SECOND DI VI SI ON DOYLE, C. J.

, M I LLER, P. J, and REESE, J.

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

M ay 8, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A0 59 2 . M ILLSAPS v . THE STATE. DO-0 1 9 C

D O Y LE , Ch ief J ud g e.

Aft er p l ead in g g ui l t y in m unic ipa l c ourt t o reck l es s d ri v i n g , res i s t i n g an o ffi cer,

an d sp eed in g , Harv es t A d am M i l l s ap s ap p eal s fro m t h e d en i al o f h is m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s o n d o u b le jeo p ard y g ro u n d s an accu sat i on b ro u g h t i n s u p eri o r co urt al l eg i n g

s ep arat e ch arg es o f fl eei n g or at t e m p t i n g t o el u d e an offi cer, 1 m i s d em ean o r

o b s t ru ct i on o f an o ffi cer, 2 reck l es s d ri v i n g , 3 an d s p eed in g

. 4 He co n t en d s th at t h e t ri al

co u rt erred b ecau s e (1 ) t h e s u peri o r co u rt pro s ecu t io n was b arred by OCGA § 1 6 -1 -7

1 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 5 (a).

2 OCGA § 1 6 -1 0-2 4 (a).

3 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 0 (a).

4 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -1 8 1 (b ) (5 ).(b ), an d (2 ) t h e s u b seq uen t offen s es were “ i n cl u d ed i n ” th e fo rm er offen s es

. Fo r t h e

reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm

.

On ap peal fro m th e d en i al o f a m o t io n t o d is m i s s o n d o u b l e jeo p ard y g ro u n d s ,

we rev i ew “ t h e fact ual fi nd i n g s o f t h e t ri al co u rt u n der t h e s t an d ard o f cl ear erro r, b ut

t h i s C o u rt

. . . in d ep en d en t ly ex am i n e[s ] t h e tri al co u rt ’ s co n cl u s i o ns o f l aw” d e

n o v o

. 5

In t h i s cas e, t h e re l e v a n t fact s are u n d i s p ut ed

, an d t h e reco rd sh o w s t h at o n

M ay 2 2

, 2 0 1 4, t h e Bart o w Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Off i c e i s s u ed ci t at i on s t o M il l s ap s fo r

s ev eral o ffen ses o ccu rri n g wh i l e M i l l s ap s al l eg ed l y l ed p o l i ce o n a h i g h -s p eed ch as e

at s p eed s ex ceed i n g 1 0 0 m i l e s p e r ho u r: fl eei n g an d at t em p t i n g t o el u d e, reck l es s

d ri v i ng , an d s p eed i n g

. Th es e o ffen s es al l eg ed l y occu rred i n un i n co rp o rat ed Bart o w

Co u n t y

. On M ay 2 3

, 2 01 4

, t h e E m ers o n C i t y P o li ce D ep art m en t i s s u ed t raffi c

ci t at i o n s t o M i l l s ap s fo r rel at ed o ffen s es co m m it t ed w i t h i n t h e ci ty li m i ts : reck l es s

d ri v i ng , res i s ti n g an o ffi cer, an d s p eed in g

.

In M arch 2 0 1 5

, M i l l s a p s a p p eared i n t h e Em ers o n M un i ci p al Co u rt an d

p l ead ed g u i l ty t o th e Em ers on ci t at i o n s fo r reck l es s d ri v i n g an d res i s t i n g an o ffi cer,

an d t h e s p eed i n g offen s e m erg ed wi t h t h e reck l es s d ri v i n g o ffen s e. In J u n e 2 0 1 5

, t h e

5 Jen ki n s v. S ta t e , 2 9 4 Ga. 5 0 6 , 5 0 8 (1 ) (7 55 SE2 d 1 3 8 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

2St at e fi led an accu s at i on i n t he Su p eri o r Co urt o f B a r t o w Co u n t y al leg i n g s ep arat e

o ccu rren ces o f fl eei n g o r at t em p t i n g t o el u d e an o ffi cer, o b s t ru ct i o n , reck l es s d ri v i n g,

an d s p eed i ng

. M i l l s ap s t h en m o v ed t o d i s m is s th e acc u s a t i o n o n d o u b l e jeo p ard y

g ro u nd s , an d

, fo l l o w i n g a h eari ng , t he s u p eri o r co u r t d en i ed t h e m o t i o n

. M i l l s ap s n o w

ap p eal s

.

