el an d p ro ceed t o tri al o n h i s o wn

. W h en ev er he m en t i o n ed

rep res en t i n g h i m s el f, h e al way s u s ed q u a l i f yi n g lan g u ag e s u ch as “ s ay th at I d o

rep res en t m

y s el f.

. . .” Ev en wh en co u n s el fi rs t rai s ed t he i s s u e, h e s ai d t hat Co o p er

“ ma y h ave wa n t ed t o as k t he co u rt i f h e co u l d rep res en t h i m s el f

. . . .” (Em p h as i s

s u p p li ed .) Co o p er’ s am

b i v al en c e t herefo re d i d n o t p ut t h e t ri al co u rt on no t i ce t h at

i t sh o u l d en g ag e i n a Fa ret ta i n q u i ry

.

4M o reo v er, Co op er m ad e t h es e al l us i o n s t o rep res en t i n g h i m s el f wi t h i n t h e

co n tex t o f as ki n g fo r a co nt i n u an ce. Co o p er b el i ev ed t h at h i s co u ns el was n o t fu l l y

p rep ared fo r t ri al

, an d i f Co o p er were t o rep res en t h i m s e l f, h e wo u ld hav e wan t ed

ad d it i o n al t i m e t o p rep are h i s d efen s e. See Cr u t ch f iel d v. S t a te

, 2 6 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9

, 7 1

(2 ) (6 0 3 SE2 d 4 6 2 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (“ [S] t at em en t s th at am ou n t t o n o t hi n g m o re t h an

ex p res s i o n s o f d i s s at isf

a c ti o n wi t h cu rren t co un s el d o n o t t ri gg er an y req u i rem en t t h at

t h e co u rt h o l d a h eari ng u n d er Fa r et t a o r t h at t h e d efen d an t b e al l o wed to p ro ceed p ro

s e.”) W h en t he t ri al co u rt d en i ed h i s co nt i n u an ce, Co o p er affi rm at iv el y accep t ed t h e

ru l i n g an d n ev er m en t io ned h i s d es ire t o rep res en t h i m sel f ag ai n

. Becau s e t he reco rd

i s d ev o i d o f an y i n s t a n c e w h e r e Co o p er m ad e a cl ear an d u n eq u iv o cal req u es t to

r e p r e s e n t h i m s el f, t h e tri al co u rt d id n o t err i n fai li n g t o co n d u ct a Fa ret t a h eari n g.

Cr u t ch f i el d 2 6 9 Ga. Ap p. at 7 1 (2 ).

2

. Co o p er n ex t arg u es th at t h e t ri al co urt erred i n fai l i ng t o i n s t ru ct t h e ju ry o n

ju s t ifi cat i o n b ecau s e t h at was h i s s o l e d efen se t o fel o n y o b s t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer.

Ho wev e r

, b e c a u s e Co o p er’ s co n v i ct i o n fo r fel o n y o b st ru ct io n of an o ffi cer s h o u ld

h av e m erg ed i n t o h i s ag g rav at ed b at t ery co n v i ct io n

, w e d o n o t reach t h e m eri t s o f h i s

s o l e d efen s e arg u m en t

.

5“ W h ere n ei t h er p art y p ro p erl y rai s es an d arg u es a m erg er i s s u e, t h i s Co u rt h as

n o d ut y t o s co u r t h e reco rd search i n g fo r m e r g er is su es

. Ho wev er, i f we n o t i ce a

m erg er i s s u e i n a d i rect ap p eal

, as we h av e h ere, we reg u larl y res o l v e t h at is s u e, ev en

wh ere i t was n ot rai s ed i n t he t ri al co u rt an d i s n o t e n u m e rat ed as erro r o n ap p eal .”

H u l e t t v. S t a t e

, 29 6 Ga. 4 9

, 54 (2 ) (7 6 6 SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 14 ) (ci tat i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

“ Th e t es t fo r det erm i n i n g wh et h er o n e cri m e i s in cl u d ed i n a n o t h e r

, an d

t h erefo re m erg es as a m at t er o f fact

, is t h e ‘ req u i red ev i d en ce ’ t es t —wh et h er

co n vi ct i o n fo r o ne o f t h e offen s es i s es t ab li s hed b y pro o f o f t he sam e o r l es s t h an al l

t h e fact s req u i red t o es t ab l i s h t h e o t h er cri m e.” W el ch v. S t at e

, 29 8 Ga. 3 2 0

, 3 2 4 (6 )

(7 8 1 SE2 d 7 6 8 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci tat io n o m i t t ed ).