1

. M il l s ap s co nt en d s th at t h e t ri al co u r t erred b y co n cl u di n g t h at h i s

p ro s ecu ti o n was n o t b arred b y OCGA § 1 6 -1 -7 (b ). Un d er t h a t C o d e s ect i o n , wh en

“ s ev eral cri m es ari s i n g fro m t he s am e co n d uct are k n o wn t o t h e p ro p er p ro s ecu t i n g

o f f i c e r a t t h e t i m e o f co m m en ci ng t h e [fi rs t ] p ro s ecu t i o n an d are wi t h i n t h e

ju ri s d i ct i o n o f a s i n g le co u rt

, t h ey m u st b e p ro secu t ed i n a s i n g l e p ro s ecu t i o n ex cep t

as p ro v id ed i n s u b s ect i o n (c) o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n,” w h i ch s u b s ect i o n d o es n o t ap p l y

h ere. 6

M i l l sap s ’s a pp eal fo cu s es o n t h e req u irem en t t h at t h e p ro s ecu t i n g o ffi cer

“ k n o w” of t h e o t h er cri m es ari s i n g fro m t h e sam e co n d u ct

. M i l l s ap s ’ s b u r d e n i s to

s h o w i n t h e reco rd “ t h at t he p ro s ecu t i n g at t o rn ey

. . . w h o han d led t h e fi rs t

p ro s ecu ti o n h ad act u al k n o wl ed g e o f t h e fact s s u p p ort i ng th e ch arg e al l eg ed l y s u b ject

6 Su b s ect i o n (c) p ro v i d es : “ W h en t wo o r m o re cri m es are ch arg ed as req u i red

b y s u bs ect i o n (b ) o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n , t h e co u rt i n t h e i n t eres t o f ju s t i ce m ay o rd er

t h at o n e o r m o re o f s u ch ch arg es b e t ri ed s ep arat el y .”

3t o a [d o u b l e jeo p ard y d efen s e] ,” 7 i .e.,t h e fl eei ng , o b s t ru ct io n , reck l es s d ri v i n g , an d

s p eed i n g t h at o ccu rred o u t s i d e o f t h e ci t y l i m i t s o f Em ers on

.

M i l l sap s rel i es o n Bi ll u

p s v. S t a t e , 8 w hi ch h el d t h at t h e p ro s ecu t o r was

ex p ect ed

, “ as an ex p ert i n t h e l aw,” t o k n ow o f t h e s ev eral cri m es ari s i n g fro m t h e

fact s an d ev i d en ce act ual l y k n o wn t o h er. 9 M i l ls ap s arg u es t hat t h e m u n ici p al co u rt

p ro s ecu to r h ad act u al k n o w l ed g e o f al l o f t h e fact s s u pp o rt i n g t h e s u b s eq u en t ch arg es

i n s u peri o r co u rt

, so h e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y co n cl u d i n g t h at t h e

m u n i c i p a l c o u rt p ro s ecu t o r d i d n o t k n o w o f t h e cri m es ari s i n g fro m t h e s am e

t ran s act io n fo r wh i ch h e was p u n i s h ed fo r i n m u n i ci p al co urt

.