Here, i n co u n t 1

, t h e St at e ch arg ed Co o p er wi th fel o n y ag g rav at ed b at t ery b y

“ k n o wi n g l y an d m al i ci o u s l y cau s [i n g ] b od i l y h arm t o a co rrect i o n al o ffi cer, t o -wi t :

Ph i l l ip Yo u n g

, w h il e s ai d o ffi cer was en g ag ed in t h e p erfo rm an ce o f hi s o ffi ci al

d u t i es

, b y ren d eri n g u s el es s a m em b er o f h i s bo d y

, t o -wi t : ri g h t an k le, i n v io l at i o n o f

O.C.G.A. § 1 6 -5 -2 4.”

Co u nt 2 c h a r g ed t h at Co o p er co m m i t ted fel o n y o b s t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer by

“ k n o wi n g l y an d wi l l fu l l y o p p o s [ i n g ] Ph i l l i p Yo u n g

, a co rrect i o n al o ffi cer i n t h e

6l awfu l di s ch arg e o f h i s o ffi ci al d u t i es

, b y d o i n g v i o l en ce t o su ch o ffi cer i n vi o l at i o n

o f O.C.G.A. § 1 6 -1 0-2 4.” Th e t es t i m o n y at t ri al s h o wed t h at Co op er en t ered t h e fi g ht

an d t ack l ed o ffi cer Y o un g t hereb y in ju ri n g h i s an k l e. Th i s ev i d en ce was s u ffi ci en t to

s at i s fy bo t h t h e ag g rav at ed bat t ery an d fel o ny o b s t ru c t i o n o f an o ffi cer co u n t s as

c h a r g ed

. To p ro v e t h e ag g rav at ed b at t ery co u n t

, th e St at e h ad t o s ho w t h at Offi cer

Yo u n g was en gag ed i n h i s offi ci al d u t i es

, an d t h at Co o p er i n ju red O ffi cer Yo u n g ’ s

an k le. To p ro v e t he fel o n y ob s t ru ct i o n ch arg e, t h e St at e w as req u i red t o sh o w t h at

Offi cer Yo u n g was en gag ed i n h i s o ffi ci al d u t i es

, an d t h at Co op er “ di d vi o l en ce” to

Offi cer Yo u n g

.

Becau s e i n

ju ri n g an ot her’ s an k l e am o u n ts t o “ d o i n g v io l e n c e ”

, t h es e

co n vi ct i o n s m

u s t m erg e. Th e s am e ev i den ce (i n ju ri n g O ffi cer Yo un g ’ s an k l e wh i l e

h e w as en g ag ed i n offi ci al d u t i es ) was us ed t o s u p p o rt b o t h t h e o b s t ru ct i o n an d t h e

a g g rav at ed b at t ery ch arg es as t h ey were s et fo rt h in t h e i n d i ct m en t

. Th e fel o n y

o b s t ru ct i on co u n t w as t h erefo re i n cl u d ed i n t h e ag g rav at ed b at t ery co u n t as ch arg ed

.

S ee H en d er s o n v. St at e

, 2 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 9 5

, 3 0 0 (3 ) ( 5 56 SE2 d 2 0 4) (2 0 0 1 )

(o b s t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer m erg ed i n t o ag g rav at ed b at t ery wh ere t h ey w ere b o t h b as ed

o n t h e s i n gl e act o f b i t i ng t h e o ffi cer). Bas ed o n o u r d et erm i n at i o n t h at f e l o n y

7o b s t ru ct i on m erg es i nt o ag g rav at ed b at t ery i n t h i s i n s t an ce, Co o per’ s e n u m e r a t i o n

reg ard i n g t h e l ack o f ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n o n h i s s o l e d efen s e i s ren d ered m o o t

.

Ju d g men t a f fi rmed in p a r t a n d va ca t ed i n p a r t

, a n d c a s e r ema nd

ed f o r

r es en t en ci ng . Do

yl e, P. J., a n d

Ma r kl e, J., co n cu r

.

8