M i l l sap s ’ s arg u m en t is n o t b o rn e o ut b y t h e reco rd

. Th e ev i d en ce i n t he reco rd

i s li m i t ed t o t h e act u al ci t at i on s i s s u ed b y t h e Em ers o n Po l i ce Dep art m en t an d t h e

t es t i m o ny o f t h e m

u n i c i p a l co u rt p ro s ecu t i n g at to rn ey

. T h o s e ci t at io n s m ak e n o

m en t i o n o f co n d u ct o ccu rri n g o u t s i d e of Em ers o n , an d th e p ro s ecu t o r ex p l ai n ed t h at

7 (Pu n ct u at i o n an d em

p h as i s o m i t t ed .) S ta t e v. Hi l l

, 3 3 3 Ga. A p p

. 7 8 5

, 78 7 (7 7 7

SE2 d 2 6 5 ) (2 01 5 ), q u o t i n g Ni cel y v. S t a t e , 3 0 5 Ga. Ap p

. 3 8 7

, 3 88 (1 ) (6 9 9 SE2 d 7 7 4 ) (2 0 1 0).

8 2 2 8 Ga. Ap p . 8 0 4 (4 9 3 SE2 d 8 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

9 Id

. at 8 0 8 (1 ) (c) (“ T h e pro s ecu t o r in t h i s cas e read t h e arres t rep ort [,] an d s h e

act u al l y k n ew al l t h e fact s an d ev i d en ce o f ap p el l an t ’ s co n d u ct .”).

4t h e o n ly

way cas es co m e t o h i m

i s b y way of a ci t at io n i s s ued b y t h e ci t y . An y

s t at e

warran t s o r rep o rt s as s oci at ed w i t h t hi s cas e d i d n o t an d wo u l d n o t hav e g o n e t o h i m

.

Th erefo re, ev en t h o u gh each o f t h e offen ses at i s s u e i n t h i s cas e aro s e fro m th e s am e

t ran s act io n , t h ere is n o ev id en c e t h a t t h e m u n ici p al p ro s ecu t or was aware o f t h e

fact ual b as i s fo r t h e o ffen ses o ccu rri n g o u t s i d e o f Em ers o n

.

In t h i s ci rcu m s t an ce, t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y rel i ed on S ta t e v. Hi ll

, 1 0 i n wh i ch

t h i s Co urt rev ers ed t h e g r a n t o f a p l e a in b ar. In Hi l l

, d u e t o a cl eri cal m i s t ak e, a

ci t at i o n fo r h av i n g an ex p i red tag was s o m eh o w s ep arat ed fro m rel at ed ch arg es fo r

d ri v i ng u n d er t h e in fl uen ce (“ DUI”) an d fo l l o wi n g t o o cl o s el y

. Hi l l p l ead ed g u i l t y to

t h e ex p i red t ag ch arg e i n reco rd er’ s co u rt

, wh ereas t h e DUI an d fo l l o wi n g -t oo -cl ose l y

ch ar g e s we r e b o u n d o v er t o t h e s t at e co u rt

. Ev en t ho u gh al l o f t h o s e ch arg es aro s e

fro m t h e s am e t ran sact i o n , t h e ex p i red -t ag fi l e av ai l ab l e t o t h e p ro s ecu t o r in

reco rd er’ s co u rt d i d n o t rev eal t o t h a t p r o s ecu t o r t h e fact s s u p p ort i ng t h e o t h er

o ffen s es (DUI an d fo l l o w i n g t o o cl o s el y ). Acco rd i n g l y , t h is Co u rt h el d t h at t h e t ri al

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

5co u rt erred b y c o n c l u d i n g t hat t h e p ro s ecu t o r in reco rd er’ s co u rt h ad act u al

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e fact s s u pp o rt i n g t h e o t h er cri m es p en d i n g i n s t at e co u rt

. 1 1

As i n Hi ll

, t h ere i s no ev i d en ce t h at t h e m u n i ci pal co u rt p ro s ecu t o r h ad act u al

k n o wl ed g e o f th e cri m i n al co n d u ct t ak i ng p l ace o u t s i d e o f t h e ci t y l i m i t s , h o wev er

rel at ed th at co n d u ct was t o t h e Em ers o n ch arg es

. 1 2 Acco rd i n g l y , M il l sap s ’ s arg u m en t

i s wi t h o u t m eri t

.

2

. M i l l s ap s al s o co n t en d s t h at t h e s eco n d p ro s ecu t i o n i s b arred b ecau s e t h o s e

o ffen s es were “ i n cl u d ed i n ” t he o ffen s es fro m t h e fo rm er p ro secu t i o n

. M i l l s ap s rel i es

o n t he “ req u i red ev i d en ce” t es t ad o p t ed i n Dr i n ka rd v. W a l ker 1 3 t o arg u e t h a t t h e

s u b s eq u en t o ffen s es were in cl u d ed i n t h e fo rm er offen s es

. Bu t t h at an al y s i s “ d o es n ot

1 1 See i d

. at 7 8 9. See al s o S el l er s v. S ta te

, 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 4

, 1 8 (7 7 0 SE2 d 3 1 ) (2 0 1 5) (h o l d in g t h at a s e c o n d f e l o n y pro s ecu t i o n was n o t barred b ecau s e “ t h e d i s p o s i t i on fo rm [av ai lab l e in th e fi rs t p ro secu t i o n ] was l eg al ly i ns u ffi ci en t t o s h o w

t h at t h e s o l i ci t o r-g en eral h an d l i n g Sel l ers ’ s g u i l t y p lea i n s t at e c o u r t act ual l y k n ew

t h at t here were fel o n y [d ru g ] o ffen s es ari s i n g o u t o f t h e s am e c o n d u ct as t h e

m i s d em ean o r t raffi c o ffen s e.”).

1 2 See S el l er s , 3 3 2 Ga. A p p

. at 1 8

. Co m p are Dea n v. S t a t e , 3 0 9 Ga. Ap p

. 4 5 9,

4 6 1 -4 6 2 (7 1 1 SE2 d 4 2 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (d efen s e co u n s el ad v i s ed p ro secu t o r of o th er p en d i n g ch arg es ); Ni cel

y , 3 05 Ga. Ap p . at 3 9 0 (1 ).

1 3 2 8 1 Ga. 2 1 1

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

6ap p ly u n l es s t h e s ame co n d u ct o f t he accu s ed es t ab l i s h es t h e

. . . m u l t i p l e cri m es .” 1 4

Ev en t h ou g h t h e o ffen s e s a l l e g ed l y were p art o f t h e s am e p o l ice ch as e, t he reco rd

b efo re u s i s u ncl ear as t o t h e p reci s e fact u al p red icat es o f each o ffen s e, an d i t d o es n ot

s h o w t h at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt acc u s at i o n i s pred i cat ed o n t h e s am e co nd u ct as t h e

m u n i ci pal o ffen s es

. Fo r ex am p l e, t h e ob s t ru ct i o n an d res i s t i n g arres t ch arg es each

i n v o l v e d i fferen t v i ct im s , so i t is cl ear th at o n e o f t h o s e o ffen s es i s n o t i n cl u ded i n t h e

o t h er. 1 5 Al s o , i t ap p ears fro m t he reco rd t h at t h e t wo p ro s ecu t i on s fo cu s o n co n d u ct

o c c u r r i n g at d ifferen t p oi n t s i n t h e p o l i ce ch as e, an d ab sen t an y t h i n g i n t he reco rd

cl earl y d em o n s t rat i ng o th erwi se, M il l s ap s h as fai l ed at t h i s t im e t o m eet h i s b u rd en

t o s h o w t h at an y of t h e s u peri o r co u rt o ffen s es were in cl u d ed i n t h e m u n i ci p al co u rt

o ffen s es

.

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

, P. J., a n d

Rees e, J., co n cu r

.

1 4 (Em p h as i s s u pp l i ed

. ) Ro b er t

s o n v. S t a t e , 3 0 6 Ga. A p p

. 7 2 1

, 7 2 5 (4 ) (7 0 3

SE2 d 3 4 3) (2 0 1 0).

1 5 See Cu lb r ea t h v. S t a t e , 3 28 Ga. Ap p

. 1 5 3

, 1 5 7 (2 ) (b ) (i ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 5 5 7 ) (2 0 1 4) (h o l d i n g t h at t wo o ffen s es ag ai n s t t wo d i fferen t v i ct i m s d id n o t m erg e).

7